Vol. III, 1. 

About Our Newsletter - This newsletter is devoted to educating our subscribers and customers on various aspects of herbs. It will include such varied subjects as: a focus on a particular herb (or its genus), growing and harvesting tips, cooking with herbs and accompanying recipes, recommendations on organic growing, and any other thoughts that happen to be crossing our minds as we go to print. We may occasionally mention special promotions on the herbs we sell, but this in not the primary purpose of our newsletter. However we are entitled to sneak in an occasional shameless plug for our nursery.

Send us your Comments: We want to know what you think about our newsletter! Any topics you’d like to see covered? 

In This Issue: 1) Herb Quiz  2) Lingle's Musings  3) Herbs and the Barbecue

Herb Quiz

1) What spice produces the bright yellow color in prepared (hot dog) mustard?
2) What herb is used to flavor beer?
3) What herb is used in making root beer?

As for early vegetarians, we can only hope they enjoyed the delicious caramelization of a purple onion, slowly cooked over an open flame.

So grilling has been around for a long time. And it’s still gaining in popularity.

I still remember, when I was five years old, the sound of the rotisserie on the barbecue, whining as it turned the chicken round and round. My father would always put a few bay leaves on the back of the grill to slowly smoke, and impart their flavor on the chicken. To this day, the sound of the rotisserie and the smell of burning bay leaves reminds me that, once again, it’s time to walk barefoot through the grass in short pants.

My father was the master griller. I remember how he used to poor granulated garlic over the coals, "To tease the neighbors". The smoke would rise and send the signal to all that spring had arrived and Bob Lingle was back at the barbecue. The neighbors soon followed, wanting to sneak a peak at my father's latest culinary creation, hoping for a few grilling tips or a new marinade recipe. My father would 'hold court' at the barbecue, tongs in hand like a scepter, espousing various techniques, enumerating the merits of different types of wood chips for smoking, while everyone listened with rapt attention. And no matter how long-winded he got, or how many flare-ups he fought, everything he grilled came out perfect.

Cooking on the stove is a fine way to prepare delicious food for your guests, but it often leaves you stuck in the kitchen and away from the fun of a gathering. But grilling dinner out on the patio gives you plenty of time, between occasionally turning the food, to enjoy your guests and join in on the laughs. And good grilling is much more that just cooking food. It’s entertainment. With a pair of tongs in your hand, you become the center of attention. Good grilling can be showmanship at its best.

Bouquet garnis are an easy way to impart the flavor or herbs onto whatever you’re grilling. Simply gather a few fresh sprigs of aromatic herbs like sage, rosemary, bay leaves, oregano, marjoram and thyme, cut about six inches long. (Leafy herbs like parsley and basil are not suitable for this purpose, as they burn too quickly.) Gather the herbs together with some kitchen twine, and soak them in water for a few minutes to keep the herbs and twine from burning too quickly. Simply place the food along with the bouquet garnis on the grill, and close the lid. Be sure to place the bouquet garnis away from direct heat so they don’t burn too quickly. You want them to slowly burn, imparting their flavor the to grilling food. For a real treat, try a bouquet of fresh lavender blooms the next time you grill a pork tenderloin..

Basting grilled meats is a great way to keep the food moist. Applied during the latter portion of grilling, basting replaces some of the outer moisture lost during the grilling process. Basting is also a great way to apply flavor to grilled vegetables like zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, potatoes and purple onion.

A basting brush made from fresh herbs is a delightful way to baste grilled foods. And using it in front of your guests is grilling showmanship at its best. The brush imparts its flavor to the food, and makes a spectacular presentation. You can make the brush and wrap it in a damp paper towel, and it will keep fine for three days in the refrigerator.

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Tuck the short loose end of the twine down among the branches, and then start wrapping the twine tightly around the bunch, working your way down to the base. Keep the twine as tightly together as possible.

Step 5:

Rosemary Lemon Chicken
on Rosemary Skewers

Rosemary Lemon Chicken
on Rosemary Skewers

Adapted From our Cookbook
"Easy Recipes for Using Fresh Herbs"

This recipe is simple and it tastes great! The flavor of lemon and Rosemary combine to create a wonderfully light and fresh taste that is sure to please any palate.

