SPICE
TIPS
Source: http://www.caravanspice.com/tips.htm
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and other books and pages.
For the best well-arranged herb garden I advise you to group your herbs. You can divide them into annual (like dill, chervil, borage, and basil), and perennial herbs (like for instance chives, tarragon, and lemon-balm). For the kitchen use the parsley is an annual herb, however we must add that in truth this is a biennial plant, so after the winter you can cut off the leaves in spring until they begin to flower, but by then you can use your new, fresh herbs, gathered straight from the garden. …..
For winter preserving cut the leaves before flowering, at early morning, just after the morning dew dries up. Then keep in a breezy, shady place for drying, because the blazing sun would weaken the essential oil content.
Allspice
From Jamaica, known there as pimento - aka Kubaba in Poland. Very fragrant, often compared to a mixture of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Usually ground, but sometimes available as whole dried berries. Can be used with meats, savouries and pastry.
Aniseed
Originally grown by ancient Egyptians. Similar to fennel in flavour. Used in cakes, pastries and as an aid to digestion. It is the base of a number of liqueurs.
Annatto seed
Used to colour oil by steeping 2 oz. annatto seed in 1 pint hot cooking oil.Let sit for a few days to strengthen the colour. Strain oil into a small bottle and use in place of cooking oil when cooking onion before adding other ingredients. Used to colour rice by crushing 1 teaspoon prior to adding rice.
Arrowroot
Used to thicken clear sauces, most commonly in Asian dishes. The root stalks of a tuber of the same name are dried and ground into a very fine powder. Arrowroot is used as a thickening agent for puddings, sauces and other cooked foods. Its thickening power is about twice that of wheat flour. Arrowroot is absolutely tasteless and becomes clear when cooked. It should be mixed with a cold liquid before being heated or added to hot mixtures. Also called Kudzu
Asafoetida
This is a resin that has an acrid and bitter taste and a strong odor. Store in an upright, tightly closed jar.
Basil
A versatile herbs that is very aromatic and slightly spicy. The most popular type is green, and is the key ingredient in Pesto, however, the beautiful purple and opal basil are becoming more widely available.
Bay Leaves
The leaves of the Bay Laurel tree are dried whole, and are added to marinades and sauces. Some of the finest leaves come from Turkey while many chefs prefer the flavor of California grown leaves. It is also available in powder form.
Borage - Martin Stangl - "The garden is my hobby"
The Hungarian folk-speech calls it cucumber-scented grass. It is a nice-looking herb, with small, luminous blue starry flowers. There are setae on the stems, leaves and on the flowers' calyxes. The borage is easily grown, so if you bring it to your garden, it will plant itself, and renewed from the seeds. Leave those, which don't trouble you, let them grow even between the flowers and vegetables. Cut finely the fresh, tender, young borage leaves and add to delicate tasted soups, sauces and salads. If you don't have borage yet, seed some in April in your herb seed-bad, 3 or 4 plant is enough. To have always young stems, and leaves, repeat planting, or cut the older herbs halve lengthwise. This will stimulate it to grow new stems and leaves.
Black Cardamom
This spice is native to India, where it is considered to be the most prized spice after saffron. The pods can be used whole or the husks can be removed to release the seeds, and they have a slightly pungent but very aromatic taste. They come in three varieties: green, white and black. The green and white pods can be used for both sweet and savory dishes or to flavor rice. The black pods are used only for savory dishes.
Bouquet Garni
1 bay leaf, sprig of thyme, 3 parsley stalks tied together (or in muslin) and removed after cooking. Sometimes chervil, savory or tarragon is added.
Caraway Seed
This is a seed that is widely used in breads and pastries. It is also believed to be a good aid to digestion. Can also be used to spice up Satay sauces, and in goulash. It is the flavoring of the German liqueur Kümmel.
