Glorious
Herbs Of The Mediterranean II
By Marilyn Zink
Welcome armchair travelers to more of the herbs and spices of the
sunny Mediterranean. Is the cold and rain getting you down? Let the
sun loving herbs of saffron, basil, bay, oregano and marjoram warm you
up.
Saffron (Crocus sativus): Let's start with sunny saffron,
commonly used in French bouillabaisse, Spanish paella, Milanese risotto
and many Middle Eastern dishes.
Saffron has a spicy, pungent and almost bitter flavour with a sharp
and penetrating odour. Saffron comes from the stigma of the Crocus sativus
and is considered the world's most expensive spice. It's costly because
more than 225,000 stigmas must be hand-picked to produce one pound.
In its pure form, saffron is a mass of compressed, threadlike, dark
orange strands.
History/Legend: Ancient Greeks and Romans scattered
Saffron to perfume public baths. The 13th century Crusaders brought
Saffron from Asia to Europe, where it was used as a dye and condiment.
In India, people used saffron to mark themselves as members of a wealthy
caste and in Asia, saffron was a symbol of hospitality.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum): A member of the mint family,
this bright green herb has a sweet taste with its leaves widely used
in Italian cuisine and in Thai cuisine.
Health Uses: Basil is generally associated with the stomach and related
organs. It can be used for stomach cramps, vomiting, constipation, intestinal
and gastric catarrh. It can be taken as a tea with 1 tsp. dried herb
in 1/2 cup water.
History/Legend: Basil originated in India and Persia
and was both prized and despised by ancient peoples. Greeks hated it,
though its name means, "be fragrant." The Romans loved it
and made it a symbol of love and fertility and settlers in early America
prized it. Today, Hindus plant it in their homes to bring happiness
to the family.
Bay (Laurus nobilis): The green, glossy bay leaves
come from the sweet bay or laurel tree and are a staple in soups, stews,
meat and vegetable dishes. The pungent leaves also flavour classic French
dishes such as bouillabaisse and bouillon. Bay is one of the three herbs
in bouquet garni, the broth posy used to flavour good cooking. Remove
bay leaves before serving the dish.
History/Legend: Bay was the ceremonial laurel bestowed
as a wreath on accomplished athletes, warrior-heroes and poets by ancient
Greeks and Romans. It's the origin of the term 'baccalaureate,' which
means laurel berry. Romans felt the leaves protected them against thunder
and the plague. Later, Italians and the English though bay leaves brought
good luck and warded off evil.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare): A member of the mint family,
oregano is known for the spicy flavour it gives to pizza. Also known
as wild marjoram, it tastes great with tomato, egg or cheese-based food
and is also commonly used in Italian dishes.
Health Uses: Oregano is anti-spasmodic and has beneficial
effects on upset stomach and indigestion, headache, colic and nervous
complaints as well as on cough, whooping cough and other respiratory
ailments. It also helps relieve abdominal cramping in women and helps
regulate the menstrual cycle.
History/Legend: Mediterranean
oregano was originally grown extensively in Greece and Italy. It as
been used with meats, fish, vegetables and as a flavoring for wine since
Greek and Roman times. Before the Second World War, oregano was virtually
unknown in North American, but its popularity skyrocketed with the popularity
of pizza.
Marjoram (Origanum majorana): Marjoram is the graygreen
leaf of Majorana hortensis, a low growing member of the mint family.
It is often mistaken for oregano, although they are not the same plant.
It has a delicate, sweet, pleasant flavor with a slightly bitter undertone.
History/Legend: The Greeks and Romans considered marjoram
a symbol of happiness. It was said that if marjoram grew on the grave
of a dead person, he would enjoy eternal bliss.
If you liked this article, check out our related links:
Herbs of the Mediterranean I
Herbs and Spices of the World: Mexico
Herbs and Spices of the World: Exotic Middle
East
Herbs and Spices of the World: China
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