Grow a fully stocked herb garden in a small space
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Cumin – The strong spicy flavor of cumin is used all over the world, but especially from the Mediterranean region to China. It is an annual and easy to grow.
Perfect partner: coriander.
Goes well with beans, spicy cheeses, chicken, lamb.
Essential to the Cajun spice blend.
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dill – This annual does double duty. It’s good for cooking and it attracts beneficial insects to the garden.
Perfect partner: Salmon.
Goes well with seafood, potatoes, carrots, celeriac.
Essential in dill pickles.
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Horseradish – A large perennial plant that does not hesitate to cut a piece of root from time to time. Grate and sprinkle with lemon juice to use.
Ideal partner: Roast beef.
Goes well with celery, cream, vinegar, dill, yogurt.
Indispensable in Apfelkren (horseradish, grated apples, lemon juice).
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Lavender – Perennial lavender prefers full sun and dry, poor soil. Its pungent smell is sweet but medicinal. Always use it sparingly.
Ideal partner: sugar (for desserts, pastries).
Goes well with sauvignon blanc, chocolate, custards.
Essential in Herbes de Provence (with thyme, savory, rosemary).
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mint – Perennial mints like moist soil, where they can be invasive. One of the most popular flavors in the world with all sorts of uses.
Ideal partner: Chocolate.
Goes well with cumin, cardamom, carrots, peas, potatoes.
Indispensable in mojitos.
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Oregano – This perennial member of the mint family is native to the Mediterranean region, where it is widely used.
Perfect partner: Tomatoes.
Goes well with chicken, corn, duck, eggplant, rosemary, thyme and basil.
Essential in pasta and pizza sauces.
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Marjoram – Closely related to oregano, but with a milder, sweeter flavor that gets lost quickly in cooking, so add it at the end.
Perfect partner: Salad ingredients.
Goes well with mozzarella and mild cheeses.
Indispensable in marjoram sorbet.
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Parsley – If you could only take one herb with you to a desert island, it would be the indispensable, biennial, beautiful parsley. Flat-leaved Italian parsley is best for cooking.
Perfect partner: Eggs.
Goes well with tomatoes, most vegetables, garlic.
Indispensable in Fine Herbs.
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Rosemary – A perennial bush with woody stems, pretty little blue flowers and the apparent ability to grow without water. Strong, so use sparingly.
Perfect partner: Lamb.
Goes well with apricots, eggplant, garlic, parsnips, winter squash.
Essential with Herbes de Provence.
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sage – Perennial sage is a huge category covering hundreds of plants. For the kitchen, we will favor Salvia officinalis. It’s powerful, so use it sparingly.
Ideal partner: Fatty meats (pork, goose, duck).
Goes well with apples, beans, cheese, onions, tomatoes.
Essential in Thanksgiving turkey stuffing.
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Savory – There are two kinds of savory: the annual summer savory and the perennial winter savory. We will focus on the summer. Savory is known as bean grass because it complements shell beans so well.
Perfect partner: snap beans.
Goes well with eggs, fish, legumes, potatoes.
Indispensable in a bouquet garni with roast pork.
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Tarragon – Be sure to get French tarragon with a distinct anise flavor. Otherwise, you will be growing a plant with no flavor and no culinary use. It is a tender perennial.
Perfect partner: Chicken.
Goes well with artichokes, asparagus, eggs, potatoes, chervil, parsley.
Indispensable in Fine Herbs.
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Thyme – This hardy perennial loves our Mediterranean climate, where it grows wonderfully powerfully. It is widely used in Western and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Perfect partner: Rabbit
Goes well with chicken, cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes.
Indispensable in beef stew.