How to Use Herbs From the Garden

Just as there are recipes for vegetables, there are recipes for herbs. Herbs grown in the garden have a variety of uses and ways to prepare them, making sure no herb goes to waste. Experiment with the many uses of the garden herbs grown in your backyard.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Herbs
• Water
• Milk
• Cold cream
• White vinegar
• Unscented oil

1. Prepare a hot cup of herbal tea with boiling water and fresh herbs from the garden. Use chamomile, lavender, rosemary, fennel or an all-time favorite, mint.
2. Clip the purple flowers of spring chives, soak briefly in saltwater and rinse. Add to white vinegar and store in a glass jar in the dark for 6 weeks. Use the magenta chive-flavored vinegar on garden salads.
3. Mix dried lavender, marjoram, rose petals and cloves in a silk sachet to place under a pillow at night to relieve headaches. Dry herbs and flowers by placing them on a supported screen so air can circulate underneath. Move them around so the herbs dry evenly. Use in potpourri when dry.
4. Cook with the herbs from the garden. Use them in spaghetti sauce, salsa, salad dressings and salads. Add fresh herbs to sauces near the end of the cooking time to get the best flavors.
5. Brew an infusion, or strong tea, by combining 2 tbsp. of dried herbs with 1 pint of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes, remove the herbs, then use as a drinkable infusion. Let steep for 3 hours to use as an external infusion.
6. Add the brewed infusion to milk or cold cream for a cosmetic cream or face mask. Mix 1 part powdered herb to 4 parts melted lard or fat to make aromatic or medicinal ointments.
7. Steep fragrant herbs in an unscented oil for 2 days, remove the petals and add fresh petals. Steep for 2 more days and repeat this cycle 6 more times. Store the aromatic oil in a cool dark place and use as desired.