Last week’s Your Produce Man’s Produce Puzzzzle dealt with Summer Stonefruit: What is meant by the terms freestone and a clingstone? We call Peaches, Plums, Nectarines, Apricots, Cherries “Stonefruit” because they all have a stone, or a pit inside as the fruit’s seed. The terms “Freestone” or “Clingstone” refer to how the flesh adheres to the stone. If the flesh adheres tightly to the stone, it is referred to as a “Clingstone.” If the flesh easily breaks free from the stone, we refer to it as a “Freestone.” This week's Your Produce Man’s Produce Puzzzzle still deals with Summer Stonefruit: Which state growers more Peaches: Georgia or California? See next week’s Fresh Tips for the answer.

Summertime is the best time to start using Fresh Herbs.

FRESH HERBS (Monday, July 18): OK, so I thought the new Disney movie was about Fresh Herbs. In fact, I was so excited about it, I bought 100 tickets for opening night and gave them away as gifts and prizes. “Herbs: Fully Loaded.” That’s what I thought the movie was about. It ended up being about a VW bug named Herbie. Well, since Disneyland is celebrating their 50th anniversary, I thought I’d use the title of their new movie for this week’s shows. “Herbs: Fully Loaded.” Oh, by the way, before we get much further, I guess we need to know how to properly pronounce the name, whether or not to pronounce the “h” in “herb.” Well, in Great Britain, the “h” is pronounced. In the United States, the “h” is not pronounced. We say, “erb.” “An herb is the friend of physicians and the praise of cooks.” So wrote Charlemagene. Around the Mediterranean countries, herbs grow on roadsides and people pick them free to flavor their stews, grilled or roasted meats. Practically no one ever thinks of using dried herbs. Each season has its own herb(s), and seemingly, nature times their availability to seasonal seafood and meat. Nature likes orderly things. Everything follows a logical path and nothing is ever wasted. Besides helping flavor foods when cutting back on salt, fat and sugar, herbs may offer additional benefits of their own. Researchers are finding many culinary herbs (both fresh and dried) have antioxidants that may help protect against such diseases as cancer and heart disease. Fresh Herbs are a great way of enjoying food while on a diet. Whether you’re trying to lose a few pounds or simply maintain your weight, or if you want to reduce your fat and calorie intake, then Fresh Herbs are the smart choice. But being on a diet doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice great flavor in your foods. Perk up your foods; perk up your recipes with Fresh Herbs. Fresh herbs are what changes basic foods into favored dishes. They are the secondary seasonings that develop and extend the natural flavors of our raw materials. Fresh herbs compliment and enrich taste without adding any calories or fat. There are some basic ideas that apply to virtually all herbs. Let's take a look at them and then we can explore the individual herbs to see how best to enhance your cooking. Fresh herbs have both more and less flavor than dried ones. Dried herbs have had some of their flavor elements concentrated and so they can seem stronger. But drying them causes some other tastes to be lost and so the flavors are diminished. The general ratio to substitute fresh herbs for dried is 3 to 1. That is, use 3 times as much fresh herbs as dried herbs that recipes might call for. You know when you walk

A Fresh Herb field in Salinas.

FRESH HERBS (Tuesday, July 19): Purchase herbs close to the time you plan to use them. Sometimes, you’ll find Fresh Herbs in plastic clamshell containers, and sometimes you’ll find them in beautiful bulk displays, usually in bunches. When they are bulk, you can more easily tell how fresh they are. Take a bunch and hold it up by the stems. If they are totally limp, they won’t be fully loaded with flavor. The dehydration process also causes some of the volatile oils to expire as well. The more volatile oils, the more flavor. Next, take a look at the leaves. Not the stems. The leaves. The leaves are where the oil is, not the stem. Do the leaves look fresh? Quality characteristics are largely visual and include appearance of freshness, uniformity of size, form and color, and lack of defects (damaged or yellowed leaves, decay, insect damage, wilting). Characteristic aroma is essential for culinary herb quality, and generally essential oils and aroma decrease during storage. So, how can you tell what the aroma is like? Break off the tip of one of the leaves and then wave the bunch about an arms length from your nose. If you can smell it, there are plenty of volatile oils. Remember, the longer the Fresh Herbs have been in storage, the less oil content, and the less flavor. If the herbs are in clamshell containers, it’s tougher to smell them. So simply ask the produce manager when those herbs came in. If it’s been more than a week, wait for the next shipment.

