Herb Garden Plants

Archive for the ‘esoteric’ Category

And now for something completely different. But still a herbal connection.

Cavalier, inmate of courts, controversialist, man of science, occultist, privateer, conspirator, lover and wit, all describe Sir Kenelm Digby, born July 11, 1603,  elder son of  Sir Kenelm Digby. He was barely three years old when his father, the most guileless and the most obstinate of the Gunpowder Plotters, died on the scaffold. Sir Kenelm Digby, however, did not follow in his late and somewhat unlamented father’s footsteps.

The following extract is from a book kept in Edinburgh Castle, The Closet Of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened,  which gives us a look into just one of many a story steeped in intrigue, treachery and British tradition. For our purposes, we simply report on one of Sir Digby’s recipes. (Thats the younger Sir Digby) Imagine the extent of his home herb garden.

MY LORD LUMLEY’S PEASE-PORAGE:

Take two quarts of Pease, and put them into an Ordinary quantity of Water, and when they are almost boiled, take out a pint of the Pease whole, and strain all the rest.

A little before you take out the pint of Pease, when they are all boiling together, put in almost an Ounce of Coriander-seed beaten very small, one Onion, some Mint, Parsley, Winter-savoury, Sweet-Marjoram from your home herb garden, all minced very small; when you have strained the Pease, put in the whole Pease and the strained again into the pot, and let them boil again, and a little before you take them up, put in half a pound of Sweet-butter.

You must season them in due time, and in the ordinary proportion with Pepper and Salt. This is a proportion to make about a Gallon of Pease-porage. The quantities are set down by guess. The Coriander-seeds are as much as you can conveniently take in the hollow of your hand. You may put in a great good Onion or two.

A pretty deal of Parsley, and if you will, and the season afford them, you may add what you like of other Porage herbs, such as they use for their Porages in France.

But if you take the savoury herbs dry, you must crumble or beat them to small Powder (as you do the Coriander-seed) and if any part of them be too big to pass through the strainer, after they have given their taste to the quantity, in boiling a sufficient while therein, you put them away with the husks of the Pease.

The Pint of Pease that you reserve whole, is only to show that it is Pease-porage. They must be of the thickness of ordinary Pease-porage. For which these proportions will make about a Gallon.

Now don’t all go rushing about finding ingredients in your own home herb garden and serving the dish at your next dinner party. I  wonder how accurately we could reproduce the recipe today. You would probably need to be a psychic and a very good guesser.

But ennit fascinating! Imagine talking like that all the time.

If you want more in the same vein, but with real duplicatable recipes,  register for our blogcast – you will get a weekly update of blog posts and access to several really interesting old time herb books including the one featured here – The Closet Of Sir Digby Knight Opened.

Next time a normal article – I promise. Let me know if you enjoyed this please.

The doctrine of signatures has been written about and discussed for centuries. but is less well known than one would think after all this time. Although it is not strictly speaking a herb subject, it does involve many herbs and is very interesting.

The Doctrine Of Signatures (Note Capital Letters) refers to the long held belief from the days of Dioscurides and Galen that a plant, or part of a plant, resembling a component of the human body has the power to heal that body part. There is much evidence of this and it is an incredibly interesting story; the older I get, the more I see legends I scoffed at previously take on substance.

Please pursue your own researches if you are interested, but I would like to give you a few glimpses of the reasoning behind this “Doctrine Of Signatures.” (Drum roll!) When shapes and even colours reminded herb collectors of human body parts they would attempt to use them to heal these parts; thus we have liverwort, bloodroot, toothwort, lungwort and wormwood. neither should we forget hedge woundwort – its dark red flowers have antiseptic qualities

Celery and rhubarb stems resemble bones in appearance: they consist of about 25% sodium, the same as bones and they replenish sodium lost from your bones to your body.

No-one needs to be told where the name kidney beans comes from, but did you know that they are supposed to both heal and assist kidney functioning in humans.

Slice a carrot in half and the radiating rings look like a human eye. And didn’t your mother tell you to eat carrots to see better – even in the dark.

Tomato: four chambers, red colour. Tomatoes are saturated with lycopine – good for the blood and the heart. You’re getting the picture?

The brain looks like nothing as much as a walnut. It even has the wrinkles. Open a walnut and we find a mini brain. cerebrum, cerebellum and two hemispheres.A walnut looks like a little brain. Walnuts develop neuro transmitters for the brain.

Grapes resemble blood cells – modern research holds that grapes are blood food.

Avocados assist functions of the female womb and cervix. No prizes for suggesting what they resemble. Four avo’s a month are said to both buffer cervical cancer and balance out the hormones.

