Celebrating the 2015 Herb of the Year, Savory--Part Two!

Herbs by Jennie Harding (2008)

As I said in my first post about the 2015 Herb of the Year, I don't have many savory photos in my archive.  So I will be using book covers to illustrate which book I am discussing.  So here is Herbs a color guide to herbs and herbal healing by Jennie Harding from 2008.  Only the second book and already I found that the author uses a botanical name that I am unfamiliar with, 'Satureia' instead of 'Satureja'.  Although in the A-Z List of Herbs by Common Name, she lists the more recent 'Satureja hortensis' for summery savory.  I found in her description about the botanical name that Satureia came from the Roman soldier, lawyer and writer, Pliny the Elder and is also linked to the satyr, a mythical figure, half man and half goat.  It was also considered an aphrodisiac.  Savory leaves were used in Roman meat recipes and had a peppery taste that was used before the introduction of other spices.  Summer savory is used as a companion plant to beans to keep away black fly and other pests and it pairs so nicely with beans as a seasoning.

Nicholas Culpeper in the 1600's used savory in a syrup for a winter remedy for coughs and phlegm.  The leaves are the main part of the plant used.  It is used as an antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, digestive tonic and an expectorant.   Ms. Harding says it is used to treat indigestion, gas, bloating.  Use the leaves in a tea after meals to give a calming effect.  An infusion of fresh savory leaves with a teaspoon of honey, taken 2 or 3 times daily helps soothes a cough that has settled in the chest area.  Fresh leaves rubbed on a bee or wasp sting will help alleviate pain and redness.  When cooking beans, savory is used  to improve flavor and helps prevent gas.  She also mentions one of my favorite ways to use savory and that is in an egg omelet.  The essential oil of savory should not be used by pregnant women as it "can stimulate menstrual bleeding."

Ms. Harding's book has beautiful photos of the herbs on black backgrounds as to highlight the shape and color of the individual herbs.  Concise descriptions makes for easy reading.  There is a gallery of herbs that gives you a miniature photo of each herb and its botanical name.  She gives information on ailments and remedies, active herbal ingredients, using herbs safely, container herb gardening, herbal preparations and a glossary and resources page among other sections.

A beautiful day in the herb garden but very cold.  Getting ready for another snowstorm.  We didn't have much snow to start the winter season and now it is coming in chunks.  Gosh, January is done already!  I'm hoping to post a few more posts in February than I have so far!  Hope you are staying warm wherever in the world you may be.  Talk to you later.