On 5/19/2012 4:24 PM, The Cook wrote:
> I now have 16 American Harvest trays of oregano drying. I am drying
> it on the stems. Much easier than trying to get it off the stem
> before drying. This is just ordinary oregano.
>
> I have another plant which is supposed to be Greek oregano. Will do
> it as soon as this stuff finished. Actually almost all of my
> perennial herbs need to be cut and preserved somehow. My thyme plant
> is huge going over the side of the raised bed. Nice to see something
> really producing.
I've found that most of the oregano seedlings sold around here are the
Spanish ones. Spanish oregano is what you find in containers in most
grocers shelves in the US. The Greek I purchased some years ago is a bit
more hardy during drought but both taste the same to both of us.

I have always dried oregano on the stem, when dry just run a stem
through your fingers and the dried leaves fall into a container. I store
them in a dark colored container inside a cabinet, take out what I need
for a month or so of cooking, run it through the spice grinder and then
into a smaller container that goes in the spice cabinet beside the
stove. Do the same with basil.

I've never been able to keep thyme over a season, generally our very hot
summers knocks it down. Same with tarragon. For tarragon taste I grow
Mexican Mint Marigold, grows prolifically in my climate and makes a lot.
Actually I have to pull three fourths of the bed every year or it takes
over the herb garden. I end having to buy thyme at the market

I also grow New Zealand spinach, seeds easily found on the net. Not an
herb or a spice but a vegetable. Reseeds readily and heavily. First
green plant of the year to bear in early spring. Leaves are fleshy and
fairly tasty as a cooked green. I dehydrate a lot of the stuff and keep
it handy to thicken stews and soups. Dump in a handful and it also adds
flavor and some vegetable taste to soups and stews.

Anyone need any bay leaves? Our bay tree has outdone itself this year,
four new trunks, grows like a bush. Is actually noble laurel, lots of
the trees are grown in Louisiana for the bay leaf market. A lot of the
gumbo file you buy comes from Louisiana too. We never buy any of it
because we have a fifteen feet tall sassafras tree in the backyard. Go
out and pick a bunch of leaves in mid-summer, dehydrate them, run them
through the spice grinder, store in a sealed jar and keep in the dark,
lasts forever.

We also have problems with rosemary, the dratted bush will grow four
feet high and around in one season. Who needs that much rosemary? Dill
readily reseeds here so we always have plenty. I grow fernleaf dill to
put in dill pickles, to me it has a stronger taste than the seeds. Lost
my leaf celery to drought last year. Waiting until we move to buy more
seed. One of the handiest plants we've ever grown. Don't have to buy a
stalk of celery that will go bad before we can use it up. The leaf
celery can be cut fresh and added to salads and whatever is cooking and
gives it a good flavor. Sometimes known as "cutting celery."

Sounds like your season is underway Susan. We've been putting up green
beans and such for a month or more now. Picked a tomato Friday that
weighed about half a pound, turned it into bacon, lettuce, and tomato
sandwiches. Tomato and lettuce from our garden, bacon from the store,
home made bread, tasty, tasty. Lettuce is bolting so no more home grown
until fall.

George, getting ready to grill a ribeye, some yellow squash and a couple
of Japanese eggplant