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Scented Geranium

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Herb of the Year 2006


Tender herbaceous perennial

Cosmetic, Culinary, Ornamental

2 to 4 feet high, to 6 feet wide

Full Sun to Partial Shade

Almost any well-drained soil

 Scented Geranium, Pelargonium speciesScented Geraniums are among the most pleasant herbs to grow. They come in an extraordinary variety of intense fragrances and diverse soft leaved patterns. These include the old-fashioned rose geraniums; lemon; lime and other fruity scents; the spicy scents of ginger, nutmeg and peppermint; as well as pungent oakleaf and eucalyptus fragrances.

The fragrance of scented geraniums vary from person to person, but seldom do they disappoint. Leaf forms may be lacy, fan shaped or divided like a pheasants foot, a crows foot, an oak leaf, a maple leaf, a ruffle, a grape leaf or a spreading umbrella. Textures may be velvety or sticky. In fact there are over 250 varieties. Of these 50 to 75 are commonly cultivated. Not surprisingly, the primary appeal of scented geraniums is in perfumery. Their essential oils add an uplifting note to soaps, lotions and colognes.
On their own, the spreading scented geraniums make wonderfully fragrant hanging container plants. The fruit scented types continue to grow through the winter. Large flowered varieties typically go dormant.Of scented geraniums, the old fashioned sweet rose, Pelargonium graveolens, is the all time favorite. These have woody stems, rounded, lobed, fragrant leaves and rose pink flowers. Leaves of rose geranium yield an essential oil similar to that of the rare and valuable attar of roses. In France, leaves are harvested on a large scale for distillation. One pound of leaves, when distilled, will yield one gram of oil. This is the essential oil used in soap, potpourri and perfume.

Some of our favorite varieties are:

P. crispum. A lemon-scented geranium.

P. crispum ‘Prince of Orange’A citrus scent

‘Prince Rupert’ Lemon scent

P. X fragrans ‘Nutmeg’ Nice & Spicy

P. graveolons. A gentle giant, great in tea and jellies. It has a whisper of rose.

P. graveolens. ‘Camphor Rose’ Leaves are velvety soft and camphorous rose to smell.

P. g. ‘Rober’s Lemon Rose’ Sweetest of the rose fragrances.

P.X limoneum. The lemon geranium is a must for lemon lovers.

P.X nervosum. The lime geranium packs a tropical punch.

P. tomentosum. Shrubby with large, velvety grapelike leaves scented with peppermint. Sure to please children.

 

Planting & Care.

Plant from containers in the Spring or Fall in mild region areas. Propagate by cuttings placed in ordinary garden soil. They will root over winter and be ready in the Spring. They must be protected in the winter. They make wonderful, long lived house plants.

Harvesting and Use.

Flowers are small and for most varieties are not very significant. The fragrant leaves are used in potpourris, and to favor cakes and puddings. Leaves of rose geranium provide the flavor of rose water to powdered sugar used in baking. Place one or two fresh young leaves in a food processor with sugar and process until finely minced. Use the sugar on fruits, in cookies, frostings, jellies, and teas.

Blog and Recipes

Arugula

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Annual

Culinary, Ornamental

3 feet high, 1 foot wide

Full sun to partial shade

Prefers rich, moist soil

 Arugula, Roquette, Eruca vesiceria sub, sativaA member of the mustard family, arugula is also known in France as roquette. It is one of the choicest Southwest-style salad greens to grow and eat. The young tender leaves of arugula in salads and cold dishes are something to be experienced. When young, leaves have a crispy, crunchy texture combined with a nutty-peppery taste, which some describe as garliclike. Fully grown, its ruffly green are similar to oak leaf lettuce or radish leaves, only darker, reaching to 3 feet high.

Planting & Care.

Like lettuce, spinach and chard, arugula grows best as a cool weather crop. Plant from seed or transplants in Spring or Fall. Arugula germinates similarly to radishes, in thoroughly moist, cool soil, usually within a few days. It thrives in a rich, moist, well-drained soil with full-sun or some shade. Tolerates mild freezes. Warm temperatures cause arugula to go to seed quickly. It reseeds readily so expect to see it again.

Harvesting and Use.

Harvest young tender leaves as often as possible to maintain a regular supply before the onset of hot days. The longer the leaves are on the plant, the stronger their taste.

