Types of Culinary Herbs

The herbs below are a list of botanical herbs used in popular cuisines today. Prime flavorful culinary herbs are harvested from well tended plants while in their leaf phase. Herbs have two phases of growth: the leaf phase and the flower (or reproductive phase).

When plants enter a flowering stage, leaf production slows down or stops. In this stage the leaves on the plant may become woody, bitter, grassy and yellowed. The quality of these leaves are not optimal for cooking. Growers can delay the flowering phase by harvesting often.

Savory

Savory

Savory is available in fresh or dried leaves. Tender leaves can be added fresh to salads or used as a garnish or bottle the herb in vinegar. Once dried and chopped, it is an integral part of herb mixtures like Herbes de Provence.

There are two types of savory - winter and summer. The two look much the same, but winter is a bit more pungent. Savory smells and tastes like Mint and Rosemary chopped together.

Savory is nicknamed the bean herb. It is typically used in soups, beans and as a meat and poultry seasoning. This herb tastes slightly warm and sharp. It is a very strong herb and should be used sparingly.

Most commonly used as a seasoning for green vegetables, savory's special affinity is for beans. Use summer savory, with its more delicate flavor, for tender baby green beans, and winter savory to enhance a whole medley of dried beans and lentils.




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