Tag Archives: culinary herb

The Many Uses of Thai Basil

Posted on June 14, 2025 | Leave a comment

I grow different types of basil in my Virginia garden and Thai basil is my favorite. Thai basil is a variety of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) but the flavor is spicier and more pungent — like anise and clove combined. I grow this warm weather annual for its use as a culinary herb and for its landscape value.

Thai basil gets its name from its popularity in Thai cuisine, but it is equally popular in Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Laotian cuisines. Thai basil can withstand prolonged cooking heat so the leaves work well with chicken or beef stir fried dishes. Thai basil also is used in Pad Thai, Vietnamese Pho, spring rolls, curries, and noodle dishes.

On the flower stems, the actual blossom is a light purple while the calyx is a dark purple

A more obscure use is Thai basil in refreshing drinks. To use Thai basil, first create a simple syrup. Combine one cup of sugar and one cup of water in a small saucepan. Add one cup of loosely packed leaves and gently mash them up against the side of the pot to release the oils. After bringing to a boil and simmering for 15 minutes, let the syrup cool, drain off the leaves, and pour the sweet, spicy syrup in a glass jar.

Add a few spoonsful of the syrup to a glass of limeade (made from a frozen concentrate). If you add a shot of gin, you will begin to see the many uses of Thai basil syrup in drinks such mojitos, gin and tonics, daiquiris, and martinis.

This flavor will also work well with citrus. For example, pour a few spoonsful over sliced oranges. Try adding spices such as cloves and cinnamon – maybe even cardamom – to make the flavor even more complex.  Another option would be to either add the syrup or mince the Thai basil leaves on mango, pineapple, or papaya.

Because of their pretty flowers, Thai basil is used in vinegars. To make a vinegar, simply fill a glass jar with a 5 percent vinegar such as apple cider or white wine and add the flower heads and foliage. Let sit in a dark place for a few weeks. Drain off the foliage and leave the flower heads. These makes great gifts.

Thai basil can be grown in containers or in the garden

The flower spike can be used in fresh or dried floral arrangements. Basil flowers are made up of a calyx that dries and remains on the stem and the actual small flower inside, which eventually drops off after it has bloomed. This makes basil ideal for dried floral arrangements as well as potpourris.

I use Thai basil as an annual in the garden bed, just like any other annual. It adds a purple haze, similar to coleus, and tolerates our heat and humidity very well. I don’t pick the leaves, I just let it grow and flower in a mass.

Like other basils, this plant needs full sun and plenty of water in the summer. It is easy to start from seed after the average last frost when nighttime temperatures stay warm. Although we grow it as an annual, it really is a tender perennial that perishes with our fall frosts. As long as you keep it watered, Thai basil does well as a container plant.

There are several popular varieties of Thai basil.  Cardinal has large, dark red flower heads with burgundy red stems and bright green leaves. Siam Queen, a 1997 All-America Selections winner, has large, dark purple-red flower heads and dark leaves.  Everleaf Thai Towers is a columnar plant with delayed flowering. You can purchase it as a plant in local garden centers or grow if from seed. It is perfect for an accent piece in a tall container.

Everleaf Thai Towers, mid-summer.

Thai basil is not prone to the downy mildew disease that affects sweet basil. I have never had a pest or disease issue although I have noticed that it is quicker to flower than the other basils. The solution is to have many plants, some for leaves, some for flowers or to purchase one bred to have delayed flowering like the Everleaf series. You can either pinch your Thai basil to prevent flowering and harvest the leaves or let the plants flower and use the flowers as a garnish, for flower arrangements, or for vinegars.

This plant is easy to find in local garden centers and seed catalogs. Thai basil is such a multitasking herb, it is worth growing every year.

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Yes, Virginia, Tarragon Can Grow Here

Posted on May 3, 2025 | Leave a comment

Tarragon re-emerging in April

Tarragon is one of my new culinary herbs in my Virginia garden. It took a couple of tries to figure out its happy place. I had grown a few plants before in different locations but they never reappeared in the spring. This time, the tarragon that was given to me last year is back! It must be happy with full sun exposure in a well-drained area.

A member of the Asteraceae (aster) or Compositae family, tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus, is cousin to the other artemisia plants: mugwort (A. vulgaris), wormwood (A. absinthium), and southernwood (A. abrotanum). The term “dracunculus” is considered a corruption of the French “estragon,” which means little dragon. This refers to the plant’s brown, coiled roots, similar to serpents.