Development of chilling injury on sweet Italian basil stored at different temperatures. A score of 3 was considered the limit for commercial acceptability (A score of 0 = no injury, 8 = severe

How do you keep your Fresh Basil…Fresh?

FRESH HERBS (Wednesday, July 20): It’s “Herbs: Fully Loaded” all this week. Get out your mug of water, a damp paper towel and a large plastic bag. Those are the tools we’ll need to keep our Fresh Herbs fully loaded with flavor. Once you get your fresh herbs home, what is the best way to store them? In the life of plants, near the beginning stage, you have the “accelerated growth” stage. That is when Fresh herbs are harvested. Since they are in an accelerated growth stage, they are also in an accelerated deterioration stage once picked. That’s why Fresh Herbs are so tender and fragile. Fresh herbs are extremely perishable, but proper storage can prolong their lives rather nicely. Store bunches under refrigeration with their stems in water. Loose leaves are best kept in the coldest part of a refrigerator in perforated bags. Some moisture is good for fresh herbs. Too much moisture promotes decay. Shake them as dry as possible before storing. It's a good idea to crumple a paper towel and put it into the bag under the herbs. It absorbs excess moisture and lengthens the useful life of the herbs. Fresh Basil Leaves must be stored at room temperature, not in the refrigerator. All other fresh herbs can be stored up to 5 days in the refrigerator, by wrapping in a barely damp paper towel and placing in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. For storage up to 10 days, remove wilted leaves, cut stem-ends off on the bias, and stand the bouquet of herbs, stem-end down, in a tall glass filled half-full with water. Next, cover top of herbs with a plastic bag, using a rubber band to secure the bag onto the glass; place in the refrigerator (change water every 2 days).

The key to cutting Fresh Herbs is using a super sharp knife and cutting into small pieces.

FRESH HERBS (Thursday, July 21): Well, eventually, you’ll have to take those wonderfully aromatic Fresh Herbs and get them into your recipes. Some herbs, like Bay Leaves will go whole into the soup or stew, but for most recipes, you’ll need to chop your Fresh Herbs. For most recipes, unless otherwise directed, mince herbs into tiny pieces. Cutting fresh herbs opens up their flavor and allows the oils to integrate more fully with other ingredients. Before chopping, wash herbs and blot dry with a paper towel. Fresh herbs can be chopped or minced on a cutting board with a large knife, or using a mezzaluna (crescent cutter), available at specialty cookware retailers. Fresh herbs may also be snipped or chopped with scissors. It's not difficult, but there is a certain amount of technique involved when preparing fresh herbs for a recipe. Coarsely chopped, they maintain their flavor and individuality, but some garnishes and sauces frequently require them to be finely chopped. For a visual presentation you also may want them sliced or chiffonade. It’s a fancy French word that means “made of rags.” Why do the French use fancy words to cover up a lowly meaning? Never cut fresh basil until you are ready to use it. I suggest that you tear the basil instead of cutting it; basil turns black very easily. The trick here is in making sure the knife you use is very sharp, almost surgically sharp. If you try chopping Fresh Herbs with a dull knife, you end up simply crushing or bruising the cell structure, and leaving the all the volatile oils on the cutting board instead of your recipe. A super sharp knife does less bruising and crushing and leaves the oils for your recipe. Fresh herbs have subtle and delicate flavors. Prolonged cooking causes them to lose their fragrance and their flavor. Add the fresh herbs near the end of the cooking time. The flavors develop very quickly. They shouldn't cook in liquids for more than about an hour, generally, to get the most from them. Add to stocks, soups, stews near the end and see how much richer the flavors will be at the table. Unlike dried herbs, fresh herbs are usually added toward the end in cooked dishes to preserve their flavor. Add the more delicate herbs -- basil, chives, cilantro, dill leaves, parsley, marjoram and mint -- a minute or two before the end of cooking or sprinkle them on the food before it's served. The less delicate herbs, such as dill seeds, oregano, rosemary, tarragon and thyme, can be added about the last 20 minutes of cooking. Obviously, for some foods, such as breads, batters, etc., you'll need to add herbs at the beginning of the cooking process. Fresh herbs can be added to refrigerated cold foods several hours before serving. Allowing time (at least a couple of hours, if possible) for cold foods with herbs to chill helps the flavors to blend. Roasts should be rubbed with herbs before cooking. One restaurant technique is to chop the fresh herbs you want to use with a bit of salt and pepper. They each flavor the other. Then, rub the seasonings on the roast and finish as usual. This approach can be used for poultry and seafoods as well. For ground meats, finely mince the fresh herbs and mix into the meat before cooking. Add whatever other additions you like - eggs, crumbs, prepared sauces, salt, pepper, etc. - and shape them as appropriate for the dish. Fresh herbs may be added to both batters and crumb mixtures used for fried foods. Chop finely and add as desired. Fresh herbs enhance cooking waters for vegetables. Either chop and drop them into the water so they'll be part of the finished dish or tie them in a little cheesecloth bag and remove them before serving. Fresh herbs can add wonderful character and pleasantly surprising complexity to breads. A general rule of thumb is to add somewhere between 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs per one-pound loaf. Herbal cornbread is wonderful. Likewise biscuits, dumplings, savory pancakes and waffles - add up to a tablespoon to 2 cups of flour. When using fresh herbs in cold dishes, they must be at room temperature. When preparing a dish that requires a lengthy cooking period, it is best to use a small, tied bunch of fresh herb sprigs. This bundle is referred to as a bouquet garni and customarily contains parsley, bay leaf, and thyme. Herbal combinations can also be minced and added to a meal immediately upon completion of cooking, and as a garnish before serving. This French practice is referred to as fines herbes. It includes fresh chervil, parsley, tarragon, and chives. This combination is added primarily to salads, scrambled eggs, and dishes containing poultry and fish.