Serves 4

1. In a mixing bowl, combine first 4 ingredients.
2. Pour contents of the bowl into a large zipper lock bag. Add cut up chicken breasts. Push out air and seal.
3. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, turning and rubbing occasionally.
4. Thread the chicken onto the rosemary skewers, leaving no space between the chicken pieces.
5. Grill the chicken over medium heat for about 20 minutes, turning twice. Chicken should be well browned on both sides.

Step1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Herbed Tri Tip

This Herbed Tri Tip is one of the most popular recipes in our Cookbook. Here, we’re going to reserve a portion of the marinade and apply it to the grilling tri tip with our herbal basting brush.

Herbed Tri Tip

Adapted From our Cookbook
"Easy Recipes for Using Fresh Herbs"

The aromatic herbs of the Mediterranean come alive in this delicious tri tip roast. I often double this recipe when entertaining a large group.

Serves 4

1. Place the meat in a shallow glass dish.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Set 1/3 of the marinade aside for basting. Pour the remaining 2/3 over the meat and coat thoroughly.
3. Marinate meat for 1 to 2 hours, turning occasionally.
4. Over medium-high heat, grill the meat, turning occasionally Cook 18-20 minutes for rare, 26-28 minutes for medium.
5. Half way through the cooking time, baste the meat with the reserved marinade using the herbal basting brush. The meat will continue to cook after it is removed from the grill, so let it stand a few minutes before carving.
6. Carve into slices and serve.

Pan Fried Rosemary and Garlic Potatoes

Adapted From our Cookbook
"Easy Recipes for Using Fresh Herbs"

This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy the aromatic taste of rosemary. The potatoes are long-cooked over medium heat to give them a delicious, crunchy coating. Blanching the potatoes allows for the use of less oil in the recipe and keeps them from sticking to the pan. One taste of this and you’ll never be without a hearty plant of rosemary!

Serves 4

1. Blanch the potatoes in 1 quart of boiling water for 3 minutes, drain, run under cold water for a few seconds and let dry.
2. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the potatoes and salt, stir well.
4. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so the potatoes brown evenly.
5. Add garlic, rosemary and pepper. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve.

Grilled Pears with Cinnamon Basil

Adapted From our Cookbook
"Easy Recipes for Using Fresh Herbs"

This is a delightful way to finish a grilled dinner on a warm summer evening. The beautiful pear halves are slowly cooking on the grill, teasing the neighbors with the wonderful fragrance of the marinade. While fresh herbs are usually utilized for their savory flavors, the taste of cinnamon basil lends a sweet, exotic taste to a marinade of brandy, butter and cinnamon. I once prepared this for a progressive dinner party of 24 friends, and to this day, they still request this dessert whenever I entertain them.

Serves 4

1. Cut the pears in half lengthwise, spoon out the core.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the brandy and brown sugar. Simmer for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
3. Remove from heat and add the cinnamon basil, stirring for a few seconds.
4. Over medium heat, grill the pears for about 4 minutes each side, basting with the cinnamon basil marinade. Pour remaining marinade over pears. Serve

1) The spice that gives the bright yellow color to prepared (hot dog) mustard is turmeric (Curcuma longa), the rhizome of a plant closely related to ginger. It's also a source of yellow and orange dyes for wool and silk, notably as a coloring for the robes of Buddhist monks.
2) The herb used to flavor beer is hops (Humulus lupulus). The female flowers give beer its characteristic taste. Hops flowers have sedative properties. It was noted hops pickers tired easily, probably from the transfer of the resin from their hands to their mouths. Hops are closely related botanically to marijuana.
3) The herb used in making root beer is usually sassafras (Sassafras albidum), the bark of the root. The leaves of the plant are dried to make filé powder to thicken soup, and in filé gumbo. A&W Root Beer at one time contained no sassafras, but used sarsaparilla root for flavoring.