Thursday, November 20, 2008

Rosemary, My Love

Something I wish I had more time to do is to garden. During the summer, John and I would spend any spare moment we had combing through the warm, humid nurseries here in Mexico looking for the week's new deliveries. We usually left with something that excited us in some way, like a hot pink geranium or a miniature Japanese orange tree.


One of my favorite groups of plants to linger over are the herbs. I love to snap off a leaf and rub in on the inside of my palms and just walk around smelling my hands. I'm sure I look like a freak, but I already do with 9 kids anyway, so it is worth it. One of my favorite herbs to sniff is rosemary. Here is a pot I have that I started this summer...


Not only does is smell fresh and clean, it's taste is divine. It is easy to grow, just give it lots of sunlight and snip it off when you want to add a touch of gourmet to your meals. Here's how I harvest rosemary.

After I snip off a piece of the plant with scissors like this...


...I start at the top of the woody stem and just run my fingers firmly down the length to the end, like this...


Most of the rosemary leaves come off easily this way, then I pull off the leaves all the way at the top, chop them up and add them to my recipes...


Stick around as I will be posting a rosemary chicken recipe soon. What herbs do you love? I would really like to know...

I am pleased to list this post @
Kelli's "Show and Tell Friday",
The Barefoot Mama's "Feminine Friday",
Biblical Womanhood's "Frugal Friday",
Canada Girl's "Friday Show and Tell",
and...

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek



If you liked this post and would like to join me here on a regular basis via email or other reader, please...
Subscribe
(You'll be helping to pay for at least one of the nine kid's college tuition.)
OR... bookmark or share this post by clicking the little beauty below... Thank you for your visit!

28 comments:

Juliana said...

wonderful post. thanks for sharing in here.

My PSF entry this week : in HERE. Hope you have time to visit . Thanks

Anonymous said...

That's good to know! I actually was wondering how to do that. I have now decided I will grow my own herbs! So thanks! Maybe I'll ask for one of those herb kits for christmas!

Hootin Anni said...

Excellent show n tell!!!!

Come view my show n tell if you can find time. It's a new 'hobby' of mine started just this past week. Happy Friday, happy weekend.

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

I love Rosemary but I rarely cook with it. Need to change that. :)

Lori of I'm no super Mom said...

Oh yummy I love rosemary too! I am so going to follow your blog, I always love a good recipe!

Andi Carter said...

I think you are either "new" to Canada Girl's S&T or I've been off-line way too long! It's nice to see a new S&T. The herb I like best is cilantro. I grow and dry it and keep it in the freezer, where it remains green and potent for all my "south of the border" recipes, like my favorite Costa Rican beans, a recipe given to me when I was in Costa Rica a few years ago.

So...what are you doing in Mexico? How special. Bet you and your kids are absolutely fluent in español, no?

Mrs. Homemaker said...

That works for thyme too. My husband made me a garden box for my herbs this summer, complete with a sprinkler system extension. I was ecstatic to have a space just for some of my favorite garden plants, and even more so that they have survived all the frosty nights we've had.

Looking forward to the chicken recipe!

Carla said...

I'm a palm sniffer too, I also make who ever is with me stiff my palm too. (glad I'm not the only weird-o:)
I'm getting a rosemary Christmas tree this year, as a treat to myself, I'm excited!

Carla said...

sniff not stiff:)

Anonymous said...

I have tried planting a rosemary plant in my garden three years and a row and every year my husband would plow it under thinking it was a weed (even though I had told him I planted it there - too many details to remember). This year I just planted it in my flower garden. I'll have to come up with ways of using rosemary now. Thanks for sharing how to easily take off the rosemary leaves.

Anonymous said...

I don't think I have ever had a dish with rosemary in it. I must remedy that!

Being Mrs Miles said...

I LOVE to use rosemary sprinkled on foccacia bread, also to put some in a small shallow dish with olive oil and balsamic vinegar as a dip for crusty artisan breads.

Mmmmm, can smell it now. Really, I can for I uprooted my plant in fall and hung it in our stairwell. Now I simply cut off a twig when baking!

Very enjoyable blog entry, thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I love gardening and especially my rosemary plants. They are huge and stay green all winter.

Anonymous said...

can't wait to see your recipes. My sister has lots of rosemary growing in her yard.

Rechelle ~Walnuthaven Cottage~ said...

I love herbs. I also wish I had time to garden more. Maybe next year I can try again.
My favorite herb is sage, thyme, dill. Guess I have a few faves.

Susie Homemaker said...

Rosemary is my favorite herb to grow...It is very uplifting. I will snip a piece off and keep it in my pocket to pull out during the day if I get stressed. I love it!

Blessings,
Susie

Chris said...

I think it's great that you rub herbs in your hands, just to smell them. I wouldn't think that was weird. Very much.

threesidesofcrazy said...

I wish I had the ability to grow a herb garden here - something to dream about. At our last house the rosemary grew wild. loved the aroma, but have never much cared for the flavor.

Kate said...

I love rosemary too! I even like it in certain cookies. It's so versatile, and so good, and you're right...the scent is just heavenly.

Shauna said...

Rosemary and lemon is so good on turkey! I hope you have an awesome weekend! Check out my blog to get your awards with l♥ts of l♥ve from me :) ♥ Hugs! :) Shauna
http://trying2staycalm.blogspot.com/

Dusty (To the Moon and Back) said...

I LOVE herbs, but have never tried to grow my own, although that is going to be one of my new year's resolutions, I believe. I love rosemary as well, my hubby isn't too fond of it. Thyme, basil, and marjoram get a lot of use around here .

Anonymous said...

I really love your blog. I think last week was your first show and tell? I am so glad that you joined us because I so enjoy having to have found out about your blog! #1 It's really pretty #2 so perfect, it seems professional (boy, could I aspire to that) #3 I always admire those with big families and #4 when I scrolled down your blog, I seen your gorgeous new home, especially the kitchen. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I tried to tell my husband about it, but he will have to see the pictures.

I love lavender, too. I must have 3 dozen of them! I just love love love both the look of the plant and the privilege to have as much lavender to tote around as I want. I often pick a bunch and take it to my daughter (26) tied with a ribbon. She loves it as much as I.
I love cilantro, too. I'm looking forward to your rosemary chicken recipe.
Antoinette

Vintagesquirrel said...

I just LOVE cilantro! I cannot walk past the cilantro in the market without going over to sniff some. It makes me smile.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

I need to be more daring in my spices and herbs department.

jayedee said...

i love love LOVE the smell of rosemary.....but the taste? to me is sooo sharp and icky. i don't know why.
i'm a scent junky......i adore all the different basils and mints i grow......and scented geraniums, have you discovered them yet? oh la la!
lemon balm, and lemon grass! mmmmm!
the entire sage family...be still my heart!
you owe it to yourself to plant a little patch of sweet grass if you can get it to grow for you....

Martha said...

Mmmmm, I just love fresh herbs! I have to say oregano and basil are my very favorites (probably something to do with being Italian ;-)

Anonymous said...

Truly, I hvaen't ever used Rosemary in my cooking. Looking forward to the chicken recipe.

Anonymous said...

How I love rosemary! It's my favorite baked into bread...but just having some of it around the kitchen is divine. This post makes me excited for springtime here to plant again!