Cardamom
From India and Sri Lanka, now also grown in Guatemala. Green Cardamom is preferred in India, White Cardamom in northern Europe and Black Cardamom in Africa. It comes in a pod with tiny seeds which can be used to flavor baked goods and important in Indian cooking. May be used whole or ground. When whole and stored in glass jars the white and green pods will keep almost indefinitely.
Cassia/Cinnamon
To the British only Sri Lankan (Ceylonese) Cassia is known as cinnamon; in America cassia bark from anywhere is called cinnamon - in fact America imports almost no Sri Lankan cassia. Sri Lankan cinnamon is almost paper-thin, with a less sweet flavor than cassia; cassia is thicker, and heavier. Cassia comes from Indonesia, China and Vietnam.
Cayenne
A type of chili, usually sold in powder form. Most cayenne pepper comes from South America, India, Sri Lanka or California -USA.
Chervil
Similar to parsley in appearance, but more feathery, it has a sweet aniseed flavor and should be used more sparingly. Add near the end of recipes to avoid flavor loss
Chervil - Dr. József Nagy - There is a herb garden in my balcony
Within the range of possibility plant every month to a shadowy flowerbed, as the chervil are most tasteful when young. Freshly gathered chervil with other herbs can be used to season vegetable dishes, salads, row dishes, or simply add to meat soups. If you like to have fresh chervil to use for Easter soups, you have to plant them at the beginning of September into a cold-frame, or into a plastic covered box, which will be slightly covered in winter-time. It is not advisable to dry them, as you will lose the most of the tastes. The herb could be easily grown in a balcony too. For winter use simply plant some in a flowerpot, or into a flat box. Mix soil with a lot of peat, it helps to keep it wet for best result. You can cut leaves in a month after planting.
Chillies
It is a generic name given to a variety of spicy peppers.
Chipotle Peppers
Jalapeno peppers that have been wood smoked, also known as moritas, used extensively in Mexican cooking.
Chives
Also called Spring Onions. It is a small member of the onion family. They are usually added to raw dishes and at the end of cooking on hot foods, also good for garnishes.
Cilantro
See coriander.
Clove
Cloves are the dried, unopened buds of a type of evergreen found only in the Moluccas - the Spice Islands. Pungent flavors that go well with baked ham, mulled wines etc.
Coriander
Also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley. It adds a pungent and aromatic flavor. Both the leaves and seeds are used, the leaves are bright green and used in Asian and South American cooking. The seeds are usually ground and used to flavor shish kebabs and Indian foods.
Cocoa
Dutch cocoa is prized for hot chocolate drinks and is lower in acidity than natural cocoa, which is great for baking.
Coconut
Used to flavor both sweet and savory dishes, fresh coconut is now frequently available from supermarkets. Desiccated (shredded) coconut and creamed coconut make acceptable substitutes for most dishes.
Cumin
Cumin is a favorite spice of Greek, Arab and Turkish cooking. Should be heated in a frying pan with oil until aromatic, before using.
Curry
The word 'curry' is said to derive from the Tamil word 'keri' meaning bazaar. Curries exist throughout Asia in different flavor spectrums. Thailand, China, India, Japan, Singapore etc. all prepares curries, each is different, but all are pungent and spicy, although the level of heat (from peppers) varies.
Curry Leaves
Similar in appearance to bay leaves but with a very different flavor, these can be bought dried and occasionally fresh from Asian stores. Fresh leaves freeze well.
Dill
It is a pretty, feathery, green plant, whose seeds are used extensively in Europe, excellent with many fish and also for pickling. Use fresh or dried; the fresh leaves also make an excellent garnish for eggs, salmon and new potatoes.
Dundicut Peppers:
A hot pepper from Pakistan that is similar in flavor and appearance to a habanero, but not quite as hot.
Fennel
Fennel has an aniseed smell and taste. The seeds can be used in soups and fishndishes, the bulb can be grated and added to slaws.
Fenugreek
A popular spice in the middle east. Very hard seeds make them difficult to grind, thus heating them first will ease the job, Very high in protein, slightly bitter tasting, they are almost always present in curries.
