Discover Unique Herbs to Elevate Your Garden This Spring

February 15, 2024

Planting Guide: Unusual Herbs That Will Transform Your Culinary Creations

Embrace the arrival of spring by adding a touch of the extraordinary to your garden! This year, move beyond the familiar basils and parsley, and embark on a horticultural adventure by planting unusual herbs. From the refreshing borage to the distinctive daun kesum, these herbs promise not only to beautify your garden but also to elevate your culinary experiences. Discover how these plants can introduce you to flavors around the world, while providing a sustainable, aromatic haven right in your backyard.

Read the full story here: Unusual and Fascinating Herbs to Plant This Spring

Highlights

• Spring is an ideal time for planting a variety of culinary herbs, enriching your garden and kitchen alike.
• Some unusual herbs like daun kesum, reyhan, costmary, besobela, and borage offer unique flavors and are often not available in local groceries.
• Each of these herbs comes with a rich history, distinct flavors, and various uses in cooking and traditional drinks.
• Growing these herbs is a sustainable way to diversify your garden and enhance your culinary creations.
• Herbs like daun kesum and besobela illustrate the global diversity of culinary practices and the role of home gardening in preserving these traditions.
• Planting a variety of herbs supports local ecosystems by attracting pollinators.

As spring approaches, gardens around the world awaken, offering a unique opportunity to cultivate a variety of culinary herbs. This article introduces readers to unusual herbs like daun kesum, reyhan, costmary, besobela, and borage, emphasizing their unique flavors, historical uses, and culinary applications. Highlighting the significance of these herbs in different cuisines around the world, it aims to inspire gardeners to diversify their plantings beyond common choices like basil and parsley.

Each herb presented comes with distinct characteristics and benefits. Daun kesum, cherished in Southeast Asia, brings a distinctive citrusy and spicy flavor to dishes like laksa. Reyhan, or Persian basil, adds a lemon-spice scent to Iranian cuisine. Costmary, known historically as 'Bible leaf', and besobela, a type of holy basil in Ethiopian cuisine, offer aromatic and clove-like flavors respectively. Borage, with its cucumber-like taste, has been used for centuries in beverages for its refreshing qualities and health benefits.

The article goes further to provide practical advice for gardeners, from the best way to grow these herbs to their application in global cuisines and traditional drinks. This guidance not only equips readers with the knowledge to start their herb garden but also connects them to global cultures through the lens of culinary exploration. Ultimately, the assortment of herbs discussed serves as a testament to the diverse and rich world of botany, encouraging readers to cultivate an appreciation for both the utility and beauty of these plants.

Read the full article here.

Essential Insights

• Daun Kesum: Also known as Vietnamese mint, beloved across Southeast Asia for its citrusy flavor and hot aftertaste, essential in many dishes like laksa.
• Reyhan: Known as Persian basil, distinguished by a purple tinge and strong lemon and spice scent, integral in Iranian cuisine.
• Costmary: Has historical uses in medieval Europe for brewing and was called 'Bible leaf' for its use in marking pages with its balsam scent.
• Besobela: A species of holy basil used in Ethiopian cuisine for its clove-like flavor, often included in niter kibbeh (an herb-infused butter).
• Borage: An herb with blue flowers, known for its cucumber-like taste and use in old-timey drinks and for its health benefits.