a brief description of herbs and its usage

1. k.Varun kumar

2. Herbs and Horticulture
Some of the oldest horticultural writings are
about herbs (2700 BC)
Many herbs in medicinal uses from early times
Herbal folk remedies
Fragrance (potpourri)- early air fresheners
Vinegars and sauces
Flavoring agents- used early to flavor bad
foods.
Popular in design and cottage gardens
(kitchen gardens)

3. Herbs and Spices
Introduction
 What is an herb?
 A plant of which the leaves, or stems and leaves are
used for food or medicine, or in some way for their
scent or flavor
 This definition excludes plants used solely for food
 Excludes plants used for decorative or utilitarian purposes
 How does an herb differ from a spice?
 A spice is the dried seed, bark, or root of a plant
 Are generally grown in the tropics

4. Culinary Herbs: Herbs used in flavoring
foods and beverages
Pronunciation:
Herb (the ‘h’ is sounded)
erb (the ‘h’ is silent)
Both are correct. The oldest form of the
word is erb but in England and English
speaking nations, the herb pronunciation
is usually used.

5. Herbs In Our Diet
Herbs were originally used in cooking less for their
flavor than for their digestive and preservative
properties.
Anti-bacterial properties were important for preserving
food before refrigeration.
Herbs can provide nutrients and vitamins.

6. Herbs in Our DietUsing herbs in cooking- in
the beginning:
Start slowly using herbs with
care
Each herb has its own subtle
and individual flavor
Each herb’s flavor
compliments a particular
companion food
 Basil with tomatoes
 Rosemary with lamb

7. Spice Mixtures
Often release a rounded flavor into a dish
Often reflect the flavor of a region
 An example of a classic combination of herbs
 Bouquet garni:
 2 sprigs thyme
 2 sprigs marjoram
 1 bunch parsley stalks
 1 bay leaf

8. Ways To Use Herbs in Cooking
Teas
Marinades or sauces for meat, poultry, and fish
Add herbs to vinegar
Herb butters, cheeses, and stuffings
Herbs can be widely used as garnishes

9. What gives herbs their flavor?
Compounds produced by certain plants known
as ‘essential oils’ ie many properties of oils
Soluble in water
Vaporize or volatilize to produce aroma (flavor)
Concentrated when dried
Can be changed or destroyed with improper
drying/preservation

10. Herbs That Can be Grown in GardensBasil
Caraway
Mints
Chives
Cilantro and Coriander
Dill
Lavender
Oregano
Parsley
Thyme
Rosemary
Sage

11. Herbs can be
annuals (basil, cilantro, dill, parsley)
 biennials (grown as annuals) parsley
 perennials (lavender, rosemary, sage, tarragon,
mint)
Perennials can be propagated by
cuttings (rosemary, sage, tarragon)
division (chives, mints, sorrel)
Grown for essential oils that are produced in the
leaves. Most are native to hot, dry locations
(Middle east) and produce well in hot, dry
locations with minimal care.

12. Herb Garden: Usually located close
to the house (for immediate use).
Usually consists of a number of
herbs planted together
Herbs in Containers: Can be
cultured in pots indoors or outside
in larger containers.
Can involve elaborate designs for form, texture, and
color

13. Fresh Herbs: Used in cooking immediately after
cutting
Dried Herbs: Dried slowly to preserve the ‘essential
oils’ which are the general flavor compounds. Dried
herbs have more concentrated flavors (requires less).
Usually 1:4 as a guideline for dried vs fresh
Freezing Herbs: Can be readily frozen to preserve the
essential oils but retain the characteristics of fresh herbs.
Use within 3-6 months. Store in a solid container to
prevent contamination of other foods in the freezer.
Most herbs are dried naturally (protecting them from dust
and dirt). Cover in cheesecloth or dry in vented paper
bags. Separate leaves from stems and other debris
later.

