What is it that makes Italian dishes so tasteful and bursting with flavors? The right herbs make all the difference. Here are just a few of my favorites, and the ones you should consider when starting your own Italian herb garden.
Oregano, while flavorful and decorative, when it fully matures it will sprout beautiful little purple flowers. Oregano should be harvested after it has flowered because this is when the plant is the most flavorful. A bit of Oregano will make all the difference in your spaghetti sauce.
Basil is the best known Italian herb and is useful in many Italian recipes. Thinking of a nice Pesto sauce? Imagine pulling fresh Basil from your Italian herb garden and whipping a fresh Pesto. Quick and easy. Did you know that Basil has some health benefits as well?
Parsley can be a hard herb to grow, but well worth the effort. Useful in not only Italian dishes but many other types of dishes as well. Long ago, it was found that eating raw parsley after a meal freshened your breath, and a tradition was born. That was to serve parsley on a small dish after the meal. Now you know where the popular parsley garnish came from.
Sage can be also be found in a variety of Italian dishes including salads and meats. The dried leaves of the sage plant are also traditionally added to the stuffings of turkey and chicken. Sage can be harvested after it blooms. A perfect addition to to your Italian herb garden.
Fennel is famous for the seeds that enhance the flavors of your favorite Italian sausage. Fennel tends to loose its flavor as it matures, so be sure to use early and often. Since it’s a perennial plant, it should be divided, then replanted every few years to make sure you have those savory flavors on hand.
Rosemary is another commonly used Italian herb providing wonderfully aromatic flavors. Rosemary is a hardy plant that like it’s soil a bit on the dry side.
Garlic. No Italian herb garden would be complete without this wonderfully useful herb. Did you know that Garlic gloves can be directly planted and will thrive in any garden setting with very little attention? Garlic will also repel red spider mites in the garden, is an effective insecticide when steeped in water.
Italian herbs not only provide wonderful food flavorings, they can also make beautiful additions to landscaped designs.
Pete Malatesta has 1 articles online
For more great information on Italian herb garden, visit http://www.herbgardenforcooks.com.