FRESH HERBS (Friday, July 22): Herbs are indeed fully loaded. Once you have used fresh herbs in cooking you will be spoiled! Their special flavor and aroma contributes greatly to the enjoyment of food. There are no rules when cooking with herbs. Start to experiment using small amounts of herbs and see what you like. The following ideas may help you get started:

• A good general rule of thumb is not to mix two very strong herbs together, but rather one strong and one or more milder flavors to complement both the stronger herb and the food.
• In general, the weaker the flavor of the main staple item, the lower the level of added seasoning required to achieve a satisfactory balance of flavor in the end product.
• Dried herbs are stronger than fresh, and powdered herbs are stronger than crumbled. A useful formula is: 1/4 teaspoon powdered herbs = 3/4 to 1 teaspoon crumbled = 2 teaspoons fresh.
• Leaves should be chopped very fine because the more cut surface exposed the more flavor will be released.
• Be conservative in the amount of an herb used until you're familiar with its strength. The aromatic oils can be strong and objectionable if too much is used.
• The flavoring of herbs is lost by extended cooking. Add herbs to soups or stews about 45 minutes before completing the cooking. But for cold foods such as dips, cheese, vegetables and dressings, herbs should be added several hours or overnight before using.
• For casseroles and hot sauces, add finely chopped fresh or dried herbs directly to the mixture.
• To become familiar with the specific flavor of an herb, try mixing it with margarine or butter, let it set for at least an hour, and spread on a plain cracker.
• Try herbs as a flavoring in vinegars or "butters." Use one cup of "bruised" leaves for every 2 cups of white wine vinegar. Allow to steep two weeks. Use 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh herbs to 1/2 cup margarine, butter, cottage cheese, low fat yogurt or cream cheese.
  
  

  To get to know the flavors of Fresh Herbs, add some chopped Herbs into butter and then spread onto a cracker.

Here are some helpful guidelines for seasoning vegetables, meats, and grains:
Vegetables:
• Broccoli – Lemon & Pepper Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Oregano
• Zucchini – Oregano, Basil, Italian Seasoning, Marjoram
• Green Beans – Garlic Powder, Thyme, Tarragon, Dill Weed
• Tomatoes – Basil, Italian Seasoning, Rosemary, Thyme, Dill Weed
• Corn – Chili Powder, Chives, Onion Powder, Paprika, Curry Powder
• Potatoes – Chili Powder, Rosemary, Chives, Dill, Garlic Powder

Meats & Fish:
• Chicken/Turkey – Cumin, Italian Seasoning, Basil, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Ginger, Tarragon, Cilantro
• Beef – Ground Red Pepper, Dry Mustard, Chili Powder, Thyme, Rosemary
• Pork – Thyme, Marjoram, Ginger, Sage, Red Pepper
• Lamb -- Rosemary, Thyme, Curry Powder
• Fish – Tarragon, Dill Weed, Curry Powder, Dry Mustard, Paprika

Grains:
• Rice – Black Pepper, Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Minced Onion, Basil, Cumin
• Pasta – Garlic Powder, Dill Weed, Basil, Marjoram, Oregano

Culinary Herb Uses

With so many Fresh Herbs to choose from, here is a helpful description of the major Fresh Herbs.