As the season progresses older leaves become inedible and tough, acquiring a bitter, fiery taste along with a faintly skunky aroma. At this point the plant bursts into clusters of small, four-petaled, creamy white flowers, penciled with deep, brown-red veins.  They make a lovely filler for bouquets or as a garnish for salads and soups.

Culinary Use.

The key to enjoying arugula is to use it in moderation.  Mix with other salad greens such as red leaf, bib, or Boston Lettuce, radicchio or endive. Make a special spinach salad by tossing spinach and arugula leaves, crisp bacon pieces, slices of hard boiled eggs, red pepper slices and garlic croutons with your favorite dressing. Add a few arugula leaves with lettuce to spice up sandwiches.

Blog and Recipes

Simnel Cake (or Mothering Cake)

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3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup glace cherries
1 tsp. Minced, fresh lemon verbena leaves 1/4 cup chopped candied citrus peel
3/4 cup unsalted butter 1 cup currants
3 eggs beaten 1/2 cup white raisins
1 cup unbleached white flour 1 lb. Almond paste
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg 1 egg, beaten for browning the cake’s top
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon Milk for thinning
Optional: red and white carnations for decorating the top

Preheat the oven to 300° F.

In mini-food processor, blend sugar and lemon verbena until very fine. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs slowly. Fold in the flour and spices. Add the fruit and fold in. Add a little milk if the batter is too stiff. Butter and dust with flour a 7-inch round cake pan. Roll a third of the almond paste into a circle the size of the cake pan. Spoon half of the cake batter into the cake pan. Place the almond paste circle on top of the cake mixture. Then add the rest of the cake batter. Bake for about 2 hours, or until brown and firm. (Check after an hour; if the top is getting too brown, cover with foil.) Cool the cake for ten minutes and turn it out onto a cake rack. Let cool completely. Roll half of the remaining almond paste into an 8-inch circle. Place the circle on top of the cake and crimp the edges to create a scalloped edging. Use a sharp knife to make a cross pattern on the almond paste. Shape the remaining paste into 11 balls (tradition says that these represent the 11 apostles – minus Judas). Brush the cake top with the remaining beaten egg and then place the balls around the outside edge. Brush the tops of the balls with the rest of the egg. Brown the cake quickly under the broiler until golden. Decorate the top with carnations.

Blog and Recipes

Dandelion & Bacon Salad

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Dandelion & Bacon Salad
8 oz. Young Dandelion leaves
4 oz. Sliced cooked bacon
1 slice of white bread cubed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon FHF Lavender Champagne Vinegar
1 clove of garlic crushed
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and dry the leaves and tear them into a salad bowl. Make a vinaigrette using the olive oil and vinegar, and season to taste. Fry the bacon, then dice and add the bread crumbs and crushed garlic. Pour the contents of the pan over the Dandelion leaves and add the oil and vinaigrette, toss and serve at once.

Blog and Recipes

Fredericksburg Spiked Cranberry Punch

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Fredericksburg Spiked Cranberry Punch
8 teaspoons (heaping) Fredericksburg Harvest herb Tea
3 cups freshly boiled water
1/2 cup sugar
4 quarts chilled cranberry juice
1 (16-ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
2 cups vodka
1 (28-ounce) bottle tonic water
2 lemons, sliced

Place tea in warmed teapot. Pour in water. Cover and let steep for 12 minutes. Strain tea, pressing with back of spoon to extract all possible liquid. Stir in sugar. Add cranberry juice, cranberry sauce, vodka and tonic water; mix well. Add lemon slices and ice cubes. Ladle into cups.

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Focaccia Bread

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Focaccia Bread

“A pure soul starts with a pure body,” advises our tearoom chef. She adds romance to meals with her aromatic version of foccaccia bread, a soft, thick, crusted pizza like bread that teases the appetite.
2 cups lukewarm water
2 tablespoons yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
5-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary (or herb of preference)
1 teaspoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons olive oil

Dissolve yeast and sugar in water in large bowl. Combine flour and salt.

Add yeast to mixture, stirring well with wooden spoon. Add herbs and oil.

Knead dough on lightly floured board until smooth, about five minutes.

