What will you do on Herb Day?

Herbs are so much a part of daily life. They are used in food, flavoring, medicine, cleaning, and decor. They can bring such simple joy - there's nothing like a whiff of Pineapple Sage or Rosemary to brighten your spirits.

Saturday, May 7th, is Herb Day. The annual celebration takes time to honor these seemingly innocuous little plants that are all around us. And I mean ALL around us! It's a perfect day to take some time and learn more about your favorite herbs, or discover some new ones.

What can you do to celebrate? How about:

1) Walk around your yard! Try a nibble of a dandelion leaf. Pick the smaller, newer leaves. They are more tender less bitter. Take note of the plantain, ground ivy, violets - yep, those are all herbs!

2) Take a cooking class, or improvise a new spin on a favorite recipe by adding some extra herbs. Add some lavender flowers to some yellow cake mix and make Lavender cupcakes. Use a bright, strong tea to enhance a recipe.

3) Read up on this months Herb of the Month (Nasturtium - beautiful AND tasty!) or the Herb of the Year (peppers - hot or sweet).

4) Herbs are great crafting! They can be used in flower arrangements, made into sachets or potpourri, making pomanders, infused into vinegar's or oils - so many options.

5) Get digging and plant some herbs! Whether it's favorites like peppers, tomatoes, or sage, or some new inspirations like rue or Calendula. Many gardens and markets are having sales this year - so stop by and visit and get inspired. Rutgers Gardens is having their big Spring Flower Fair. Everyone there is very knowledgeable and will be glad to help.

Herb Day can be a kick off for into a year long exploration of the amazing herbal world around us. And you can turn your herbal adventures into gifts for Mom, since the next day is Mothers Day!

Let us know what you to celebrate a Happy Herb Day!

The Nobel Bay - The Herb of the Year 2009

Go take a look in your kitchen cabinet. Go ahead. I'll wait.

I bet you have bay leaves in there, don't you? Since ancient times, bay leaves have been an important part of human life. That history and it's place as a culinary staple are part of the reason why the International Herb Association has selected Laurus Nobilis (Sweet Bay Laurel) as the 2009 Herb of the Year.

Since 1995, the International Herb Association has selected an herb to celebrate and educate. The criteria for selection is for the herb to fully meet at least 2 of the following 3 criteria:

• Medicinal properties
• Culinary uses and expanse
• Decorative Value

Last years herb, Calendula, is one of my all time favorite herbs. This year's, Sweet Bay, comes close.

I'll be adding recipes and additional information about our 2009 Herb of the Year winner over the course of time. But I thought I'd start with a little mythology.

There are several versions of how Bay came to be. One is that Daphne, a nymph in ancient Greece, was a beautiful, strong and independent young thing. Apollo, god of sunlight, medicine, healing and more, sees the young nymph and is intrigued by her. Eros (or Cupid) is a bit or a trickster. He hits Apollo with a love arrow, while striking Daphne with an arrow that makes her revile Apollo. Valiantly she flees from Apollos ardorous pursuits. Exhausted she collapses at the river bank, where she calls to her father, the river god Ladonus, and asks for rescue. He transforms her into a richly green Bay tree.

Apollo comes to his sense, but still sees the beauty that the Bay tree holds. He declared the Bay Laurel to be a sacred tree of his own. From that day forth, it was used to wreath the heads of the most learned, wise, and strong.

I leave you there for now, with more information to come. In the meantime you can find out more about this grand herb at The International Herb Association or the Herb Society of America websites.

Count Down to Herb Day - It's Here!

Herb Day is here! Saturday, October 11 is the 3rd annual Herb Day. Herbs are such an intricate part of our lives, it seems appropriate to take a day a celebrate these diverse, interesting and useful plants.

Most of us use dozens of herbs in our everyday lives without even thinking about it. A little basil in the spaghetti sauce, some thyme on a chicken dish, a little mint in your tea are simple things. We at Celtic Chairde use herbs in a myriad of ways - all of our products contain herbal infusions to enhance their purpose, use and fragrance. Many of these herbs grow in my backyard, so I've learned to use the simplest things in new and exciting ways.

You can celebrate Herb Day and enjoy these everyday treasures in new and exciting ways. Here are a few additional ideas to get you started.