Baby Dill: is named from an old Norse word "dilla" which means "to lull" and refers to dill water made from its seeds and still given to babies as a mild sedative. It's native to southern Europe but is found all over the world now. It has a long history going back before the ancient Egyptians who used it medicinally.

• Dill and eggs are a very sympathetic combination - use chopped fresh dill in omelets, scrambled eggs, baked eggs, devilled eggs and egg salad.
• For cream sauces served with fish or poultry, add a tablespoon chopped dill per cup of sauce.
• Add chopped dill to home made or purchased Ranch dressings - three tablespoons per cup of dressing.
• Chop dill and add to yogurt as a dressing for a cucumber salad. Variations can include tomatoes, boiled potatoes, sliced onions, chopped chives, chopped tarragon and capers.
• Dill is the dominant flavoring in Swedish raw pickled salmon called Gravlax and good cookbooks will have a recipe - it's rather simple to make your own.
• A sprig of dill in tomato juice adds a nice piquancy, and in a bloody mary adds a subtle richness and a wonderful bouquet.
• Dill infused in cider vinegar (four tablespoons chopped dill, a tablespoon salt, and two cloves garlic to the cup of vinegar) is wonderful for making fresh 3-day Refrigerator Pickles - slice cucumbers across and immerse in the vinegar in the fridge for three days.
• Whip three tablespoons chopped dill into an 8-ounce package of cream cheese with two tablespoons buttermilk for a tasty dip or sandwich spread.

Basil: is also called "sweet basil" and is native to India but it is in the Mediterranean cuisines that it has reached its current high popularity. It's a member of the mint family and has that same sort of highly aromatic quality. Here are eight different uses for basil and they should suggest other ways and places you can use them to suit the dish and your tastes.

• To one stick of room-temperature butter, add from 1 to 3 teaspoons finely chopped basil for spreading on breads or crackers.
• In scrambled eggs or any chopped egg salad, add between one and three teaspoons minced basil. Or sprinkle over poached eggs.
• Coarsely chop leaves and add to the cooking water for green beans, broccoli or any other green vegetable. The cooked leaves will surrender some of their flavor to the liquid and themselves have a light spinach taste.
• Finely chop the leaves and toss with flour for coating poultry, chops and vegetables. A good ratio is a tablespoon per cup of flour. Add up to two tablespoons chopped fresh basil per cup of batter.
• Basil is often called "the tomato herb" and with good reason. The flavors seem made for each other. Here are some ways to wed them:
• For baked tomatoes, finely chop basil, add shredded cheese, a pinch of pepper and bread crumbs in equal quantities and cover the cut surface of the tomato. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.
• For tomato soup, add a teaspoon of finely chopped basil 5 minutes before service for each portion of soup.
• For tomato sauce for pasta or pizza, coarsely chop the leaves (1/4 cup for each two cups of tomatoes) and simmer for the last 15 minutes before use.
• For an interesting beverage, warm tomato juice and add some very finely minced basil leaves. Chill and serve.
• Mince a few large leaves and mix with softened butter and a little stock to baste poultry while roasting.
• Make a slurry in a blender with 5 or 6 large basil leaves, a couple tablespoons of butter at room temperature and an ounce or two of dry white wine. Brush it on fish or chicken before baking.
• Basil and garlic are very compatible flavors. Run 5 cloves of garlic, a couple ounces of broth or stock and about a dozen good-sized basil leaves in a processor until it's a thin, chunky paste. Brush that on lamb, poultry, split zucchini, eggplant and fish filets before roasting. Baste during cooking.

Chives: are native to northern Europe and Asia and are members of the onion family. They have an oniony flavor, but it's mild and more delicate than the bulbs usually used in cooking. They have hollow, flat green leaves and produce purple flowers on a tall spike which are also edible.

