Information and Herbs: What's Reliable?

Sloan Kettering About Herbs, Botanicals, and Other Products
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/11570.cfm

Quackwatch

Herbal Information: University Extension Links http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/links/linkview2.asp?catnum=131&alpha=H

Herbs: Organic Greenhouse Production---Directory of Organic Seed Suppliers
http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/links/linkview3.asp?catnum=131&linknum=4318

Growing Savory Herbs
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/savoryherbs/savoryherbs.html

3: JUST TOMATOES,

SLOW ROASTED TOMATOES   Click here for downloadable Tomato Recipe Sheet

I love preserving the ripe fresh tomatoes from my garden for those cold snowy wintery days.

Enough tomatoes to cover a cookie sheet when quartered

3 Tsp. Salt – I use Norton Salt Flakes

Few cloves of minced garlic

Fresh oregano – Tablespoon or 2

Freshly ground black pepper – to taste

¼ cup or so of good olive oil

2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

Blanch the tomatoes in hot boiling water for 30 seconds then immediately into a cold water bath to cool. Peel the skin off of the tomatoes and quarter, making sure to save the juice onto the pan.

Combine the salt, garlic, oregano, pepper and vinegar with the oil then pour over the tomatoes.

Roast in 350 oven about one hour.

Cool, then store in a Freezer bag in the freezer until ready for some tasty pasta topping!

—Pat F

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES, SOUTHERN STYLE

This is my Mother’s recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes Southern style. Slice several green tomatoes about a half inch thick or to your liking. Salt and pepper to taste. Roll the green tomatoes in flour the same as you would fried chicken. Heat the oil very hot and fry. The fried green tomatoes should be eaten while they are hot or they will become soggy. Enjoy! — Sara

MIDSUMMER DAY’S ENSALATA

This dish is an assemblage of ingredients. It can be made into a main dish by adding (chorizo) sausage, thinly sliced steak or chick peas.

Ingredients: 3 tomatoes, cut into eighths, 1 cup fresh or canned cooked corn, 1 cup red onion, medium size, diced, 1 red pepper or a small jar of roasted peppers, diced and black olives (15.)

Cilantro Dressing (Juice of three limes, 3 tbsp. cilantro, minced, 3/4 cup of olive oil, whisked.)

Assemble, Dress, Serve. Next time, decide what other harvest vegetables can go into this. It’s that kind of salad, great in August.

— Pat L 

Pat F. offers this quiche-like pie--use your tomatoes

Heirloom Tomato and Cheese Pie

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/buttermilk-biscuit-dough.aspx

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/heirloom-tomato-cheese-pie.aspx

7. BREADS & Such

Pat F. offers this online recipe in the area of breads. But some of us know it belongs in "main dish" as well!

Buttermilk Biscuits

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/buttermilk-biscuit-dough.aspx

Anna's Irish Soda Bread

3 1/4 C all purpose flour                                                      Preheat oven for 325º F.

1/3 C sugar                                                                         Grease iron kettle or heavy cast

1 Tsp salt                                                                            iron pan.

1 Tsp baking powder

1 Tsp baking soda

4 Tsp caraway seeds

1 Egg lightly beaten

1 1/2 C buttermilk including beaten egg

1 C raisins

4 Tsp butter melted

Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, caraway seeds in a bowl.

Pour buttermilk mixture on dry ingredients and mix.

Add raisins, stir in the butter.

Turn out dough onto a flat, floured surface.

Knead by hand until dough is like putty but not slippery. If necessary add a little more flour.

Put into the greased iron kettle or heavy cast iron pan.

With a knife make a cross on top and bake for 60 to 65 min.

Cool on rack.

Wrap in aluminum foil for best flavor. Not necessary to refrigerate.

____________________________________

Recipe from Margaret McElligot, County Kerry, Ireland. 
Ms. McElligot arrived from Ireland at the age of 18 and settled in the Bronx (NY).

