Italian Herb Garden
Italy is well known for its abundance of culinary and aromatic herbs like Basil, Rosemary, Oregano, Parsley and Thyme. These herbs that are found in a typical Italian herb garden will add tremendous flavor to a wide range of traditional and modern dishes including pasta, pizza, salads, bruschetta, soups, veal and chicken dishes.
Basil for example, will not only add flavor to many Italian cuisines, it is also useful when planting basil next to your tomatoes and peppers as it will actually enhance their flavor. And as an added bonus, basil will also repel flies and mosquitoes in and surrounding areas of an Italian herb garden.
Parsley is useful not only with Italian dishes but with many other types of cuisines. Many generations ago before the advent of fresh breath mints it was found that eating fresh, raw parsley after a meal actually neutralized bad breath that develops after eating a flavorful meal. The tradition of serving parsley on a small dish after a meal lives on today by using parsley as a garnish with a variety of meals. I have eaten raw parsley after a meal and must say getting used to the flavor is one thing but it certainly helps to keep your breath fresh.
Oregano is as decorative as it is flavorful and when fully mature will sprout pretty little purple flowers. Oregano should not be harvested until it has fully matured and flowered because this is when the plant reaches its peak, in terms of getting the most flavors from this wonderfully aromatic herb.
Fennel is very famous for its distinctively flavored seeds that sensationally enhance the flavors of Italian sausage. It is a perennial plant that should be divided and replanted every few years to savor its flavor as it tends to lose flavor as the plant matures. To many Italians fennel is also a great garden vegetable that can be eaten raw, usually in the winter months or can be thinly sliced and added to a garden salad, adding further amazing flavor. Most non-Italian families would not have had the pleasure of tasting fresh fennel; you must simply try it this winter!
Rosemary is a tough evergreen perennial Italian herb but it is sensitive to frost. It grows into a large shrub that spouts pretty little blue flowers. Like basil, rosemary is also beneficial to an Italian herb garden as it attracts bees and repels other unwanted insects at the same time.
Let’s face it, no Italian herb garden would be complete without one of the most used culinary herbs in kitchens all over the world, you guessed it, world famous Garlic. It’s probably the most used herb in Italian cuisines and very easy to grow. Garlic cloves can be planted in just about any garden condition and will thrive no matter what, with very little attention needed. Garlic once ready to be harvested, can be picked and stored for later use. It can be stored in your freezer or in your refrigerator as it’s such a versatile and long lasting herb.
Sage is also used in many Italian dishes from meats to salads. It’s the new shoots of this herb plant that contain the most flavor, so its recommended not to let sage plants get too woody as new shoots will be encouraged to grow, simply by keeping this plant trim. Sage can be harvested after blooming by picking the leaves and cutting back the stems.
Although there are so many other herbs that can be included in an Italian herb garden, you should now give consideration to which Italian herbs you want to grow and think about the growing conditions each plant requires to thrive. Yes, Italian herbs do add amazing flavors to cuisines but they are also terrific plant additions to landscape designs. They can be wonderfully displayed for their vibrant colors and their exquisite aromas. By planting Italian herbs amongst other plants, it will seem you will be graced with the sweet aromas straight from Tuscany!
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