• Add chopped chives to cream soups and cream-based sauces - a teaspoon per cup of sauce.
• Chop and add chives to scrambled eggs and omelets- a teaspoon per egg.
• Mince chives and add to cocktail sauce for shrimp - a teaspoon per 1/2 cup of sauce.
• Process 1/2 cup cream and 1 pound of shredded white cheddar cheese until smooth, then stir in 2 tablespoons chopped chives, as a sandwich spread or dip.
• In combination with the other herbs to make "fines herbes" add chives to poaching liquids for fish, creamed chicken and in the water for cooking vegetables.
• Mince chives and add to any vinaigrette salad dressing - a tablespoon per cup of liquids.
• Use long strands of chive leaves as an unusual garnish for dinner plates.
• Use long strands of chive leaves to tie bundles of green beans or strips of sauted bell pepper for a pretty presentation.

Cilantro: is the Spanish name for the young and tender leaves - which are also called coriander. Both the leaves and seeds are used as flavoring agents. Cilantro is one of the most ancient herbs known. It's also called "Chinese parsley" and figures prominently in Mexican cuisine. The fresh herb is very fragile and should be added in the last few minutes of cooking time.

• Add chopped cilantro to the water for cooking rice -2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro per cup of rice added in the last five minutes of cooking.
• Add chopped cilantro to the cooking water for beans in the last 15 or 20 minutes of cooking. A couple tablespoons for each cup of dry beans.
• Add a generous handful of chopped cilantro to salsa mixtures and let sit for a few hours to meld the flavors. Handful of cilantro to two cups of salsa.
• Chop and toss cilantro with the dressings for avocado salads and sprinkle a dusting of the chopped fresh herb for garnish.
• Brush fish filets with butter and sprinkle finely chopped cilantro and chives on them before baking.
• Add three tablespoons finely chopped cilantro to a room-temperature stick of butter and whip to mix well. Roll up in wax paper or plastic wrap to make a rod of flavored butter and chill. Slice off "coins" of the butter and put on steaks or chicken pieces still hot from the grill or broiler, or veggies just off the stove.
• Add chopped fresh cilantro, oregano, basil and thyme to a red wine-olive oil vinaigrette for a southwest-style dressing
• Add whole cilantro leaves to a bottle of red wine vinegar and store in a dark place for two or three months to extract the flavor form the herb. Strain and use in sauces, mayonnaise, bean soups and chili.

Marjoram: and oregano are very close cousins and both members of the mint family. The flavors of the two herbs are similar, but marjoram has a more delicate taste and aroma. Native to both Asia and the Mediterranean, marjoram is popular in all the cuisines of the area. It's also used in perfume making and is one of the ancient herbs. Fine-textured sausages like liverwurst and real, Italian-style bologna use marjoram.

• Use with or instead of oregano in the ratio of 1 1/2 teaspoons of marjoram to equal one teaspoon of oregano.
• Add marjoram near the end of the cooking time to avoid loss of that delicate flavor.
• For grilling meats, rub the meat with oil, crush some marjoram leaves and rub them on the meat. Let it sit for a few minutes before cooking.
• Finely chop marjoram and thyme and mix with softened butter for a flavorful glaze for roast meats, for finishing vegetables, and for brushing on breads.
• Finely chopped marjoram mixed into bread dough makes a wonderfully aromatic loaf - two tablespoons to each cup of flour.
• A tablespoon or two in a batch of onion soup adds very nice flavor undertones that intensify the total richness.
• Chop a tablespoon of marjoram per cup of tomato sauce and stir it in a few minutes before service.
• Chop marjoram and basil together and sprinkle over sliced tomatoes, then dress with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Mint: is probably the most ancient of the herbs. It was used by the ancient Assyrians in rituals for the fire-god. Spearmint and a vinegar-based mint sauce were in common use by the ancient Romans. Mint was named by Greeks after a mythical character called Minthe. One of the few herbs used in sweets.