She married Mr. Mulcahy, who died of alcoholism and was buried in Potters Field, an island near City Island. Mrs. Mulcahy kept a boarding house where she prepared breakfast and dinner for her boarders. She brought up her two children. Widow McElligot later married a Mr. Dillon, one of her Irish boarders.

Ingredients (Recipe and bread picture from Pat T)
3 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (2 packets)
1 2/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
3 cups durum flour
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Sesame seeds for top crust, approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons
Cornmeal for the pizza peel
Cornstarch wash 

Process:

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast and salt with the lukewarm water in a five quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
2. Mix in the flours without kneading, using a spoon , a 14 cup food processor(wirh dough attachment) , or a heavy duty stand mixer (with dough hook).If you'te not using a machine, you may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.
3. Cover (not airtight), and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises
and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.
4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is esier to handle when it is cold.Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use within the next 14 days.
5. On baking day, dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a one pound (grapefruit sized )piece.Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides to form an oval shaped free-form loaf.Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal -covered pizza peel for 40 minutes.
6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, with a baking stone placed on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.
7. Just before baking, paint the surface with a cornstarch wash, sprinkle with fennel seeds (look at the botton of this post for other suggestions) and slash the surface diagonally, using a serrated bread knife.
8. Slice the loaf directly onto the hot stone. Pour one cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray, and quickly close the over door. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until deeply browned and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will need adjustments in baking times.
9. Allow to cool before eating.

Many ethnic specialties feature yeast breads quick breads using a variety of spices and herbs.

Add the following ingredients per pound (3 to 4
cups flour) of yeast dough.1 tsp. sage, 2 tsp. caraway seed, and 1-1/2 tsp.
nutmeg;1 1/2 tbsp. sesame seeds 1-1/2 Tbsp. dill seed or 1-1/2 Tbsp. caraway seed and l/8-cup instant minced onion; or l/2-tsp. sage, l/2-tsp. thyme

Parsley Dog Biscuits

Parsley is one of the few things that are plentiful in gardens now---let it go to the dogs!
Above: a dog that deserves a biscuit---Buddy Libutti.

Fresh doggie breathe is a possibility!

Freshen Up! Dog Biscuits

2 cups whole wheat flour, or more as needed

1 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup shredded peeled apple

2 1/2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1 cup warm water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large

mixing bowl, combine the flour, carrots, apple,

honey and parsley, then add the warm water. Mix

thoroughly. If the dough is sticky, add more flour.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and roll into

a circle 1/4 inch thick. Cut out biscuits with a boneshaped

cookie cutter and place on a nonstick

baking sheet. Bake the biscuits for 9 to 12 minutes,

depending on the size, until the edges are brown.

Let cool on a rack, then pass out the biscuits -----as

deserved. (From Chester Garden Club.)

GREENHOUSE

Greenhouse in the winter

Present Day Greenhouse, right before the Plant Sale.

The Greenhouse: A Committee of the Garden Club

The Greenhouse is one of only three municipal greenhouses in the State of New Jersey, the others being Maplewood and Belmar. Although highly visible, it is a committee of the Garden Club. During 1953 and 1954 Town Council Minutes record the development of the Greenhouse, refurbished using the obsolete Vandelinda Sewerage Treatment Plant. Adapting the sewerage treatment building for use would mean “covering the concrete vats, repairing the roof, and installing a heating system. The Club formed a Greenhouse Project Committee, and took on cleaning up glass and debris, as well as fundraising (asking for $25 per family to turn the site into the Greenhouse.)The roof, sides and glass windows were repaired and replaced.  Garden Club members cleaned up broken glass shards and debris to be able to actually use the building.

The Greenhouse opened up officially on January, 30 1954. Since its beginning, work groups formed by interests (such as Herbs, Geraniums) would take on propagating plants for the use of the Township in parks and malls. This practice continued what earlier Garden Club of Teaneck groups did in the town.

