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Basil – A Popular Herb

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Originally, Basil was not the most popular herb in the bunch. Actually there were some who simply hated it, mainly the ancient people. The name basil means “be fragrant” but still various cultures battled with a love hate relationship over basil. Americans and Romans loved it while Hindus plant it in their homes as a sign of happiness. On the contrary it was the Greeks who despised it most but those from India and Persia were not too fond of it either. One place that took a special liking to Basil was Italy and to this day not many people prepare a classic pasta sauce without the Basil.

To this day basil and tomato sauce have formed somewhat of a marriage almost globally. Basil is very easy to grow as long as the temperature does not fall below 50 degrees and is in full sunshine. It is popularly used both in the fresh form as well as the dried. A rare known fact about Basil is that the longer it simmers in a dish the more the flavor intensifies. This makes sense as to why people simmer their pasta sauces for so long, to bring out all of the rich herb flavors. Normally in pasta sauces Basil is used in combination with Oregano. However, Basil is not just used for pasta or tomato sauce, it is also used for flavoring fish, vegetables, meats, and soups.

If you decide to grow an herb garden, you can thank the Basil plants for keeping the flies away as flies are also part of the group that does not care for Basil. Another interesting fact about Basil is that it was considered a royal herb with a strong association pertaining to love. Basil had a relationship with how men of a much earlier time planned on proposing to their fair maidens. The man would bring a branch of Basil and if the woman accepted his gift she silently agreed to love him and be faithful to him for eternity.

Basil is related to the Mint family and just knowing that should give you a good idea that it will have many medicinal uses as well. Right away most people associate anything mint with aiding the digestive system and also for its anti gas properties. Herbalists use Basil quite commonly for health ailments such as stomach cramps, vomiting, constipation, headaches and anxiety. When Basil is used for these purposes it is generally made into a hot tea for drinking. Some also claim that a nice hot cup of Basil tea can contribute greatly to a good nights sleep. At herbal stores you can also purchase Basil capsules as well if you do not care for the taste of the tea.

Basil is still one of the most common household herbs used today and in most areas of culinary art it is a necessity there too. When used in its freshest form, Basil is torn from the plant and then just minced up with a knife. Usually somewhere nearby the Basil you will find some olive oil, garlic, and someone getting ready to prepare a fantastic tomato sauce.

Thyme

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Thyme is a very popular and well known culinary herb. It is a very decorative plant while it is growing and is also very easy to grow as well but be prepared because bees just love Thyme. Many people use Thyme in stews, salads, meats, soups, and vegetables. Thyme is a very common household herb and is a member of the mint family. The plant is very aromatic and comes in many varieties. Thyme is a frequently used herb in many fish dishes. Oddly enough as much as honey bees love to suck the nectar from the Thyme plant is as much as other insects loathe it. Some people have been known to make a mist spray of Thyme and water and use it as a bug repellent.

Various forms of Thyme are available year round but many people prefer to grow their own. Nothing beats the smell and taste of fresh Thyme as long as you know to pick it just as the flowers appear. Once fresh Thyme is harvested it should be stored in either a plastic bag in the crisper or stood straight up in a glass of water on the shelf in the refrigerator for easy access.

The bad news, fresh Thyme does not have a very long shelf life, you will be lucky if it last a week. If you have selected fresh Thyme and decide to dry it then simply hang it upside down in a warm and dry atmosphere for about a week to ten days. Then you can crumble it into a powdery form and stored in a sealed dark container for no more than six months. You want to eliminate the stems as they have a tendency to have a woody taste to them.

Thyme has some medicinal purposes as well as an antiseptic, an expectorant, and deodorant properties as well. When combined with fatty meats Thyme has been known to aid in digestion too, especially with lamb, pork, and duck. Herbal medicine has used Thyme for various things such as extracts, teas, compresses, for baths, and for gargles. More modern medicine has chimed in and verified that Thyme just might strengthen the immune system.

Distilled Thyme oils have been used for the commercial use of antiseptics, toothpaste, mouthwash, gargle, hair conditioner, dandruff shampoo, potpourri, and insect repellant. It is also used in the production of certain expectorants that are prescribed for whooping cough and bronchitis. Thyme has also been used in part as an aphrodisiac and in aromatherapy oils as well.

If by some chance you are in the middle of cooking recipes that calls for Thyme and you find that you are out do not fret, it is said that you can use a pinch of oregano as a substitute if you have to. Thyme is very often used when cooking European cuisine but is essential for the correct preparation of French foods as it has that faint lemony taste to it. It has also been said that Thyme is one of the only herbs that a cook can not over season with because the flavor is so mild. Thyme is a primary spice that everyone should have stocked in their pantry.