Five Spice Powder
This is a combination of star anise, cassia, cloves fennel and peppercorns.
Galangal
A relative of Ginger this is a very important ingredient in Thai and Indonesian cooking. Usually found fresh or ground, the fresh root is very woody, and should be peeled prior to using.
Garam Masala
This is a mixture of spices, which can be made from ground spices at home or purchased ready-made. There is no set recipe, a typical mixture might include cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, green or black cardamom pods, saffron, black pepper, chilies, and caraway. Roast the ingredients and grind them together in fine powder Garam Masala is also used as a condiment, being added to a dish at the end of cooking.
GARDEN/GOLDEN CRESS - Martin Stangl - "The garden is my hobby"
The garden cress enriches our menu mainly in winter months. The young vegetable's sharp piquancy is very useful in salads, and good flavoring in several dishes. The bread and butter is delicious with garden cress.
Seed it in lines, 10 cms from each other. As soon as the leaves has appeared, you can gather the "harvest" by cutting the lines of leaves half a centimeter above the ground level. If you seed it continuously, you will have them endlessly.
In the winter time grow it in the warm windowsill. You can by the complete "garden cress kit" (a seed-pan) in a garden-center. This kit usually contains a pan, 4 layers of seed-cotton and some seeds of garden cress, a hybrid with large leaves. Seed it indoors, as instructed in the manual - without any soil - and you will have leaves in about a week to gather and enjoy.Garlic
This is a standard ingredient along with ginger, in most curries can be used pulped, crushed or chopped. Whole cloves are sometimes added to dishes.
Garlic - Martin Stangl - "The garden is my hobby"
The garlic contains antibacterial ingredients and you may name it as biological penicillin. The sulfurous compounds it contains are also very powerful, and these cause the typical stink of garlic, when you mince it. This could be very unpleasant for many of us, but some gourmands gladly put up with it, when as garlic loving rubs the salad-bowl with it before filling it with the salad ingredients. Some dishes like Balkan foods, the fried mutton-chop, and many more could have their specific tastes only if you use garlic for the recipe. If you don't like to buy garlic, which is comprised from many cloves, in markets or in the shopping centers, you can grow it in your own garden of course. If you live in a warmer clime buy some matured garlic bulbs, then take them to cloves in October or November. Set out these cloves by 15x15 cms, about 5 cms deep. If you live in a colder region and spongy soil do it only in March or April. The garlic likes sunshine and loose earth. Don't use fresh farm-manure this year, only in the previous years.
As for the other onion varieties, loosen the soil only fleet. Before you set out the cloves scatter about half handful low chloride mineral compound artificial fertilizer for one square meter, and give the same amount again in July. When the green leafy part is drying out in a sunny day dig up the garlic bulbs, and leave them on the ground for about two days in a shady, windy place, then braid them, and hang in dry premises.
Ginger
A root with a peppery taste, available fresh, ground or preserved as root in syrup. The fresh root should be peeled before chopping or slicing. It is very good in Chinese and Indian cooking, desserts, breads etc. Galangal, from Thailand, is similar.
Habanero Peppers
Also known as Scotch Bonnet - Jamaica. Habanero Chillies originated in the Amazon Basin and then spread to the Caribbean and then to the Yucatan Peninsula. Habanera is Spanish for "from Havana" .These are extremely hot chilies, they are usually consumed fresh or pickled.
Herbs de Provence
A blend of spices including parsley, thyme, basil, marjoram, rosemary, garlic, tarragon, chervil, savory, sage, and, of course, lots of lavender flowers. Use it for seasoning meat, put in sauces and salad dressings, or mix with cream cheese for a flavorful spread with crackers.
Horseradish
Probably originated in Germany. Usually the white root is used, although the leaves can be a good spicy addition to a salad. Similar to mustard, it can be very hot. The oil evaporates rapidly so cooking causes it to lose its pungency. The English consider it the classic accompaniment to roast beef.