Tarragon in the summer

I have French tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa, the preferred culinary variety. French tarragon has anise-flavored leaves (like licorice). An herbaceous perennial, tarragon has green, narrow leaves and woody stems. It dies back in the fall but is one of the first to emerge in early spring, growing to about 2 feet high and wide in the summer. Hardy to zone 5 (although every reference book gives a different number), it is not a long-lived perennial and should be propagated every few years. The plant is sterile so it is propagated by division or stem cuttings. Don’t be fooled into buying tarragon seed packets. They can’t possibly be the flavorful variety, sativa. More likely they are Russian tarragon seeds, Artemisia dracunculus, which has inferior flavor but can still be grown as a plant in the garden.

Tarragon is an old culinary herb that has been used for several thousand years in the Middle East and Europe. It is one of the few culinary herbs that has no significant medicinal use. When Thomas Jefferson was in France, he enjoyed the extensive use of tarragon in French cuisine. Assuming it was propagated by seed, he searched for the seed in the colonies and was not able to find it. Eventually Bernard McMahon sent him a shipment of roots. The first time Jefferson planted tarragon at Monticello it failed but he tried again in different locations until he too found tarragon’s happy place. He then distributed the plant to colleagues. In 1809, General John Mason wrote to him and said “has flourished well in the open air and will in spring afford plenty of slips.” Mason no doubt discovered that tarragon likes plenty of air circulation.

Interestingly, the flavor of tarragon varies depending on how it is used in the kitchen which is why it is so versatile. If I pick a leaf off the plant and chew it, there is a zingy, refreshing flavor like a Peppermint Patty. It slightly numbs the tongue. If I cook with it, the flavor becomes a mellow zingy like black pepper.

Tarragon leaves are used in sauces, vinegars, fish, chicken, spring vegetables, eggs, salads, cheese, cold potato dishes, and fruit such as peaches, melon, apricots and cherries. It is the ingredient in fines herbes and béarnaise sauce. Because of its delicate flavor, it is best to use fresh leaves and to add towards the end of the cooking period so they do not become bitter and overcooked. Because the leaves do not retain their flavor when dry, many people preserve tarragon in vinegar, which also can be used as vinegar for salad dressings.

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Dill: Easy, Versatile Herb to Grow

Posted on June 1, 2024 | 1 comment

dill flower headsDill (Anethum graveolens) is easy to grow from seed. I just throw a few seed in a large plastic container on my deck in late March. I don’t worry about frost or cold nights but I do make sure the top of the soil is moist until I see the foliage emerge. Here in Virginia, we seem to have plenty of rain or snow in March so the seeds do not dry out. In May, when the garden soil is warmer, I lift the seedlings out with a trowel and plant in the garden bed in full sun.

Native to the Mediterranean area, dill is a member of the carrot family (Apiaceae). Dill is an annual that may re-seed in the garden. Usually dill foliage, also called dill weed, is used for culinary purposes. It can be used fresh or dried — dried dill weed retains the flavor well. Fresh foliage is great in egg dishes, fish, tomato salads, cucumber salads, cooked carrots, fresh veggie dishes and even dill butter. In the winter, dried dill can be used for canned veggies, egg dishes, and tuna salad.  It is easy to dry the foliage, just wash and let dry flat on paper towels for a few weeks, then store in a glass jar.dill (2)

Dill also is a medicinal herb. The name means to calm or soothe and dill was used to calm troubled stomachs and colicky infants. It is a very old herb that was used by Greeks and Romans.

Dill can be grown in containers or in the ground. However, since some varieties can be several feet tall, the containers need to be heavy and large enough so winds won’t knock the plant over. Dill also is a host plant for butterflies. You may see the distinctive caterpillars of the black swallowtails on the foliage. They can decimate the foliage very quickly so plant some for you and some for them.

dill pl

Dill tends to flower quickly in the summer. You may be able to sow again up until mid-summer.  The flowers are actually beneficial to the garden, they attract the good bugs. The flowers are edible and can be used to garnish a dish. They can be used in floral arrangements and there are specific cultivars that produce large flower heads for this purpose.