• Finely chop two teaspoons mint and add to chocolate pudding recipes that use about two cups milk. Increase or decrease the amount of mint to suit your recipe.
• Add a few mint leaves to the cooking water for peas and other fresh beans.
• Chop a tablespoon of mint and add to lamb stew - for one to two pounds of meat.
• Steep a cup of mint leaves in a pint of cider vinegar for two weeks. Strain and add 2 cups honey to make a sauce for fruit compotes, waffles and pancakes, ice cream, and to add to iced tea.
• Chop two or three tablespoons mint leaves and stir into a cup of hot pepper jelly. Mix with cream cheese for a hot and cold dip or spread.
• Use whole mint sprigs to garnish fruit salads, melon slices, berries in cream and strawberry shortcakes.
• Mix 3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves and a tablespoon chopped chives with a cup of yogurt as a dressing for peeled and sliced cucumbers.
• Add mint leaves to any cooked fruit - chop a few leaves and mix with apples to be sauted, tuck a sprig or two in home-canned fruit like peaches and plums.

Oregano: is a member of the mint family and related to basil and marjoram. Native to southern Europe, it has spread all around the Mediterranean and become important to all the cuisines of the region. Intensely flavored but still not overwhelming to other herbs.

• Add chopped oregano leaves to tomato sauces for pastas, pizza and for dipping - two tablespoons per cup of tomatoes.
• Add oregano at the very end of cooking mushrooms - a tablespoon per cup of cooked mushrooms.
• Finely mince a couple tablespoons each of oregano, basil, thyme, parsley and add to 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and mix with two cups of breadcrumbs - to coat veal, poultry, fish, eggplant slices and as a topping for casseroles.
• Slice peppers and onions and gently fry in olive oil - add a tablespoon chopped oregano for each onion near the end of cooking.
• Put several sprigs of oregano into a pint bottle of vinegar and let steep for a month or more in a dark place to use as part of a salad dressing with olive oil.
• Make a basic pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese as toppings and spread a good handful of whole oregano leaves over top and finish with more mozzarella and some grated Parmesan.
• Chop together two tablespoonfuls each oregano, marjoram, basil, rosemary, thyme and parsley and add to two cups of any salad dressing.
• Tuck sprigs of oregano under the skin of chickens to be roasted or in the cavity of any fish to be baked.

Rosemary: has leaves that look like pine needles and have a lightly resiny taste. It's a member of the mint family but is an evergreen, perennial shrub that originated near the Mediterranean Sea and still grows wild all around it to this day. Its name means "dew of the sea" in Latin. In times past, rosemary was used to flavor wine and the blue flowers were candied and eaten as a confection.

• Put a few sprigs of rosemary in a bottle of honey or marmalade and let it infuse for a month or two in a dark place. Discard the herb, stir and use the sweet as you normally would.
• Use the stiff rosemary sprigs to skewer shrimp, pieces of pork, poultry or lamb for grilling - they add a wonderful flavor. Slip off the leaves and save for other uses.
• Finely chop rosemary leaves and add to bread doughs - two tablespoons herbs to each 4 cups flour.
• Use rosemary two different ways with roasted meats - Chop rosemary leaves and rub on meats - and lay a few sprigs on top and a few under the meat in the roasting pan.
• Drop a few sprigs of rosemary into the water for poaching fish or eggs.
• Put a few sprigs of rosemary on coals when doing outdoor-grilled meats.
• Add a couple sprigs to cooking water for potatoes, rice and pasta, especially when serving with poultry or fish.
• Use a sprig of rosemary as a stirrer for bloody marys or in plain tomato juice.

Sage: is one of the dominant flavors in sausage-making and poultry stuffings. Like so many other herbs, native to the Mediterranean region and very widely used all around the area. Used in the middle ages as a medicinal herb. It is one of the more aromatic of the popular herbs and sets off the flavors of other strongly flavored foods well.

• Alternate sage leaves with cubes of meat and vegetables on skewers when making shish-kabobs.
• Heat 1/2 stick of butter in a skillet and add two tablespoons chopped sage and toss to cover. Warm through and serve over pasta or mixed into rice.
• Slide a few sprigs of sage under the skin of chickens and turkeys top be roasted. Put a few in the cavity, as well.
• Combine two tablespoons chopped sage with 8-ounces of cream cheese and three or four tablespoons white wine as a light spread or dip.
• When frying or sauteing onions, a few sage leaves added to the pan intensifies the richness of the onion flavor.
• Mince a couple tablespoons sage leaves and add to beanpots near the end of cooking - likewise add to chili and other hearty soups and stews.
• Add two or three tablespoons finely chopped sage to a cup of flour for coating chicken for frying or baking.
• Mix two tablespoons finely chopped sage to one stick of butter and whip through. Roll in wax paper or plastic wrap and chill. Slice off small "coins" and put on steaks or chicken pieces immediately before service. Also good on vegetables.

