Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
of parsley, lavender, or any other herb. Make a nice tag tied around the bottle with string, and you
can even decorate the bottle and cork or lid if you have an artistic hand. Not only do these make
lovely gifts, but they are quite marketable if you would like to sell them. With such a low level of
work needed to make them, even a seemingly low price can be worth the effort.
Herbed Butters, Oils, and Spreads
Think for a second about how you use butter. Whether it's sweet or savory, how could it not benefit
from some extra flavor? Lavender and honey butter on toast in the mornings. Rosemary, basil,
garlic butter on dinner rolls in the evening. Now think about the oils you cook with, sauté veggies
in, drizzle over salads. And mayo or cheese spreads, sprinkled with peppers and cilantro or oregano
and parsley.
Herbed mayo makes simple sandwiches taste like gourmet creations.
(Photo courtesy of Rachel Matthews)
Mayonnaise, butter, and cheese (such as ricotta or cottage cheese) are quite simple to combine with
herbs. Simply make your herb mixture with dried or fresh herbs, then stir it into the softened but-
ter or other spread. Remember that 1 teaspoon of dried herbs is equivalent to 1 tablespoon of fresh.
You can then store them as normal in the fridge and they should keep for the same length of time
as condiments without herbs added.
Oils, on the other hand, can be a breeding ground for botulism if not attended to, so you must
exercise a bit more caution. Combine herbs and oil by mixing your blend in a slow sauté for a few
minutes until warm. Only make about a cup at a time, which will use about
1
⁄
2
cup of fresh herbs.