Sweet Potatoes: help balance GI in diabetics. Which is the job of the pancreas it resembles.

There are many more examples.

Modern science however, brands these tales as superstitions; others say there are many valid claims concerning the ability of the doctrine of signatures to have presaged the medicinal properties of many species.

You decide.

Please register for our weekly blogcast – you’ll also get access to some very special and fascinating free books that will introduce you to  herbal history, recipes and remedies.

Foeniculum vulgare (Umbelliferae)

Appearance: These tall graceful herb garden plants have fine foliage which can be used fresh throughout summer. The thick and shiny primary stem reaches about 1.5 m (5 ft) with featherlike soft fine foliage topped by delicate yellow flowers blooming in midsummer.

Usage: Fennel is a popular and very traditional seasoning for fatty meats. In small quantities it may be used as an addition to lamb or poultry. It greatly enhances the taste of fish, particularly oily fish. Seed is used in bread dough. Use steeped in oil or yoghurt to make a salad or vegetable dressing. Fennel bulbs are delicious.

History: These herb garden plants have been grown and used in northern Europe and the mediterranean region since Roman times. Fennel was tranported to the New World as a digestive remedy by settlers. (Seeds) Fennel seeds provide an anise—flavoured condiment stifles appetite and were used in Europe during religous fasting. Puritan communities in the USA took seeds of fennel and dill into church to chew during long services. Hence the expression “meeting seeds”. ln the Middle Ages it was placed into keyholes to stop the migration of evil spirits. The Romans employed fennel as a specific for various and regarded it as an agent of power and safe travelling.

Cultivation: Fennel is a tall plant suitable for the back of the herb border. Seed should be sown in late spring. To maintain Sow a few seeds in succession with about a 10-day interval between sowings. Cultivate as an annual if desired, but the established roots produce hardy plants that easily survive winter. Divide established roots from established herb garden plants in the fall (autumn) after seed has been harvested.

Harvesting: Fennel is sap rich and does not dry easily. Collect seed heads immediately you observe a color change. Hang them up in a dry, well ventilated environment out of the sun. Place a large tray or towel/paper/cloth underneath to collect the seeds easily.

Anyone seeking help about herb garden information joins a venerable company of historical figures of religious and legendary provenance who have been associated with these sometimes mystical, often sacred but more often revered, cherished and famous plants.

May I present you with a tiny taste of this incredibly romantic subject.

Since infamous is always more popular than famous let us start these glimpses with HEMLOCK – which as we all know caused the death of Socrates. (He was no suicide, but was sentenced to death by drinking a mixture containing poisonous hemlock.)

A less famous poisonous plant is the CASTOR OIL PLANT, the leaves are are called ‘palmus Christi’ after the healing hands of Christ, and are  remarkably beneficial in healing – while the seeds are very toxic.

But enough of the nasties – let us visit the bountiful.

ROSEMARY is one of the most ancient of herbs used by mankind – it’s use has been recorded in documents that are venerably old, going back to recorded history. Many legends abound around rosemary – such as the Virgin Mary being reputed to have taken shelter behind a rosemary bush to escape persecutors. It was burned during ancient religious rites and carried during the great European plague as a ward against sickness. On a more culinary note, Greek shepherds out on the hills used it to slow cook ‘Lamb Kleftiko’ which means something like ‘Stolen lamb’.

VIOLET was believed by the Greeks to be an aphrodisiac and so the Romans used it to make wine. (Those Italians!)

ST. JOHNS WORT is imbued with folklore tales; it was used to attract fairies and protect the home against loss and sorrow. Can you imagine 2 fairy housewives debating the ‘Mushroom/St. John’s Wort’ question over a cup of tea?

WORMWOOD – John the Baptist wore a woven girdle of wormwood,hence it’s other name of St John’s girdle. Known as an outstanding healing herb since very early times, it was affixed to the door of a healer as a sort of logo.

THYME was used in the 15th to 17th centuries as a border to narrow paths known as ‘thyme walks’. Ladies would walk the paths and their dresses would brush the plants, which would then release their perfume. The name is derived from the Greek word for courage.

SALAD BURNET is a plant famously used by King Chaba of mediaeval Hungary to heal the wounds of many thousands of his men.

SAGE derives it’s name from the Latin word ’salvere’- to enjoy good health – reflecting the reputation for bountiful qualities enjoyed by sage from days of yore. (That’s very yore) No herb garden should be without it.

TANSY is named for a Greek word meaning ‘immortality’ – it was used as a strewing herb, for preserving corpses and as a flavourant – but not, hopefully, at the same time.

SORREL was beloved of ancient Greece, Italy and Egypt. It was widely used as an antidote for overeating or too much drinking. (Those old dogs) The high oxalic content caused it’s corm to be carried aboard old-time sailing ships and used as an anti-scurvy measure.