Place dough in oiled bowl and brush top of bowl with oil. Let rest and rise until twice its original size, about 30 to 45 minutes. Punch dough down and shape into 10, 4 x 1 inch, oblong loaves. Make diagonal slashes with sharp knife across tops of loaves and place on ungreased baking sheet that has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Let loaves rise for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove wire rack to cool, enjoy while warm.

from: Herbs: Growing and Using the Plants of Romance

Blog and Recipes

Bay Rum Custard

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Bay Rum Custard

A delicious, easy to make recipe!
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 large bay leaves, preferably fresh
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup light honey
large pinch of salt
2 tablespoons dark rum

Scald milk and cream in saucepan with the bay leaves. When the mixture has cooled about 10 minutes, remove the bay leaves and slowly whisk in egg yolks, honey and salt. Stir in the rum. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Pour custard into 6 lightly buttered custard cups or a 1 quart soufflé dish. Place the dishes into a shallow pan of very hot water and bake. The individual custards take about 25 – 30 minutes; the soufflé dish takes about 45 – 50 minutes. Test custard by shaking the dish slightly to see if the custard is set.

Remove dishes from hot water and cool to room temperature. Chill custard 3 to 4 hours or overnight.

Serves 6.

Blog and Recipes

Sage Pesto

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Sage Pesto
Try this pesto on crackers and bread as a great snack for Thanksgiving or anytime!
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves
2 cups loosely packed flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
Kosher Salt
Fresh ground pepper

Combine the sage, parsley, garlic, cheese, and nuts in a food processor. Process to mix. With the food processor running, slowly add the oil. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Put in bowl and serve with crackers, bread and small pieces of toast.

Blog and Recipes

Rosy Cooler Recipe

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Rosy Cooler Recipe

From: Along the Garden Path
This is an excellent drink for Summer garden parties or Late Spring, especially since it is not too strong to go to your head too quickly!

1 bottle Rosé wine
1 cup organically grown, strongly scented white, pink and red roses
1/4 cup vodka
Raspberries to taste
1 bottle of 7-Up, Sprite or Ginger Ale

Chill wine and Rose petals in a glass bowl. Add the vodka, raspberries and lots of ice cubes. Chill for one hour. Add the carbonated drink at serving time.

Yields 6 – 8 servings.

Blog and Recipes

Cilantro

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A Passionate Appetite for Cilantro

Annual

Culinary, Ornamental

3 feet high, 1 food wide

Full sun: partial shade in hot regions

Average to well drained soil

 As we move into the cooler month of September, we would like to revisit Cilantro/Coriander as our Herb of the MonthCoriander, Cilantro, Coriandrumsativum – Fresh cilantro, is also called Chinese parsley. Fresh cilantro has an assertive culinary personality. Even in the smallest quantities, it makes its presence felt. No one asks, “What is that subtle flavor?”  It has a piquant taste, that is acquired. A rich source for vitamins C and A.

Coriander Seeds and Ground CorianderCilantro grows as a slender, upright annual to 3 feet high. Leaves that emerge on its main stems are oval with toothed edges. Leaves growing on upper side branches are more lacy and delicate, resembling those of anise or dill.

As the season warms, a central flower stalk branches into beautiful, umbrella-shaped clusters of  small, off-white, mauve or lavender flowers. Seeds are inside tiny round fruit that splits in half when dried. Fresh seeds have an unpleasant, musty, bedbug odor. Dried seeds have a pleasant, orange-spice aroma and flavor that increase with maturity.

Planting and Care

One of the easiest herbs to grow from seed in climates where a March sowing is possible. Prefers relatively dry conditions, evenly distributed moisture and even temperatures. It cannot tolerate constant moisture. A sun loving herb; locate in partial shade in hot regions. In the deep South part of the U.S. you can plant Cilantro in the Fall and it will grow throughout the Winter months. To counter Coriander’s tendency to go to seed rapidly with the onset on long, warm days, growers have developed ‘Long Standing’, a slow-to-bolt cultivar. Harvests of fresh leaves are extended about 14 days. Whatever kind you grow, cut leaves frequently and stagger sowings to provide continued harvests. Like dill, cilantro should be planted away from fennel, which can adversely affect its flavor. Its musty odor tends to repel nibbling insects.

Harvesting and Use

Coriander is grown for both its seeds and leaves. Harvest leaves when the plants reach about 6 inches high and gather seedheads when the small fruits are brown. The leaves work well in salads, soups, chicken, meat and sauces, and of course salsas. Use one to two teaspoons per serving. The dried seeds which have a warm, nutty, floral aroma when ground spices up fish, curries, fowl, pork, soups, sauces, breads and cookies.