Tarragon: comes from the French "estragon" and the Spanish "tarragon" both of which come from the Greek word for "little dragon" in reference to tarragon's snaky-looking roots. Tarragon is native to Asia and is a perennial with very highly aromatic leaves. It's the major flavoring agent in the classic Bearnaise sauce.

• Put a couple sprigs of tarragon into a bottle of white wine vinegar and let it steep for a month or more. Strain out the tarragon and use the vinegar as part of a vinaigrette, to dress cooked vegetables or on fish or poultry.
• Chop a couple tablespoons of tarragon and add to a stick of softened butter. Use for making omelets, sauteing thin slices of meats and fish, and for moistening potatoes and corn.
• Add whole leaves to white sauces for eggs and fish - a tablespoon per cup.
• Add to mayonnaise with a few capers, a dash of buttermilk to thin , salt and pepper to taste - makes a good salad dressing or sandwich spread for delicate fillings like sliced chicken and many cheeses.
• Add a tablespoon or two of whole leaves to peas, spinach, broccoli or tomatoes at the very end of cooking times and garnish with whole leaves at table.
• Put a few sprigs of tarragon in the cavities of small birds -squab, Cornish Game hens, etc. - before roasting. A few sprigs slid under the skin adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the meat.
• Chop and sprinkle tarragon leaves over steamed vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, and potatoes, or leafy ones like spinach and chard, and finish with a few drops of tarragon vinegar.
• Sprinkle whole tarragon leaves over salads, particularly if they contain tomatoes, cheeses or fish.

Thyme: has an ancient history. Assyrians used it medicinally. The ancient Greeks and Romans used it to flavor cheese and as a fumigant. It's a perennial plant in the mint family and is still used to flavor a wide range of foods from cheese to liqueurs.

• Strip some leaves from the stems and drop into mushrooms while they saute,. Maybe a tablespoon per pound of mushrooms.
• Chop thyme and add to flour for dredging chicken for frying. A tablespoon per cup of flour.
• Chop coarsely and add a teaspoon or two of thyme to a recipe for a dozen biscuits. Adjust the quantity for different recipes.
• Saute, three tablespoons thyme leaves in two tablespoons butter to pour over Brussels sprouts, green beans or egg noodles.
• Add a teaspoon of thyme leaves per cup of clam chowder just before service.
• Add three or four tablespoons of thyme leaves to two cups of hot chicken broth. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 1 hour. Strain and chill. Use that broth to add to the water to cook rice and pasta. Mix 1/2 cup vinegar, a cup of the broth and 1/2 cup oil for a low-fat salad dressing. Shake or whisk and pour over salads. Refrigerated, it will hold for a week.
• Add a tablespoon of finely minced thyme leaves and a tablespoon chopped garlic chives to the pot when mashing up to two pounds of potatoes. Increase or decrease amounts according to your recipe quantities.
• Add the leaves from a good-sized sprig of thyme to beans while they simmer - about 15 minutes from the end of cooking. Pick up some beans on a spoon and blow on them. If the skin breaks open, that's the time to add the herbs. The beans are within minutes of being done.

You can blend your Fresh Herbs as well, depending on what you are using them for. Here are some general guidelines.

Pasta Blends: consists of basil, marjoram and oregano. This combination is one of the favored ones for making Italian-style tomato sauces.

• Add to basic tomato sauces in the last 15 minutes of cooking.
• Add to meatball mix before cooking them in tomato sauce.
• Chop and add to basic vinaigrettes to dress leaf salads, to dress cool pasta salads and to dress chilled meat salads.
• Chop and saute, in light olive oil for two minutes. Toss with pasta and finish with a light dusting of grated Parmesan cheese.

Poultry Blends: consists of marjoram, sage and thyme and is a natural for chicken,turkey, duck, Cornish hens, and game birds.

• Chop and add to any basic stuffing or dressing mix, or rice and pastas you might cook in chicken broth.
• Slide some sprigs of the herbs under the skin on the breast and thighs before roasting or baking in an outdoor grill.
• When making stock from trimmings and bones, add a generous amount of herbs at the end of the cooking time to enrich the flavors of the broth.
• Put whole thyme sprigs in canning jars when making pickled beets, herbed cucumbers and mixed pickles.