RUE was – and may be still be for all I know – customarily used in holy water used to bless repentant sinners. Rue, of course, also means to repent or be sorry.

SOLOMON’S SEAL rootstock was used in the 15th and 16th centuries by women as an application for black eyes and bruises. It was a specific remedy for knitting broken bones and has been used for centuries as a cosmetic to cure freckles and as a skin tonic.

PARSLEY is widely known as the ‘king of herbs’. Not my personal choice, but it was held in great esteem by the ancient Greeks who used it to decorate tombs as well as in many things culinary.

Well, thats me out of space. I hope, dear reader, that this short article will go a long way in stimulating your interest in these fascinating herbs and do some further reading. Now go and get your hands dirty in some potting soil if you are not already growing herbs.

Carum carvi (Umbelliferae)

Appearance: The leaves are thread—like and bright green; the stems are smooth, reach 60 cms (2 ft) in height and support dainty heads of purple—white flowers in high summer. These are followed by the familiar black, ribbed seeds used to flavour confectionery, cookies, bread and liqueurs.

Description: Caraway perpetuates itself in the garden by self—sown seed, ensuring a filmy greenness among your herb garden.

Usage and History: A herb of ancient cultivation, legend endows it with me power to prevent lovers and doves from straying. It was thus a popular ingredient of love potions in medieval times and was fed to doves, pigeons and poultry to prevent them from wandering. Caraway seeds are used to flavour meat dishes, breads, soups, cheeses – you name it. Also try powdered caraway in meat loaf, pork dishes and beef stews. The roots may be boiled and served with butter and lemon juice. Caraway seeds are known to be an aid to digestion.

Cultivation: Seedlings do not transplant well, so sow in situ in spring or autumn (fall). Caraway thrives in loves all but the most humid warm regions, the germination is quicker from fresh seed. Afterwards you will need to thin out the little plants to around  15 cms (6 ins) apart – grow in either in groups or in rows. When they are grown for their parsnip—like roots it is best to plant them in rows as a normal vegetable. They’ll grow in almost any well drained soil but need lots of sun to ensure good quality seeds and a good flavour.

Harvesting: To harvest the seed, cut the flower head once the seed is ripe (and before it scatters) and either hang the heads up in a paper bag or folded in a clean cloth. This way the seed can fall naturally when it is fully ripe. Sieve out any pieces of stalk and store in an airtight container. One common practice is to scald the freshly collected seed with boiling water to rid it of insects which can then be dried off in the sun before storing.

Ocymum barilicum (Labiatae)

Appearance: Bright green smooth leaves, punctuated by lovely fluffy-faced beige—yellow flowers at midsummer, make the bay easy to identiify. lt is vital not to confuse it with cherry laurel — Prunus lauroceracus — which produces prussic acid.

Description: Of Mediterranean origin, the bay is an evergreen tree, It is usually grown as a bush, and it hates the cold. For this reason alone it has come to be cultivated habitually in large containers – often on wheels to move into shelter. Its branches may be trimmed tc size and into formal shapes. It decorates porches, yards and balconies, and can be moved into shelter if necessary in the winter. In warmer districts it is a good plant to grow as the surrounding hedge to the herb garden. The height and shape of the hedge, or of individual bushes, can be controlled by clipping and pruning. Be careful when planting in the open. The bay can become a large tree and should be planted well away from the house.

Usage: In the kitchen a crushed leaf of bay may be added to prepared meats, stuffings, casseroles and chowders. It is one of the essential ingredients of bouquet garni, with the companionship of parsley and thyme. Bay is one of the very few herbs which is not used fresh as the flavour can be far too pungent. However, many people use fresh bay in curries as they are already strongly flavoured.

History: Bay, or sweet bay (the latter name being preferred in America) is a highly esteemed inhabitant of the herb garden. In classical times heroes and poets were adorned with garlands of bay leaves. The Latin name of the plant is honoured to this day in the title Poet Laureate. Also laurel wreath honouring heroes.

Cultivation: Cuttings taken with a heel in early summer (when the new spring growth has hardened a little) and trimmed to about 10-15 cms (4-6 ins) long are the most reliable method of propagation. lnsert them in pans or pots, potting up individually when the roots are established, and keep them this way for a year or so before planting out. You may also want to try layering of established plants in summer as an alternative method of propagation. Once plants are established spraying with a fine spray
keeps the leaves shiny, clean and attractive.

Harvesting: Several sprigs cut just before the flowers bloom, tied together and hung in a warm, dust-free place will provide the cook with convenient leaves of bay for culinary flavouring.