14. Herbs in Ethnic Foods
French: chervil, thyme, parsley, marjoram
Italian: oregano, parsley, garlic, basil
African: cumin, coriander, fennel
Spanish: basil, parsley, garlic, rosemary
Caribbean: marjoram, bay, thyme, parsley,
coriander, garlic
Mexican: oregano, cilantro, peppers, sage,
cumin
Greek: rosemary, garlic, mint, parsley, oregano
German: dill, fennel, caraway
Chinese: cilantro, chives, peppers

15. Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Characteristics
Aromatic, tender,
annual plant
Many different
types
 Plant habit
 Flavors
 Color

16. Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Growing basil
Easy to grow
Requires heat
 Is injured below 50 F
Remove flowers to
keep actively growing
Do not store in
refrigerator

17. Caraway (Carum carvi)
Characteristics
Biennial grown for its
seed
Is in carrot family
Only require a few
plants to have enough
seed for a family
Seeds will shatter so
cut off seedstalk when
seeds turn brown and
place inside a bag

18. Mints – Catnip, spearmint,
peppermint
Mints are perennials that
have a square stem and tend
to be very invasive
May want to grow in pots
to slow it invading the
garden
Requires full sunlight for
best production of volatile
oils
Harvest leaves and stem tips
during summer when plant is
in full bloom

19. Cilantro and Coriander
(Coriandrum sativum)
An herb and a spice derived
from different stages of the
same plant
Need to use the correct
cultivar
Cilantro-Mexican parsley
Green rosette of leaves from
immature plant used
Coriander
Dry seeds of the plant
Flowers are a flat umbel
resembling wild carrot

20. Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Small, perennial,
bulbous plant that
grows in clumps 8 to
12 inches tall
Is in the onion
family
Start plants by
dividing and
planting a clump of
the plant

21. Lavender (Lavendula spp.)
Seven different
species that vary in
their hardiness
Highly scented
plant used in:
Potpourri, perfumes,
flavoring

22. Dill (Anethum graveolens)
A tall, self-seeding,
annual with feathery
leaves and open
umbrella-shaped
seedheads
Easily grown from seed
but seed shatters and
can cause dill to become
a weed
Can use seeds, leaves,
and immature
flowerhead

23. Oregano (Origanum heracleoticum)
Is a hardy perennial
Avoid buying O.
vulgare because it is
rather tasteless and
not good for cooking
Best tasting
cultivars are
generally the least
hardy

24. Parsley (Petroselium crispum)
Characteristics
Types
Flat-leaf or Italian
parsley
Curly-leaf parsley (used
for its leaves only)
Culture
Seeds are short-lived so
fresh seeds are
necessary each year
when starting
transplants

25. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Small perennial
evergreen shrub
Narrow leaves have a
spicy, pine-like flavor
Not winter hardy in
many Kansas seasons
Grow in pots
Propagate from stem
tip cuttings

26. Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Shrubby, perennial
evergreen plant
In mint family and
can be propagated
from seed, stem
cuttings or by
divisions
Do a severe spring
pruning to discourage
flower production
Used in poultry
seasoning, pork, and
herbal medicine

27. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Small, mound-
forming, shrub-like
perennial
Thousand of
different cultivars
Select either French
or English cultivars
Start from seed,
dividing clumps, or
cuttings

28. SUMMER SAVORY (Satureja
hortensis)
WINTER SAVORY (Satureja
montana) Winter savory is
smaller and darker
green. Perennial that
can be grown from
cuttings or divisions
(winter). Summer
savory generally
grown as an annual

29. TARRAGON (Artemesia dracunculus)
Often called the “Queen of Herbs”- licorice-like
flavor common in French dishes. (often used with
fish dishes to eliminate fishy odor)
French tarragon is the one used as an herb. Grows
well as a shrub plant in hot, dry locations.
Difficult to grow from
seed- usually
propagated by
cuttings.
Russian version
easier to start but
‘frowned upon’ by
herb enthusiasts for
it’s flavor.

30. MARJORAM (SWEET MARJORAM)
Oraganum majorana
Very similar to
oregano (different
species). Flavor is
milder.
Is perennial-but
usually grown as an
annual (doesn’t hold
through most winters)
Light ‘perfume’ aroma
that has a slightly
sweet scent along
with a mild oregano-

31. Harvesting and Storing Herbs
Harvesting leaves
Sprigs of leaves can be picked at any time during the
season when green and healthy
Place in fresh water like cut flowers
Harvesting flowers
Harvest early in the day and as soon as possible after
they open
Harvesting roots
Harvest roots at the end of the growing season when
the maximum nutrients are stored in the roots for
winter

32. Harvesting and Storing Herbs
Collecting seeds
Seed readiness is determined by the various seed heads
Example
 Mint family (Labitae)
 Includes mint and thyme
 Retain their seeds until after the stem and sepals have turned
brown
 Seeds ripen more or less all at once
 Seeds are very thin and hard to miss