1. Make an herb jelly! Mint jelly is probably the most popular, but you can make jelly from rosemary, lemon balm, garlic, geraniums, fennel, violets - any edible herb! The recipe for Rose Geranium jelly is great. If you don't have Rose Geraniums, use the herb of your choice and see what happens!

2. Collect your favorite herbs and use them as a bouquet in your house. Lemon Balm, Pineapple Sage, Mint, Calendula, Feverfew, Lavender, and Basil add fragrant and interesting accents to any corner.

3. Infuse herbs into sugars and vinegars. Any herb you have in abundance can be infused into a vinegar or sugar that will open up exciting new options in cooking. We've told you the secret to sweet success with Herbal Sugars. For herbal vinegars, look here.

4. Learn about a new herb. If you aren't sure what Calendula is, or if you didn't know that oregano can also be used as an antiseptic, try doing a little research and learn something new! The International Herb Association has some wonderful books about past Herbs of the Year. Or just check you local library, book store, agricultural service or garden center!

5. Have a nice cup of tea! What better way to enjoy a crisp autumn day than with an aromatic, enticing, warm herbal tea. It's easy to create your own, or enjoy one of our favorites - Ducky Life teas.

Happy Herb Day everyone!

Count Down to Herb Day - A Lemony Look at the Past

Each year, the International Herb Association select an herb that is outstanding in at least two of three categories: decorative, medicinal, and culinary. This years perfect choice was Calendula, one of my all time favorite herbs, which I've highlighted previously here. I use a lot of calendula in our Celtic Chairde Creations products, around the house for decoration, and even in cooking. But what about choices from previous years? Well, last year was another of my favorites.

Sweet Melissa. Melissa officinalis that is. That's the official name for Lemon Balm. This happens to be one of my very favorite herbs. It's easy to grow, and has so many uses.


Lemon Balm is a member of the mint family. As such, it can be a prolific grower in your garden, spreading its pretty leaves and lemony scent to places you may not want it to be. To help keep it from traveling, plant it in a festive and sturdy container. Another advantage to this is that you can bring the container in when the weather starts to turn chilly. You can then enjoy the calming scent all year round.

Use this versatile herb in the kitchen to add a light citrus note to salads, teas, or chicken and fish dishes. Add Lemon Balm last when cooking, as it's flavor dissipates tremendously when heated. It's a perfect compliment to tea, either on it's own or as that little lemon burst in regular tea.

The aroma of lemon balm provides a calming effect, while revitalizing the inner spirit. For skin care, it acts as an insect repellent. Bit already - chew on a leaf a bit to mash it up and rub it on the bite area and sweet melissa will help calm that buggy nibble. It is also a wonderful hair rinse, freshening your hair without stripping out the oils. We use lemon balm in our Mela Tae - Lemon Bright Hair Rinse. Combined with nettles and chamomile and other herbs, this tea makes a refreshing and brightening rinse for tired hair.

The article in the Herb Companion can give you lots of information about the 2007 Herb of the Year.

If you are lucky enough to already have Lemon Balm growing in your garden - just brush your hands through the leaves and take in the lovely, lemony fragrance. Despite the nippy weather, you'll be reminded of a wonderful summer day.

Count Down to Herb Day - Preserve the Harvest

As we approach the end of the harvest season, that age old question comes to mind - now what do I do with all these herbs?

There are a number of methods to keep the taste of summer going all year long. Below are some quick suggestions to help you keep the flavor and fragrance of your herbs until you start harvesting next seasons crops.

The North Carolina State University website has some wonderful guidelines for harvesting your herbs at their peak.

Freezing: I use one of two methods for freezing herbs. One is to rinse them off, then roll them in paper towel to dry them off. Discard that paper towel and place a new one in a zip lock bag and freeze. Then when you need fresh herbs, break off a hunk and use! Another method is to coarsely chop the herbs. Place them into an ice cube tray and barely cover with water. Freeze and use when needed!

Drying: I have some wonderful friends. Last Christmas time they gave me a wonderful dehydrator. I use it for flowers, fruits, and herbs.

