Something about the ever-approaching holidays conjures up thoughts of savory casseroles fresh from the oven and piping hot beverages with swirls of steam billowing from our favorite mug helping to make rosy cheeks even rosier.
Why not add a new twist of flavor to go with the steamy twists? Adding a pinch of fresh or dried herbs from the farmer’s market to any food or hot drink can bring a richness to the holidays in your home that permeates all the senses. When all our senses have been nourished, our soul delights, don’t you think?
The most popular herbs and spices are sage, rosemary, mint, oregano, basil, dill, parsley, thyme, and cinnamon. Just reading about them brings up the twinkling sights and tinkling sounds of the festivities.
Sage has a unique earthy touch and enhances poultry and dressings with a hint of peppery flavor. After using rubbed sage for years, I decided to add some not-so-finely diced fresh green sage to our Thanksgiving dressing. My goodness, what a spark for our taste buds! It has been a Christmas tradition in our house ever since.
Gourmet cooks also use sage to season soups, specifically vegetable soups. No wonder it is sometimes called “garden sage” or “kitchen sage.” Many family cookbooks are packed with gourmet seasoning blends of rosemary, parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, and dill in ancestral recipes passed down from grandmother to girlfriend for centuries.
Adding mint leaves to a casserole of carrots refreshes the palate and also refreshes the dish on which it is served. When food pleases the eye, it accomplishes much more than just mindlessly spooning it off a boring serving plate. Imagine mint-infused cooked carrots gleaming on a bright white plate with little sprigs of mint tucked in, trying to peek out. Add a halved maraschino cherry, set comfortably to the side to refresh the eye.
Cinnamon is very aromatic and when mixed with sage, dried apples and honey, it makes a warm cinnamon punch that the whole family can enjoy. Add boiling water to a few slices of dried apples, a sage leaf, and a tablespoon of honey, then stir with a cinnamon stick. The mixture can make you sleep so well that you’ll wonder the next morning if you were sprinkled with pixie dust the night before.
How festive, how fun!