However, once the plants flower, they set seed and the plant itself starts to put energy into the seed and not the foliage. It is easy to save the seed because they are all in one structure called an umbel. When the seeds are brown, simply cut the umbel and drop into a large paper bag. Let dry for a few weeks, then put the umbel on a plate or in a large bowl and rub the seeds off. Store seeds in a glass jar and either use them in the kitchen or plant them next year. Seeds can be used in baking, breads, or crackers.

The plant as well as seed packets should be easy to find in local nurseries but if you cannot find dill, check out these seed companies.

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Mexican Mint Marigold

Posted on October 27, 2023 | 2 comments

Almost Halloween and my Mexican Mint Marigold (Tagetes lucida) plants are blooming profusely. The orange flowers are perfect for the season. My plants are not very tall and bushy but I know they can grow to several feet tall and wide. Native to Mexico and Central America, this marigold is a useful herb and a pretty garden plant. The foliage can be used as a tea for treating colds, fevers, intestinal gas, and diarrhea. The foliage also is used in an Aztec hot cocoa drink called chocolatl or xocolatl, along with vanilla, chiles, and ground cacao bean. And the foliage can be used as a tarragon substitute. The leaves have that anise/tarragon flavor, and the plant is much easier to grow than tarragon. The edible flowers can add interest and flavor to meals and garnish desserts. The petals can be sprinkled like confetti on green beans for contrast or a plate of mushroom stuffed appetizers.

This may be hard to find as a plant at the local nursery, but Mexican Mint Marigold is easy to grow from seed. Just make sure you are getting the correct species. I have seen some seed companies sell Tagetes tenuifolia as the Mexican Mint Marigold but that is a different type of marigold. Also, this plant has many common names so make sure you are purchasing Tagetes lucida.

I started mine plants from Botanical Interests seed packets in June. Later in the summer, I transplanted many plants (they germinated easily) to several areas in the garden. It was touch and go when we did not have rain for a long time, but I kept them well watered. They are in full sun and are not particular about soil except that it should be well-drained. These are fall bloomers so do not expect flowers until late September and October. Pollinators, beneficial insects, and butterflies love them.

Unfortunately, these herbaceous plants are tender perennials, hardy to zone 8. I don’t expect them to come back next year in my Zone 7 garden, but I like them so much I will start them again from seed. Next year though I may start them earlier in May after the last frost.

The flowers can be cut for floral arrangements. Recently, I learned how to make small arrangements in carved out pumpkins at my garden club. After growing Mexican Mint Marigold, I can see how these small orange flowers would be perfect for the desktop pumpkins. Try growing this next year, you will be pleasantly surprised!

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Salad Burnet: Lovely Medicinal, Culinary, and Decorative Herb

Posted on October 9, 2023 | Leave a comment

Salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor) is a medicinal and culinary herb and a beautiful ornamental plant. It is one of those pretty yet useful herbs in the garden. An herbaceous perennial, this relatively small plant grows to about a foot wide and one-half foot tall. It stays green above ground for quite a long time, dies back in the winter, and re-appears in the spring. The plant grows in a clump, in a rosette formation. The small summer flowers are very small on wiry stems — barely noticeable.

As a medicinal herb, salad burnet has astringent qualities and staunches bleeding. As a culinary herb, the young foliage is tastiest so pick from the center of the rosette and use leaves in a green salad, egg salad, herbal vinegar, butter, cheese spread, or as “lettuce” with sandwiches. The foliage can be added to lemonade and is a popular garnish for gin and tonic cocktails. It has a clean green flavor, much like cucumbers.

The foliage has a delicate, lacy appearance which makes it a great garnish. When my daughter and I made a charcuterie board for Thanksgiving, we decorated the board with stems. We also used the green lacy leaves as a contrast to red cranberries and white mashed potatoes.charcuterie board

I have been growing salad burnet for years, but not necessarily the same one. It does self-seed a little, just enough for babies to show up in odd places. I dig them up and put them where I know they will thrive. Over the years, I have learned that salad burnet prefers moist areas, in full or partial sun, depending on the amount of soil moisture. I now have a plant growing next to my cutting celery and lovage, all of which are moisture lovers.

You are not likely to find the plant in local nurseries, but you can purchase seed from online seed companies. Start seed indoors in the spring, under lights, much like starting tomato seeds. You can direct sow in the summer, but my birds always steal my seed before they germinate. Or if you have a friend who has salad burnet growing in the garden, ask for a division in the spring. Try growing salad burnet in your garden or in a container.