There were 21 original benches that were assigned to Mr. & Mrs. Ackermann, Mr.& Mrs. Dolder, Mrs. Muller, Mr. Argent, Mr. & Mrs. Fleishmann, Mrs. Nugent, Mr. Auerbach, Mr. & Mrs. Lofberg, Mr. & Mrs. Tanner, Mrs. Buteau, Mrs. Meyers, Mr. & Mrs. Romaine, Mrs. Bodo, Mr. & Mrs. Martinson, and Mr. & Mrs. Toepler. An additional 10 were added during that year; all paid dues of $3.00 .

The Greenhouse grew to house many horticultural enthusiasts. It also has developed outreach activities in the community, covered in a later section. Members who joined the Greenhouse needed to be members of the Garden Club, live in Teaneck and commit themselves to the work of the Greenhouse by joining a group and developing plants for the Township. Currently forty members belong to the work groups. Greenhouse Directors have included Gene Hubbard, Lou Schwartz, Dania Cheddie, Len Schwartz and Stephanie Murphy, among other

Based on Town Council Minutes, April 1954, The Teaneck 100 Year Book(Jim Edmunds)

The Use of Herbs in Victorian Times

 

 

Page Two

Starting Seeds in January

Hey, Kiddies of all ages, it is time to plant and look forward to the small seedlings that pop through the soil.

It’s the beginning of gardening season, quiet, surrounded by snow and ice.

Yet the seedlings will come up, we will think of spring and the joy of vegetables and herbs, we will think ahead to planning our little plots.

The very beginning of spring is when your booted toe can dig just a bit in the frozen mud. It won't be that long until the soil is warm enough for early planting---a good 6 weeks for parsley, radishes, lettuce to be sown in the beginning garden.

A whole lot of us don't want to wait that long! And we don't have to.

We can start seedlings indoors ot be reading for transplanting in March or April.

We are going to look at the sturdiest herbs to start: parsley, chives, thyme, oregano.

Now, what must you have for a simple planting session?

The usual:
3.5" pots, plastic, square for easy spatial management
Seeds: yes, they are at every nursery and hardware store just about now.
Table cover, if you do not have a designated potting area in your house or apartment
plant markers,
Plastic bafs, about 9",
small ad hoc tools;
plastic spoons,
a pencil.
soil
Gro Lights, if needed
Hand Shovels

Soil: What kind? A sterile medium is idea---"sterile medium?"
That's nursery talk for a soil that has been sterilized to remove bacteria, etc and usually mixed with some other medium, such as perlite.

You can buy that in bags; usually one bag will fill about 30 3" pots.

Today’s job is to plant seeds in 60  3.5 inch pots.
The basics : light, soil, water, seeds and labels are already in motion. Having table covers, pencils, sharpened, hand shovels, and a tub for the soil are also needed.

The soil, the sterile medium, is dry. It may give off some dust as it is poured into the tub.
Careful!
 You need to add some water and stir it around with the hand shovels.
It should be barely moist so seeds do not rot.

Once that is done, kids can use a pot to gather soil, and pour it into another pot. Tamp down the soil lightly.
Then, seeds are planted the way demonstrated.

Using a pencil, make a small hole , very small, because all the mid-size seeds (parsley, dill, cilantro) are not so big that they can stand being buried. For the small seeds, so small you can barely hold onto them, (thyme, oregano), simply press into the soil, tamp lightly

Then, to help germination, put a plastic bag over each. Twist it gently as demonstrated to make a mini “greenhouse”.

This should be enough for the seeds to germinate. Place them in the trays bought to the Center for carrying the plants about on the large table where they will eventually reside.

Light? Gro-lights are part of the plan, and will be arriving soon.

Why labels, you might ask. Do you want to look at a parsley plant coming up and think it is dill? No, the labels will keep both the seeds and the time they were planted clear.  And you can see how fast they grow by looking at t date.One of you needs to keep a notebook with the listing pf plants and dates in it.

 

Next time: planting rosemary from cuttings.

Info on Herbs for Early Planting 2013

Seeds! It's Time!

