So, I grew up in the south. LOL. Why is that proclamation important to note? Well, the fact is that my family just didn't use a lot of herbs in our cooking. Everything was fried in lard with salt and pepper. Now, to be honest, we did have the occasional spaghetti or lasagna that would have garlic and italian seasoning and every once in a while, my mother would throw a bay leaf in a pot roast and of course, the holidays would have sage and poultry seasoning in the cornbread dressing. But that was the extent of my culinary experience with herbs while growing up. I didn't even know what an herb was until I was well into my thirties and even then, I had no idea how to use them.
Fast forward to now, and I still struggle with herbs in kitchen. My big thing is that I like my meat to taste like meat. There's no better flavor to me than a ribeye steak with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. My mouth is watering now and I may have to get the hubs to fire up the grill soon. But, I am growing little by little all the time and working herbs into my recipes (when I cook) to broaden my palette.
I am reminded of a Christmas many moons ago...I'd say around 10ish years...a time when I was cooking more often and wanted to experiment with flavors. Rosemary was one of those flavors but this particular Christmas, I was very intrigued by duck fat and popovers. So, the hubs, being the thoughtful and encouraging guy he is, bought me a jar of duck fat and 2 bags of british flour as Christmas gifts. I'm not sure if they were actually for me or if it was so I would keep cooking for him. He'll never tell, for sure.
Anyway, it was a Christmas where we only had the kids for the first half of the day and then they all took off to visit their other parents, friends, grandparents, (who can remember) but we were alone for dinner that night so I had to flex my culinary skills and decided on some dishes I had never done before to incorporate the duck fat and compliment the popovers that I had already mastered.
I did as I usually do, both then and now, and I hit up google in search of recipes that I would never follow exactly but just get the general idea of what the dish would need. I decided on lamb chops and roasted rosemary red potatoes (drizzled in duck fat, of course!). Oh my goodness, the whole meal was amazing but those roasted potatoes were a 5-star kind of treat that beat out many restaurants. I can still taste them.
Back to the recent, I have 2 small rosemary bushes that I have been trimming and using in simmer pots. During the holidays, I combined with cranberries, oranges, cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves to make the house smell warm and cozy. It was so fragrant and wonderful. It truly made the house smell and feel like Christmas.
Nowadays, with the holidays over and just the gray, cold months to get through, I'm combining rosemary with lemon, lavender, rosebuds and cinnamon sticks to give a more spring like aromatherapy (because I'm ready for spring...so ready!).
Simmer pots are simply an easy and amazing way to really just change the way a home feels. It literally takes almost no effort to slice a lemon, trim a few rosemary sprigs and drop them in a pot with cinnamon sticks and dried lavender to have a scent that lasts for hours that can lighten the mood and bring a smile to any face.
I've also recently read that you can soak rosemary and lemon in diluted white vinegar to use for cleaning. The vinegar is a disinfectant and the rosemary and lemon are aromatics. I have mine soaking now and I'll let you know how it goes.
I have always been interested in the spiritual properties of all things. I am a believer that everything on this planet was put here for a purpose, holding and vibrating energy so I'm always looking for ways to bring the best, most-positive energies into my home and my daily life. Rosemary is said to offer protection, cleansing, and strength. All of which I think everyone needs. It is also said that if you have a rosemary bush near your front door, it will protect your home from negativity. Who couldn't use some protection from that in this world??? Anyway, please visit the page Rosemary to learn more about this incredible herb. There are links to all my favorite sources for a deeper exploration if you desire.
Let me know how you use rosemary in your life.
Have a great week!