Jalapeño Peppers:
Pronounced "Hal- a -peen-yo". Also known as Chipotle when dried. Hot to very hot flavor; used in salsas and to flavor many Central American foods.
Juniper Berry:
The berry of the Juniper tree, excellent to use in flavored sauces for pork and chicken. It is also the key flavoring ingredient in gin. Remove berries from sauces prior to serving.
Kalonji
Kalonji is also known as Charnushka or Nigella, and sometimes as Black Cumin.It is an aromatic spice with a sharp and tingling taste. It is mainly used in vegetable dishes.
Lemon Grass
Also called citronella. It is a member of the mint family, looking like tall, hardy grass. The leaves have a strong lemony scent and are used widely in Asian cooking. Remove from food before serving. If fresh is not available dried pieces of lower stems can be substituted.
Lemon-Balm - Martin Stangl - "The garden is my hobby"
Perennial plant, his leaves are heavily lemon scented indeed. You can use them for seasoning in salads, roast, mushroom, venison and fish dishes. Add these leaves only before serving the dish; otherwise you will lose most of their aroma. Buy one plant from a market garden, and keep it in a sunny place in your windowsill.
Lovage - Martin Stangl - "The garden is my hobby"
This is a strong growing, umbelliferous plant, aromatic and his flavor is like the "Maggi soup spice's". One plant is enough, you can easily have one if your friend halves a plant and gives you a root cutting. Otherwise you have to buy one from a market garden. This plant, because of his size, needs enough watering and fertilization. You could use their fresh or dried leaves in your kitchen for soups, sauces and meat dishes.
Mace
This is the apricot-like fruit of the nutmeg tree. The outer coating of the nutmeg is dried and the resulting material is mace. Used in pates and sausages, if no mace can be found, small amounts of nutmeg can be substituted.
Mace is an arillus, a thin leathery tissue between the stone and the pulp
(http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/engl/Myri_fra.html).
Marjoram
A relative of Oregano this is a delicate herb that should be added to recipes at the end.
Mint
There are more than 30 species of mint, peppermint and spearmint being the most widely used in western cooking. Peppermint is the more pungent of the two, with bright green leaves, purple-tinged stems and a peppery flavor. Spearmint leaves are gray-green or true green and have a milder flavor and aroma. Mint is popular in Vietnamese and Middle Eastern cooking, used in a sauce with lamb, is the key ingredient in a Mint Julep and when used as a garnish makes almost every dish more attractive.
Peppermint - Dr. József Nagy - There is a herb garden in my balcony
This is a most often used and most versatile spice and medicinal herb. About 50 - 70 cms high, perennial herb with a root like the hunger-grasses'. It needs a lot of light, water and fertilization. It worth to grow in a long container, or in a lifted planting bed. It hasn't seeds, as it is a multiple hybrid. The most usable propagation method is to divide its root segments, and plant them into the soil. Gather up the roots in March, and cut the white, thick root sections into 15 - 20 cms long parts, put them 10 cms deep into the soil, form a long, continuous line from them. It needs to be watered often all the year round, but avoid the over-watering, as it hates the stagnating puddles. Normally we use its leaves. You can gather the "matured", full-grown leaves all the year round, use them fresh or dried. They cut the whole plant very often above the ground. Do it above the ground level, when the lower leaves begin to pale (turning yellow). You can do it more than once within a year. Just after the cutting (do not let the sprouts to wither) tear off the leaves from the stalks, and spread thinly to dry. Keep the dried leaves in an airtight container like the other spices and teas.
