National Herb and Spice Day sounds like a holiday created just for us! It’s a day to celebrate the plants responsible for bringing flavor to our blends and delicious meals to your tables. If you would like to have an herb garden but lack the “green thumb” to keep it alive, rosemary could be a low-maintenance option for you! This Mediterranean herb grows well without much water and gets its name from Latin terms meaning “dew of the sea,” suggesting that the moisture from a nearby ocean breeze is all it takes for rosemary to thrive. In fact, overwatering can cause root rot, so lightly misting on a regular basis will suffice.
In addition to flavoring foods, rosemary has been used for several other purposes throughout history. In medieval times, Greeks and Romans considered rosemary to be a symbol of remembrance and a way to ward off bad omens. Greek scholars sometimes wore a garland of rosemary during examinations in hopes to improve memory function, and brides wore rosemary at weddings to signify their love and loyalty. Ancient Greeks and Romans also believed placing a sprig under the pillow or planting bushes outside the home would ward off nightmares and witches.
For culinary purposes, rosemary contributes a bitter, aromatic flavor to traditional Italian cuisine and a variety of other dishes including soups, salads, vegetables, eggs, and meats. If you would like to celebrate National Herb and Spice Day with a dash of rosemary, thyme, and other spices, you might like to try A.C. Legg’s New Orleans Marinade, Blend 166! This product is available from our distributors listed on our website.