If you don't have a dehydrator, try drying them the old fashioned way. Take bunches of your favorite herb. Tie the ends together and hand in a cool, dry place with good air circulation. A closet or the attic are good places to do this. Drying in this manner works really well with lavender, chives, dill, sage and thyme.

If you are lucky enough to have a gas oven, you can also dry your herbs by laying them out on a layer of paper towels that have been placed on a cookie sheet. Let them sit on the lowest rack of the oven to dry.

Preserve in oils or vinegars: Infusing oils and vinegars with the fresh taste of summer herbs is easy and fun.

For more information about preserving herbs, check out this great article in the Herb Companion, and start saving all of your hard work!

Count Down to Herb Day - A Touch of Polish with Horsetail

Horsetail, also known as shavegrass, dates back to prehistoric times. It's a basic plant, whose delicate looking stems are sturdier than you'd imagine. Don't let it's simple appearance fool you - it is a true work horse that is packed with silica crystals.

Although it prefers damp, swampy areas, it's quite adaptable to a variety of soil and light conditions. I have small stand of these interesting reeds growing in my garden, and their stately presences is a real treat. But they can get to be invasive, so I have to watch these wondering wonders.

Shavegrass was once use the sander of choice for wood workers and pewter smiths. Just gather a bunch of the reeds and tie the ends together and you have a fine sander that gives wood and metals an beautiful patina. I've seen walking sticks that have been polished with horsetail that were so smooth and silken to the touch, it was hard to believe a simple herb did this. Whenever I chip a nail while I'm gardening

(which is more often than I'd like to admit), I grab a piece of horsetail and use it as a nail file.

The silica properties in Horsetail also make it a wonderful addition to hair rinses. It's a key ingredient on our Mela Tae Bright and Moon Hair Rinses.

I've never tried using Shavegrass in a tea, although it is said that it is said that it is a good diuretic and antispasmodic.

To find out more about this herb that adds a dramatic touch to your garden, check out Well Sweep Herb Farm, or A Modern Herbal.

Count Down to Herb Day - Herbal Sugars for Sweet Success

Saturday, October 11 is Herb Day! The herbs around us are intricately woven parts of everyday life, whether you realize it or not. From cooking to medicine, beauty care to cleaning, herbs serve purposes besides beauty in your garden.

The first Herb Day was celebrated only a few years ago, in October of 2006. It was the inspiration of 5 herbal organizations: American Botanical Council, United Plant Savers, the American Herbal Products Association, the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, and the American Herbalists Guild. It's a day to learn and celebrate herbs of all kinds.

As an herb enthusiast and student, I thought I'd share an herbal idea everyday to get you thinking about all the great uses for herbs of all kinds.

Today: herbal sugars.

Making flavored herbal sugars is easy and fun. A great family project, too, because children can help create these multi-use treats.

You'll need:

• 1 large, well cleaned dry glass jar with a lid. Quart mason jars work well or cleaned out spaghetti jars (Well cleaned out!)
• 1/2 to 1 cup (loosely packed) of your herb of choice - see some suggestions below.
• Sugar to fill your jar.

1. Rinse your herbs and make sure the are thoroughly dried off.
2. Lightly crush the herbs to help release some of the oils.
3. Put about 1/2 inch worth of sugar in the jar.
4. Place a layer of herb on top of the sugar.
5. Place a layer of sugar, followed by a layer of herbs.
6. Continue layering until you reach within 1/2 of the top of the jar.
7. Seal the jar tightly.
8. Let this sit for at least two weeks, but the longer you let it sit, the stronger the flavor.

Yes - it's that easy. Some wonderful herbs to use in your sugar: lemon verbena or lemon balm (my favorites), rose petal, lavender, rose geranium leaves - or any of the edible geraniums, mint, sage, marjoram, calendula petals - what ever grows in your garden! You can also do this with spices like vanilla beans, allspice, nutmeg, or coriander. Or try adding the dried rinds of oranges, lemons or limes.

Now what to do with this abundance of sweet flavors? Use them in hot or cold teas or punch. Sprinkly them on French Toast. Use when making a glaze for meat or chicken. They are terrific when baking, adding a wonderful depth and mystery to your usual cake or cookies. Whatever you would use sugar for - make it more flavorful with an herbal sugar.

If you have ideas for using your herbal sugars - feel free to share!