Mustard
There are two types of mustard seed, brown and white. The white seeds are larger and more pungent, the brown seeds more aromatic. When the seeds come into contact with water they release enzymes which create a great burst of pungency. Vinegar retards this reaction, the resulting concoction is known as "American yellow" mustard. French - Dijon ~ From a mixture of brown and black seeds blended with wine or vinegar. Pale yellow it has varying strengths: Meaux ~ A grainy mustard made from partially crushed black mustard seeds, medium hot: Bordeaux mustard ~ made from black seeds blended with unfermented wine must. Darkly colored and mildly flavored. English - a yellow mustard usually strongly flavored. German - a smooth blend of black mustard and vinegar. Weisswurstsenf is a mild, pale coarse-grained mustard for veal.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg are native to the Moluccas (the Spice Islands) but are now grown throughout Indonesia, the West Indies and in Central America. A seed, they can be bought whole or ground. The best flavors come from freshly grated nutmeg. The outer covering is called Mace.
Oregano
A variety of wild Marjoram, this green herb is popular in Italian cooking.
Paprika
A red spice with a spicy/sweet flavor, that is mildly hot. A very important ingredient in Hungarian Goulash, it can be sprinkled on fish, baked potatoes and soups to add color and a mild boost.
Parsley - Martin Stangl - "The garden is my hobby"
For the parsley there would be enough space in a smallest garden, even in your balcony. The flat variety is the spiciest, but the crispifolious variety is a good garnishment for various dishes. The best solution is to plant both variety. Sow the seeds at the end of March or at the beginning of April, when the soil is getting dry. If you sow for the leaves only, do it until the beginning of June. Who wants to have parsley leaves specially early could seed them into a small window-box and set out seedlings later. Seed them open ground in 21 cms line-space 3 cms deep; single them later, to maintain 5 cms space, if you like to have parsley roots. As the seeds shoot in 3-4 weeks only, keep them damp continuously. Parsley hates the hard, clay-earth ground and drought, from these making poor progress, but can tolerate light shading. Don't use livestock manure as it perishes the vegetation, but add as many compost as you can to the soil to make it reach. Use organic fertilizer before sowing them, or a handful mineral complex artificial fertilizer, containing low chloride, principally if the parsley making no progress. If you need parsley leaves all the year round, seed some for roots. Dig up them in autumn, cut the leaves 2 - 3 cms long, then put the roots together in a flowerpot. When the weather is turning colder, dig a hole and put the flowerpots spade deep into the soil, and cover with dry fallen leaves. In the winter you can dig up them one by one for forcing them in a bright windowsill.
Oftentimes the parsley won't grow acceptably, the leaves are unhealthy, they had sallowed, or even dead. The topmost way to avoid this is changing soil every time, to use the shift of crops.
Pepper
Pepper is a native of India's coast. All pepper grows near the equator on bushes. Black Pepper: The berries are picked before they ripen and then dried. Green pepper: The same as black but harvested before they are mature. Pink peppercorns: - not a peppercorn at all, but the fruit of a South American weed, have a sweet and savory taste. White Pepper: The same berry as the black and green, however, allowed to ripen and then rinsed for a few weeks to remove the outer red husk. Sichuan Pepper: (Fagara) Not a peppercorn but a seed, very important in Asian cooking.
Poppy Seed
One of the oldest spices in history was believed to have medicinal uses as well as being sweet. The seeds are now used for baking, such as poppy seed cake and for extra flavor, as on bagels. Blue seeds from Holland are considered the best, with white seeds more popular in Indian and Asian cooking. They are high in oil so do not keep well for a long time in warm climates.
Rosemary
A strongly flavored herb, that grows in the Mediterranean and California. Either fresh or dried it should be used sparingly.
Saffron
The world's most expensive spice is the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus, which is native to Asia Minor.
It takes 250,000 flowers to make, just 450 g/l lb saffron. Fortunately, only a small quantity of saffron is needed to flavor and color a dish, whether sweet or savory. Saffron is sold as strands and in powder form, and has a beautiful flavor and aroma. The stigma of the flowering crocus (sativa) it gives a golden color to Spanish (paella) and Indian dishes. Extremely expensive it is available as threads and ground. Extracting/Steeping - when these terms are used with saffron, this refers to the process by which the aroma, flavor and yellow dye are successfully removed from saffron threads in order to add those properties to cooking and baking. Saffron threads need to be immersed in hot, acidic or alcoholic liquids for a period of time longer than a few minutes in order to release enough of their chemical properties so that you are not wasting your money (see How to Use Saffron in the Spice Usage section of this website).
