Dill is native to the Mediterranean region and its history goes way back to ancient times. It is mentioned in Egyptian inscriptions where it goes by the name of `ammisi'. The Greeks and Romans, who spread it as far as the northern Alps during their campaigns, called it `anethon' from which is derived the botanical name.
In the year 812 Charlemagne, aware of its culinary and medicinal properties (the essential oil it contains is still used to relieve flatulence), ordered that it be grown on his estates. It was believed to silence rumblings in the stomach, stop hiccups, and prevent the formation of intestinal gas; burnt seeds if placed on a wound were said to promote rapid healing. Nowadays dill is naturalized and grown not only throughout Europe but also in America and the West Indies.
Chives should be freshly cut before serving. They have a very mild onion flavour without the biting quality and are used not only as a herb but also as a garnish on many cold and hot dishes. They should never be cooked - when used as a garnish for hot dishes chives should be sprinkled on top just before serving.
They are popular in cheese spreads, on bread and butter, in scrambled eggs, salad dressings and cold sauces, sprinkled on buttered boiled potatoes and as a garnish for assorted cold meat platters. In winter they arc a welcome source of Vitamin C.
The flowers are arranged in loose umbels and are followed by small bulbs. Garlic is a perennial herb propagated by planting the separate cloves directly in the ground where they are to grow, either in autumn or early spring. Bulbs are dug up and harvested when the foliage begins to turn yellow and dry. A very suitable and decorative method of storing garlic is to braid the bulbs together and hang them up in a cool spot.
Wild chives occur in several forms: with leaves rounded to greatly flattened and flowers ranging in colour from white to dark pink. Unlike the leaves, the flowering stems are not hollow. Cultivated varieties are generally larger and more robust but wild chives make an equally good seasoning.
In the year 812 Charlemagne, aware of its culinary and medicinal properties (the essential oil it contains is still used to relieve flatulence), ordered that it be grown on his estates. It was believed to silence rumblings in the stomach, stop hiccups, and prevent the formation of intestinal gas; burnt seeds if placed on a wound were said to promote rapid healing. Nowadays dill is naturalized and grown not only throughout Europe but also in America and the West Indies.
Chives should be freshly cut before serving. They have a very mild onion flavour without the biting quality and are used not only as a herb but also as a garnish on many cold and hot dishes. They should never be cooked - when used as a garnish for hot dishes chives should be sprinkled on top just before serving.
They are popular in cheese spreads, on bread and butter, in scrambled eggs, salad dressings and cold sauces, sprinkled on buttered boiled potatoes and as a garnish for assorted cold meat platters. In winter they arc a welcome source of Vitamin C.
The flowers are arranged in loose umbels and are followed by small bulbs. Garlic is a perennial herb propagated by planting the separate cloves directly in the ground where they are to grow, either in autumn or early spring. Bulbs are dug up and harvested when the foliage begins to turn yellow and dry. A very suitable and decorative method of storing garlic is to braid the bulbs together and hang them up in a cool spot.
Wild chives occur in several forms: with leaves rounded to greatly flattened and flowers ranging in colour from white to dark pink. Unlike the leaves, the flowering stems are not hollow. Cultivated varieties are generally larger and more robust but wild chives make an equally good seasoning.
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