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Purple Blooming Anise Hyssop

Posted on July 20, 2023 | Leave a comment

anise hyssop at the National Herb Garden in July

Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) is blooming now in the summer. A native, herbaceous perennial hardy to zone 4, this plant is short-lived but self-seeds and spreads a bit by rhizomes. In March, the leaves emerge with a purple hue. As the plant grows the leaves become green although there is a golden cultivar. A member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), the leaves have scalloped edges and look like catnip leaves. Anise hyssop grows a few feet tall and about one foot wide. In the summer, there are small purple-blue flowers on 4 to 6-inch terminal spikes, creating fuzzy wands. The flowers attract beneficial pollinators, including butterflies and hummingbirds. Because the foliage is so fragrant, deer are not interested.

Anise hyssop is a full sun to part shade plant tolerating a wide range of soils in a well-drained site. The purple-blue flowers provide contrast to orange and yellow flowers and complement purple foliage plants.

purple foliage of anise hyssop in March

Anise hyssop can also be used as a culinary or tea herb. It is harvested for its leaves as well as its flowers. Although the aroma is categorized as anise or licorice, some might say anise with a touch of basil or anise with a touch of tarragon. The most common use of the leaves is tea but you can also add the leaves to lamb or pork dishes, to milk for making ice cream, sugar syrups, and/or sugar syrups for cough drops, cocktails, honey, butter cookies, and sugar to make flavored sugar. The leaves dry well, retaining their taste and fragrance.

Flowers are edible and can be used as a garnish for desserts, added to a salad, or added to a beverage such as ice tea. The flowers also dry well, retaining their color and aroma.

You can find small plants in the nursery in the spring or you can grow anise hyssop from seed. Sow the seed indoors under lights in order to transplant outside after the last frost or sow directly outside in the summer. Anise hyssop can be propagated by root division.

Anise hyssop is a great garden plant — it provides color in the summer, supports pollinators, and can be used for making tea or to add flavor and color to meals.

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Cutting Celery: A Kitchen Staple in the Garden

Posted on October 23, 2022 | 1 comment
cutting celery foliage

Foliage of first year’s growth of cutting celery

Cutting celery is a great culinary herb to have in your garden. Unlike stalk celery from a grocery store, cutting celery is full of flavor, reminiscent of black pepper. Cutting celery (Apium graveolens var. secalinum) looks more like parsley than stalk celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce). This foot-tall, bushy plant has short, hollow stems and green, finely serrated leaves about one-inch wide. Continue reading →

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Pineapple Sage for You and the Hummingbirds

Posted on October 5, 2022 | 1 comment

Currently, my pineapple sage plants (Salvia elegans) are blooming in my garden, their bright scarlet flowers are attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. Members of the salvia or sage family, pineapple sage plants are herbaceous, tender perennial herbs. I have two pineapple sage plants, which I bought last year as tiny babies, and I often use their leaves and flowers in the kitchen. Continue reading →

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The Many Uses of Thai Basil

Posted on August 2, 2022 | 1 comment

Although I grow different types of basil in my Virginia garden, last year was the year of Thai basil for me. Thai basil is a variety of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) but the flavor is spicier and more pungent — like anise and clove combined. I grew a couple of varieties for the culinary and beverage aspects as well as for landscape value.

Thai basil gets its name from its popularity in Thai cuisine, but it is equally popular in Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Laotian cuisines. Thai basil can withstand prolonged cooking heat so the leaves work well with chicken or beef stir fried dishes. Thai basil also is used in Pad Thai, Vietnamese Pho, spring rolls, curries, and noodle dishes. Continue reading →

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Dill: Easy, Versatile Herb to Grow

Posted on May 8, 2022 | 1 comment

dill flower headsDill (Anethum graveolens) is easy to grow from seed. I just throw a few seed in a large plastic container on my deck in late March. I don’t worry about frost or cold nights but I do make sure the top of the soil is moist until I see the leaves come through the soil and then I water a little less often. Here in Virginia, we seem to have plenty of rain or snow in March so the seeds do not dry out. Now, when the garden soil is warmer, I will gently lift the seedlings out with a trowel and plant in the garden bed in full sun.

Continue reading →

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