Sage
There are more than 500 varieties of sage. It has silvery green leaves that are good in salads; dried it is an important ingredient in many stuffing.
Sage - Martin Stangl - "The garden is my hobby"
The sage (Salvia officinalis) is a sub-shrub plant. If you like to have a good-looking shrub, in every spring cut back the sticky stems about 10 - 12 cms above the ground. You can enjoy sage as a bedding-plant, as it is a labiate, and has very elegant, small hyacinthine flowers. If you use it as a sweet herb, one plant is enough, bought from a market garden, or in a market. Gather fresh leaves all the year round, even in the winter, and use for meat dishes and to flavor spaghetti.
Salt
Salt is sodium chloride. The main culinary varieties are rock salt and sea salt. Salt is used to flavour, cure, preserve, draw out bitter juices (as with eggplants) and for toughening. Sea salt is more flavourful than rock salt.
Savoury (savory) - Satureja hortensis
There are two types, summer and winter, both are similar to thyme, with the winter variety being milder.
Savoury (savory) - Dr. József Nagy - There is a herb garden in my balcony
His tastes and pleasant scents are like the pepper's, and that is the reason why you could use the savory as a perfect substitute for pepper, to season dietetic foods, salads, dishes from beans, or cabbage. About 20-50 cm high, photophilous yearling, with many forking. It could tolerate the dryness. He needs the same soil and living conditions like the marjoram, but less watering. Sow the seeds from the middle of March until the end of April like the basil's. Usually we use it in dried, crumbled form. Gather the leafy stems with blossoms in full bloom, cut them just above the first forking. You can do it repeatedly later on, like with the basil sprigs. Tie them into a small bunch and hang it to dry, keeping the stems in upright airy position, as they were on the plant. Cleaning, shredding and storage are the same as for marjoram.
Savoury (savory) - Martin Stangl - "The garden is my hobby"
It is a full-flavored herb, which is essentially used in bean dishes, but very good in sauces, and making better the salted and pickled cucumbers. The savory needs to be kept in a sunny, warm place to achieve full flavor. Seed them in the beginning of May into his planting bed, later you have to single them to be at about 20 cms distance from each other. 5 - 10 pieces should be enough in any garden. The savory is easily dried, for this purpose cut leafy stems with blossoms, make small bunches from, and hang in a breezy place to dry out.
Star Anise
A main ingredient in Chinese "Five-spice", this pretty spice is a native of China. It is extremely fragrant with a liquorice flavor.
Sunflower Seeds
These seeds are produced by the large sunflower, grown in many regions of the world, including America and Russia. The seeds have a hard black-and-white striped shell that should be removed, they can be dried or roasted (either in or out of the shell.) They are eaten as a snack, used in salads or sandwiches or added to a variety of cooked dishes or baked goods - such as bagels.
Tarragon
The variety most widely used in cooking is known as French Tarragon. Long, slender green leaves, it may be used fresh or dried. Often used to flavour butters and sauces it is essential in Bernaise sauce.
Tarragon - Dr. József Nagy - There is a herb garden in my balcony
It is about 80 - 100 cms long, perennial herb. This plant hasn't seeds, his roots multiply, propagate it by dividing the roots in two or three parts in the early spring, and dig them 15 cms deep. He likes sunny places, needs to be watered regularly, growing well in neutral, but eutrophic mixed soils. It is advisable to plant it into a standing container, one by one. Gather the 30 - 40 cms long stems all the year round. The green stems are very often used fresh. To have them any day, cut stems about 10 cms above the ground level just before blossoming, dry them, pick the dried leaves from the sprigs, and use them to flavor dishes in whole or shredded state.