Roasting Blends: consists of parsley, rosemary and thyme and is one of the favored combinations around the Mediterranean for roasts.

• Mince the herbs finely, mix with a little soft butter and rub all over the outside of meats to roast. During the roasting time, do this two more times. The pan juices should have a good, strong meat and herb flavor to make gravy.
• Put quartered potatoes and carrots (that you have tossed with a little oil to coat) around the rack you're roasting meat on during the last hour of cooking. Chop three tablespoons of herbs and sprinkle over the vegetables.
• Chop herbs very finely and mix well with several cloves of well-mashed garlic and a little olive oil. Make lots of little cuts a couple inches apart in a leg of lamb or veal and insert teaspoons of the mixture in the cuts. Spread any remaining over the outside and roast as usual.
• Lay the herbs on a flank or skirt steak with minced garlic and roll it like a jellyroll and tie with twine. Brush the outside with oil and roast at low temperature (250-300) until medium rare (130 center temperature). Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain and serve with pan juices and buttered parsley potatoes.

Salad Blends: consists of basil, chives and parsley which emphasize tomatoes, lettuces and vegetables cut up in salads.

• Chop four tablespoons the herbs and add to a good vinegar and oil dressing (1/3 cup vinegar, 1 cup oil, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 mashed clove of garlic) and whisk or shake together. This can hold in the fridge for a week.
• Drop whole sprigs into warm oil (about 250 degrees) and remove from heat. Cover and let infuse for 2 hours. Strain and use as the oil in a salad dressing, as a baste for meats, to fry eggplant and zucchini. This can hold in the fridge for 5 days.
• Mince four tablespoons of the herbs and drop into the water to cook two cups of rice. Chill the rice and dress with a light vinaigrette (as above) for a wonderful rice salad. Chopped meats, seafoods or pickled vegetables work nicely with this.
• Chop two tablespoons of each herb and add to a cup of simmering vinegar. Cover and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain and add 1/2 cup white wine, 1/2 cup broth and 1/2 cup light olive oil. Chill. Marinate poultry or pork overnight. Or cut vegetables for grilling.

Seafood Blends: consists of chives, dill and lemon grass, all used in seafood cookery because of their strong, sympathetic flavors.

• For each person, mince finely two tablespoons of the herbs, saute, briefly in a tablespoon of butter and spoon a bed of these herbs onto dinner plates to set pieces of broiled fish on.
• Chop coarsely almost a whole package of herbs and add to two quarts of simmering water along with an onion studded with ten cloves. Lower fish filets into it and cook for ten minutes per inch of thickness measured at the thickest point. Serve the fish with the remaining herbs very finely minced and mixed with two tablespoons mayo spread lightly on the fish pieces.
• Add almost a whole package of herbs, a bottle of beer and four garlic cloves to a pot of water to cook shrimp. Bring to a boil, drop in the shrimp and stir for 3 minutes. Drain and serve the shrimp with the remaining herbs minced and added to two sticks of melted butter for dipping.
• Chop three tablespoons of the herbs and add to your normal tuna salad recipe. Or grill and cool a salmon filet and finish as for tuna salad and add the herbs to it.

Soup Blends: consists of oregano, rosemary and thyme and is one of the important herb combinations for minestrone and other hearty soups.

• Tuck a whole package of herbs into a small square of culinary cheesecloth, tie with twine and drop into the soup pot when making big, bold soups - beef or heavy chicken soups. They should cook for about 1/2 hour at the end of cooking time to deliver maximum flavor.
• Slide 1/2 the package of herbs under the skin of a chicken and roast it. Let it cool and pull the meat off the bones. Put meat and bones into a pot with water to just cover. Finely chop the remaining herbs and add to the pot. Simmer gently for 45 minutes and discard the bones. Add pasta, rice and any other ingredients and cook another 15 minutes. Serve.
• In vegetarian soups, add herbs in the last thirty minutes of simmering. They work especially well with beans, root vegetables and grains.
• Very finely chop four tablespoons herbs and add to the broth to make risotto with two cups of rice. Simmer the broth and finish the rice as directed in your recipe, making it slightly more liquid than usual. Present with a good grating of Parmesan cheese.
  

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