What to Know About Your Herbs for the Growing Season
Before you even get comfortable with your seed packets—look over some of these herb planting sites.
Herbal Information: University Extension Links Here, you can gather info as universities present it.

Herbs: Organic Greenhouse Production---Directory of Organic Seed Suppliers
A food link to have come spring—actually, before— to plan well.

Growing Savory Herbs. Do you want to grow your own herbs and sell them? This gives a larger perspective than we would normally use, but we get to know what we are in for with the planting process and how herb crops are harvested and counted.

Here are some tips I compiled for some everyday herbs.

Know the size they will be before sowing seeds.

Planting Each item contains: the plant height in inches, space in inches, Water needs, Sun(light) Shade Growing temp  and Best harvest time

Cilantro  24" 18" apart M H L C Summer

Dill (aneth) 24-36" 12-15" apart M H L C Summer

Lavender 12-18” 18” apart M H M C & W . Watch Flower blooming stage

Mint 12-18". Varies M M-L H C & W All season. Stems are bitter.

Oregano 12-18" 12-15" apart M H L W When flowers appear

Thyme 12-18". 18" apart M H L W Mid summer before flowering

Parsley 12-18" 9-12” apart M H M C&W All season; bitter in 2nd season.

Sage 24-36 “ 18” apart M H M W Leaves. rior to bloomin

Height: Varies, usually the standard plant (such as Salvia officinalis) is used.
Planting Space is the spacing used between the plants planted to provide  the "spread" necessary.

Water: All plants should be watered on a regular schedule, taking care to not overwater. Some (thyme) can stand a bit of drought. Signs of overwatering include yellow leaves.

Sun (light): Most Mediterranean herbs enjoy full sun (a minimum of 6 hours.) Others can take partial shade; some others yet, particularly the mint family, can flourish in partial to full shade.

Growing temperature- seasonal times: when the plant is at its best.
C=Cooler weather, W=Warmer weather.
Cool: Sow in early spring, harvest in summer, The plant does not do well midsummer. Warm: sow or put cuttings in the ground after the danger of frost is past. Will do well in midsummer.

Harvesting: Plants have different peaks, many offer clues through the ways the leaves look or flowers unfurl.

Wake Up! How do you find out if it is Legit?

We all know that the use of herbs for medicine marks us as nascent witches (bring on the broom, I carry mine proudly)

We have some help in looking at what is any good---use some of these links and report back to me in the  morning.


Some Sites for Basic Herb Planting Information

National Center for  Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. Here, you  can  see what the US government has done, but be awate that many herbs are judged to be moderately effective, not highly. Some other resources are needed here.

Sloan Kettering About Herbs, Botanicals, and Other Products On this site, you will find the results of many tests on herb effectiveness. The overlap between this  site and the US site is total. The  new information is on the botanical oroducts.

Some Others:

Quackwatch Check these sections: Legal/Political Issues, "Supplement" and "Health Food" Products, Herbal Products. This is a contrarian site; beware and evaluate evidence well.
Here is part of  a paper on the site::

"False Tenets of Paraherbalism

"Tenet #5: The "Doctrine of Signatures" is meaningful."

 (C'MON! This a paper on myths---but it is hard to believe that a writer would think the audience is that misinformed and uncritical. But go read it---the better to know what is promulgated .)

From the site:

"This page provides an index to information on the wide variety of substances sold as "dietary supplements" by health-food stores, pharmacies, multilevel companies, health practitioners, and mail-order entrepreneurs, and Internet outlets. A few such substances are useful, but most are promoted with false or misleading claims. Most of the articles are on Quackwatch, but some are on other sites."
 

Herbal Information: University Extension Links Here, you can gather info as universities  present it. 

Herbs: Organic Greenhouse Production---Directory of Organic Seed Suppliers
A food link to have come spring---actually, before, to plan well.


Growing Savory Herbs---do you want  to grow your own and sell it? This fives a larger perspective than we would use, but we get to know what we are in for and how herb crops are counted.