Tarragon - Martin Stangl - "The garden is my hobby"
It is maximum 1 meter long perennial herb. One plant will be enough for home use. At the late autumn cut stems just above the ground level, then cover with pine twigs. If you shred it you can use in salads, or in different vegetable-sauces. Largely used in pickled cucumber, in marinades for fishes, meats. It could be very tasty if you add to vinegar.
Thyme
Garden thyme is the most widely used in cooking, strongly flavored, it is popular in stuffing and is a staple of bouquet-garni.
Thyme - Dr. József Nagy - There is a herb garden in my balcony
The thyme leaves have a pleasant, camphoraceous taste, and smell sweet. They are well-graced herb for meats, and indispensable in the French- kitchen. It is a 20 -501 cms high, suffrutescent plant. His small flowers are pinkish or violaceous. The small, hemispherical shrubs radiate Mediterranean atmosphere around themselves. It tolerates dryness, and is a fond of sunshine. Always place in a sunny planting bed, with eutrophic and neutral soil, where it will grow satisfactorily. I advise to plant it in a standing container, and move it to a sheltered place, if the winter is too cold. In a 50 cms wide container you can plant 2 or 3 pieces together. You can propagate it with sowing, or with semi-woody slipping, or with the dividing of their roots. Their very small seeds could be sowed for planting into a small glass or other seed-pan from the beginning of spring until to the midsummer. Seed them 0,3 - 0,5 deep. You will have about 400 - 500 seedlings from one gram of seeds. If you like to root some sprigs, cut them in May or June about 8 -10 cms long, with some woody part at the end. The most suitable time to divide roots is September or March. Have the best quality herb, or herb-tea ingredient gathering stems at blooming time. Always cut the shoots just about the woody parts. After the cutting, the plant will grow new shoots, so you can cut them more than once a year. Dry the flowered shoots, then crumble between your palms, clean from the stalk pieces and close in an airtight, opaque container.
Thyme - (Labiatae - Thymus) - Encyclopaedia of bedding-plants
They are evergreen, small dome-shaped frutescent plants, suffrutescents or perennial plants with woody stems and fragrant leaves. Grow them in rock-gardens, in small stone bowl on the slopes, between walking stones and within stonewalls' holes. They can withstand the winter and cold weather, but needs sunshine and moist, but light soil. You can propagate with green or woody cuttings in the summer.
Thyme - (Thymus caespititius)
Evergreen, loosely pillowy, very fragrant suffrutescent plant, with thin, woody stems, and small, medium green, leaves. It has small, violaceous pinky flowers in short clusters, and thick collars in the summer.
Thyme - (Thymus carnosus)
They need protected place!
Thyme - (Thymus citriodorus)
It is a small, spreading suffrutescent plant, about 10 cms high, and 10 - 25 cms in diameter. They are frost-hardy, and have small, round or egg-shaped golden yellow leaves, which are very fragrant if you rub them between your palms.
Thyme - Martin Stangl - "The garden is my hobby"
This is a perennial herb, which you can use to edging flowerbeds, but always good to place in herbaceous border. Very easy to propagate it by dividing his roots. It keeps his characteristic fragrance even in dried state. If you don't like to buy some started plants in a horticulture seed them under glass or polyethylene in April, then plant out after mid May, in open ground by 20 x 20 cms distance.
Use thyme when making sausage-meat, in vegetable dishes, for flavoring fish and meat dishes. The roasted rabbit seasoned with thyme is a rare delicacy.
Turmeric
The main ingredient in many commercial curry powders this is a bright yellow spice that adds color but very little flavor.
Vanilla
Vanilla beans grow in Indonesia and Tahiti and derive from an Orchid. The bean is a long, black, slender pod. An essence is also made from these pods; ensure that you are buying pure vanilla extract if buying it in the essence form.
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