Pleasing To The Nose , But The Plate Went Unnoticed !!

Food is just not about the looks and the taste but also about the smell and the flavors as well . Herbs and Spices play a vital role in a dish. And any dish is incomplete without an amazing Garnish .
A herb is differentiated not only by it looks or physical properties but with it's fragrance and flavors also . So how to know the difference ?


An Italian Dish is generally Garnished with herb like Rosemary , Thyme , Parsley etc , While spicy and Chinese dishes are garnished with either spring onion leaves or Coriander .

Let us know the difference between All  these Herbs :

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)


Thyme is highly aromatic with a hint of clove and mint fragrance.  There are numerous culinary and ornamental varieties of thyme.

  • Thyme prefers a full sun location in soil that is well amended with organic matter and well drained. 
  •  Thyme can be used either fresh or dry. It is widely used in soups, stews, casseroles, stuffing and poultry dishes.  Its flavor and fragrance is not adversely affected by long, slow cooking.
  •  Plants can be potted in the fall and grown all winter in a bright, sunny location.  Use a well prepared soil mix in a pot with ample drainage.  Water as needed but keep the soil on the dry side.


Popular Varieties


    1. French and English Thyme – Most popular of the culinary types.
    2. Citrus Thymes – A diverse group of thyme that consists of plants with lemon, lime and orange fragrances.
    3. Wooly Thyme – Low carpet of grey, wooly leaves and pale pink flowers.  Extremely attractive as an ornamental in a rock garden setting.

    Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)



    Rosemary is a perennial evergreen shrub in warmer growing zones . During the summer, rosemary produces small white, pink or blue flowers. The fragrance is an intense camphor or piney scent.

    • While rosemary can be grown from seed, it is best propagated from stem cuttings.
    •  Rosemary is also a bold accent or specimen plant in containers. The prostrate forms are attractive in hanging baskets and as ground covers where they are hardy.
    • Occasionally, longer, woody stems can be harvested and used as skewers for kabobs.  Leaves may also be dried and stored for later use.
    • Use rosemary sparingly as an accent to food as the flavor can be somewhat pungent and resinous. Use with italian dishes .

    Popular Varieties

    1. ‘Arp’ - Grey-green foliage.  One of the more cold-tolerant varieties to perhaps.
    2. ‘Gorizia’ – Tall upright form, large leaves, light blue flowers.
    3. ‘Blue Rain’ – Trailing variety, light blue flowers.
    4. Pine Rosemary – While not a culinary variety, it is excellent as an ornamental. Strong pine scent, fine leaves.
    5. ‘Tuscan Blue’ – Upright form, mild flavor.
    6. ‘Huntington Carpet’ – Trailing form, deep blue foliage.

    Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)



    It is a member of the carrot family that we (all too frequently) think of as a garnish.  Parsley is grown as an herb, but also as a spice and a vegetable (root).

    • Flat-leaf produces a rosette of leaves that are flat and is the preferred parsley for cooking as it has more flavor. 
    • Parsley is grown from seed planted in the spring.  Because it is slow to germinate, it is suggested to soak the seeds in water overnight prior to planting.
    • Parsley can be cut any time after it has become large enough. Leaves can be used fresh or dried.   Fresh parsley is best stored after washing the leaves, drip drying and then placing them in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator.   Parsley can also be frozen for later use.
    •  It also has the unique ability to blend with the flavors of other herbs.  It is used to flavor stews, soups and other vegetables. 

    Popular Varieties

    1. ‘Banquet’ – The standard in the finely curled parsley class.
    2. Plain Italian Dark Green – Standard plain leaf variety for flavoring.  Has bright green leaves and excellent flavor,
    3. ‘Argon’ - An improved plain leaf type.  Has upright growth habit.
    So , Guys cook , healthy and delicious dishes and don't forget to garnish your amazing piece of art with an appropriate herb/spice because each and every dish without garnishing is like a cake without frosting and who doesn't like frosting.. !! 



    To know more about such more Herbs go : http://extension.illinois.edu/herbs/directory.cfm

    Images Courtesy : www.google.com

    Visit my Instagram Page to follow amazing food in and around Delhi : www.instagram.com/happilyveggie95

        Comments

        Post a Comment

        Popular posts from this blog

        School Days and the Lunch Time !!

        Image
        It's been a long time since I have been to school . It's been a really long time since I shared a good and not caring-about-the-world kinda laugh with my school friends .And one of the most important part about school days was the "LUNCHTIME" . The time when we eat our packed home cooked food . Some brought money to eat from canteen and some used to eat from other's lunch box . © giphy So , here's my story . My Lunchtime story . At the strike of 11 o' clock in the morning all the students in the school used to beam with joy , shout with excitement and as soon as you the bell rings they used to run to towards the canteen to get first into the line and grab their yummy lunches . © giphy I was the kind of person who used to sit in the class and enjoy the items from my lunch box my mom packed for me . And luckily i had 'My kinda of friends ' , they all used to  had lunch from their tiffin boxes.                   © gi...
        Read more

        Herbology And Flavours In Food Explained !!

        Image
        What is Food without Flavors , Taste & Presentation ??  Not appealing right !! Herbs and Spice plays a very important role in food .In my earlier blog I talked about four such herbs...Here's part  2 to that blog . Today. Lets talk about more such herb that make our food worth dying for .                                                      To know about Herbs like  Thyme  ,  Rosemary  ,  Parsley  . Visit my earlier blog :  "Pleasing To The Eyes , But The Plate Went Unnoticed" -    https://happilyveggie.blogspot.in/2017/04/pleasing-to-nose-but-plate-went.html Let's continue with some other Herbs : Basil (Osimum Basilicum) Basil is the most popular and widely used culinary herb . It is an aromatic plant with a spicy odour and flavor.The size of the leaves can b...
        Read more

        Why The Same Old Halwa-Chana Every Year ??!!

        Image
         Chaitra Navratras passed few days ago . On the ninth day, we have Pooja in our home , some worship on the eighth day too . So, on the ninth day I.e navami , my house was filled with the aroma of Sooji Halwa , Kala Chana and freshly fried pooris . My mouth is still watering on the imagination of that taste and fragrance .                                            ©happilyveggie After feeding the Kanjaks , I wondered why do people do this ? Why After every Navratra  we feed the Kanjaks with the same food ? Twice a year we feed them with the same Halwa , Chana and Poori . And I knew there has to be a mythological reason behind the same. So after reading few blogs , articles and readings online , I finally found an explanation . I know you want to know too. Let's find out !!                    ...
        Read more