On Sun, 20 May 2012 11:04:52 -0400, The Cook >
wrote:

>On Sat, 19 May 2012 16:45:42 -0500, George Shirley
> wrote:
>
>>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
>
>
>Where do you get your leaf celery seeds? I had some several years ago
>and I no longer remember where I got it. Hope it is somewhere that
>has other seeds I need or want. Postage on a single package of seed
>is not worth it.

Just checked my listing of seeds and discovered that I should have
some for cutting celery. When I saw where I got it I started looking
more closely for their packages and found mine.

Mine came from superseeds.com. Their shipping rates are pretty
reasonable. They also have a good selection of out of the ordinary
seeds.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)