The use of lemon balm has been documented in 300 BCE, which means that this herb has been in use for well over two millennia. Historians believe lemon balm to have originated in Southern Europe and was introduced to Spain in the 7th century by Moors. The Greeks referred to it by what is now […]
Lemon Verbena: A Lemon-Scented Herb From South America
Lemon verbena is a lemon-scented herb native to South America. It is often confused with lemon balm as the two herbs have the word lemon in their names. Lemon verbena and lemon balm are two distinct herbs; lemon verbena belongs to the Verbenaceae family while lemon balm belongs to the mint family. Its Latin name […]
Lilac: A Flower With True Flavor
Lilacs have as long a history as the histories of roses and tulips. The lilac plant belongs to the same family as the olive. According to Greek mythology, this flowering plant originated from a nymph who turned herself into a lilac bush to escape the attention of Pan. The first varieties of lilac came from […]
Rose Petals: A Persian Spice
Rose petals were used in Ancient Egypt, but rose plants are thought to have originated in Asia and were first cultivated by the Chinese 5,000 years ago. The petals were also popular in Rome and Greece with the oil produced from them being used as both a medicine and as a perfume for wealthy Romans. […]
Sweet Cicely: A Rare European Herb
While the history and use of sweet cicely are not widely documented in ancient texts, what is known is that the name sweet cicely goes back to ancient Greek. The Greek term seselis is the origin of the sweet cicely’s name and appears to have been used in reference to a number of herbs. In […]
Orange Peel: The Most Aromatic Part Of The Fruit
The orange tree has been grown in Asia since antiquity, but it was not until the 1st century BC that the western world would become acquainted with its fruit. Historians state that there were oranges growing in India 7,000 years ago. The name orange is believed to from narangah, which is the Sanskrit word for […]
Sorrel: The Sour Herb
The word sorrel is derived from a French word meaning sour. It is a relative of buckwheat and different from Jamaican sorrel, which is in the hibiscus family. The sorrel herb has been in use since ancient times in both Egypt and Europe. At the start of the colonial era, sorrel soup was considered a […]
Bouquet Garni: The Foundation Of French Provencal Cooking
A bouquet garni is simply a bundle of herbs. The traditional implementation involves placing the herbs into a cheesecloth bag and tying them up, but the bag not essential; the term refers simply to the herb. The first use of the bouquet garni has been lost to history, but the first mention of it is […]
Angelica: The Viking Herb
Angelica comes from Northern Europe where it grows in damp areas like woodlands and alongside rivers. The Vikings are thought to have brought this herb with them to Eastern Europe. One story about how the plant got its name is that an angel supposedly visited a monk to offer angelica as the cure for a […]
Shiso: An Essential Japanese Herb
Shiso is considered one of Japan’s seven main flavorings, which have been in use in that nation’s cuisine for more than 300 years. Shiso started out as a Chinese medicinal herb that migrated to Japan in the eighth century. Its use was documented as a part of a medicinal formula that dates back to 1110 […]
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