The garden of herbs
Herbarium of Scents
Twenty-four aromatic herbs, from the damp woods of the Apennines to the sunlit gardens of the Mediterranean. Each plant is a voice, a scent, a use. As the Cook of Baghdad gathered spices along the silk routes, so we gather the herbs that perfume our cuisine.
Basil
Ocimum basilicum
Sensory notes
Glossy leaf, sweet and peppery fragrance. The Genovese is the noblest: small, green, intense. Torn at the last moment, never cut with a blade that oxidizes it.
Culinary use
Pesto, caprese, fresh tomato, summer pasta.
Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus
Sensory notes
Woody needles, scent of pine and resin. Burnt on embers it becomes sacred smoke. Ancient, persistent, Mediterranean.
Culinary use
Roasts, bread, oven potatoes, focaccia.
Thyme
Thymus vulgaris
Sensory notes
Small, tenacious, scents of dry earth and sun. Less aggressive than rosemary, deeper. Harvested before flowering.
Culinary use
Broths, stews, grilled fish, roasted vegetables.
Mint
Mentha spicata
Sensory notes
Fresh, pungent, refreshes the palate. Exists in a thousand varieties: peppermint, Roman, calamint. The woodland one is wilder.
Culinary use
Tea, sauces, tabbouleh, desserts, fish.
Sage
Salvia officinalis
Sensory notes
Grey-velvet leaf, warm and earthy scent. Fried in butter it becomes crisp and almost sweet. Ancient medicinal plant.
Culinary use
Butter and sage, saltimbocca, fritters, stuffings.
Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
Sensory notes
The humblest and most universal herb. Its Greek name means 'that grows among stones'. Fresh, green, clean.
Culinary use
Sofritti, green sauces, gremolata, garnishes.
Oregano
Origanum vulgare
Sensory notes
Scents of sun and warm rock. Dried is more intense than fresh — an exception among herbs. The fragrance of Neapolitan pizza.
Culinary use
Pizza, tomato, tomato salads, grilled meat.
Marjoram
Origanum majorana
Sensory notes
Cousin of oregano, but sweeter and more delicate. Scents of forest and honey. Less known, nobler.
Culinary use
Stuffings, sauces, delicate fish, vegetables.
Bay laurel
Laurus nobilis
Sensory notes
Leathery leaf, balsamic scent. Crown of poets and victors. A single leaf perfumes an entire broth.
Culinary use
Broths, stews, braises, marinades.
Dill
Anethum graveolens
Sensory notes
Threadlike leaves, fresh and almost sweet-bitter scent. Typical of Northern Europe, pairs with cold fish and salmon.
Culinary use
Salmon, smoked fish, fresh sauces, pickles.
Cilantro
Coriandrum sativum
Sensory notes
Loved or hated, no middle ground. Scent of lemon and soap. Fresh leaves and dried seeds are two different spices.
Culinary use
Green sauce, guacamole, curry, ceviche.
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Sensory notes
Thin stems, gentle onion flavor. The most delicate of the garlic family. Cut with scissors, never chopped.
Culinary use
Eggs, potatoes, cold sauces, garnishes.
Tarragon
Artemisia dracunculus
Sensory notes
Scent of anise and forest. One leaf suffices to perfume a dish. Base of béarnaise and tartar sauce.
Culinary use
Sauces, chicken, fish, eggs, flavored vinegars.
Wild fennel
Foeniculum vulgare
Sensory notes
Feathery leaves, sweet-bitter scent. Grows wild along southern roads. Yellow flowers harvested in late summer.
Culinary use
Pasta with sardines, fish, pork, sausages.
Borage
Borago officinalis
Sensory notes
Hairy leaves, star-blue flower. Cucumber and green taste. Eaten cooked or in stuffed pasta. Pioneer plant.
Culinary use
Stuffings, minestrone, fritters, savory tarts.
Watercress
Nasturtium officinale
Sensory notes
Grows in running water, pungent and peppery. Rich in iron and vitamin C. The oldest cultivated vegetable.
Culinary use
Salads, soups, green sauces, sandwiches.
Calamint
Calamintha nepeta
Sensory notes
Wild mint of Lazio and Tuscany. Scent of mint and forest. Little known outside central Italy, irreplaceable with mushrooms.
Culinary use
Mushrooms, tomato, olives, baked fish.
Lovage
Levisticum officinale
Sensory notes
Taste of celery and broth. One leaf suffices to flavor a soup. Ancient 'maggi' of European cuisine.
Culinary use
Broths, soups, stews, fish.
Lemon balm
Melissa officinalis
Sensory notes
Soft leaf, sweet lemon scent. Calms and refreshes. The name comes from Greek 'melissa', bee — attracts bees.
Culinary use
Herbal teas, desserts, sweet sauces, delicate fish.
Chervil
Anthriscus cerefolium
Sensory notes
Feathery leaves, gentle anise flavor. One of the French 'fines herbes'. Delicate, added raw.
Culinary use
Fines herbes, eggs, cold sauces, salads.
Wild garlic
Allium ursinum
Sensory notes
Grows in damp woods in spring. Sweet garlic and green scent. Leaves used like basil, flowers are edible.
Culinary use
Green pesto, risotti, frittatas, flavored butter.
Wild rocket
Diplotaxis tenuifolia
Sensory notes
Serrated leaves, pungent and bitter. Grows wild on walls and in fields. More intense than cultivated.
Culinary use
Salads, pizza, pasta, spicy pesto.
Myrtle
Myrtus communis
Sensory notes
Plant sacred to Venus. Glossy leaves, blue-black berries. In Sardinia myrtle liqueur is made. Scent of Mediterranean forest.
Culinary use
Marinades, game, liqueurs, berries in cooking.
Cherry laurel
Prunus laurocerasus
Sensory notes
Large glossy leaves, used in Liguria to wrap steamed fish. Bitter almond scent. Warning: berries are toxic.
Culinary use
Steamed fish, aromatization, leaf cooking.