An Herbal Lightbulb Moment-Mexican Mint Marigold in Tea Blends!

Had an herbal lightbulb moment while I was exercising this afternoon.  The Flower Lady and I have been having a discussion about tarragon and tea.  Well, Flower Lady, I came up with the option for you if you want a tarragon flavor in your tea blend, it is Mexican mint marigold or Tagetes lucida.  It dries very well and I used it in my first tea blend!  Duh!  I used it as a highlight.  Sometimes I have so much information in my brain, I can't see the herbs for the trees!  Mexican mint marigold is grown by folks in the south who can't necessarily grow tarragon.  I think it is also easilly grown from seed if you can't find the plant.  I don't always have enough space or time to grow the seeds and I can't always find the plant in western Pennsylvania.  It is becoming more available in our area.  Also I wanted to show you the photo of the book I use as a jumping off point for my tea blends.

Is It Really November?

I do remember picking raspberries into November other years, but this is ridiculous!  We were working in the back 40 yesterday and we found these beauties.  They were savored in our fruit salad this morning!  Delish!  A mostly unusual season, but it has its perks, doesn't it?

Another Honeycomb of Tea! (UPDATED)

Well, I was busy again over the weekend.  I did not get much dried herbwise this season.  Sooo I'm taking what I dried last season and I am making tea bags.  Lemon Verbena Lady Blend II is made up of lemon verbena mostly, a little orange peel, orange mint and rose geranium.  I had some last night and mostly got lemon verbena and rose geranium in the flavor.  I'm going to have a second brew this afternoon or later this evening and maybe I'll have a different opinion.  I'll let you know.  UPDATE:  I did have a second brew of the first tea bag and my opinion hasn't changed, mostly lemon verbena (a favorite) and rose geranium and the first time around there was a hint of orange mint.  Because I have GERD (reflux disease) I shouldn't have too much mint!  Mint and herbs are forever connected.  It makes it tough when you want some in your tea blends.  So I use one herb as a foundation and a couple of other herbs as extras or highlights.

Came Up With A Name For The Cat!

This is our cat for the moment.  It resides somewhere around our garden.  It is here most every day.  Sometimes chasing birds.  The Herbal Husband does not like that.  The other day I drove down the driveway and it was stalking a squirrel!  The squirrel escaped up into the dogwood tree and flipped its tail at the cat!  Like take that!  It was funny.  So the moles, voles, mices and other vermins, including a few chipmunks are under control.  Which is a good thing!  Oh, my name for the cat is Kitty.  Can't get too attached with that name.  Made some more tea bags yesterday.  Will share them with you tomorrow.

An Herbal Book Giveaway!

Just in time for the holidays, I'm giving away a couple of herb books.  Actually this first book I bought in the early 1990's, but it was first written by Bertha Reppert in 1976.  The bottom description on the cover reads: "Includes step-by-step instructions on herb gardening, over 75 modernized antique recipes, a how-to list of 50 useful herbs and summaries of over 230 native herbs."  Some of the chapters include:  "The Herbs The Colonists Found Here", "Early American Gardens", "Colonial Herb Gardens", "Heritage of Herb Gardening and Recipes", "Today's Public Herb Gardens" and "Garden Herbs at a Glance."   This book was won on one of the fabulous bus trips of The Rosemary House.  It is a reprint of the 1976 original.

The other book is a Dover reprint of a 1934 edition of Maude Grieve's book Culinary Herbs & Condiments.  It has three different parts, "Part I-- Sweet or Culinary Herbs--Their Cultivation and Propagation--Plant List", "Part II--Herb Beers, Wines, Liqueurs, and Teas" and "Part III--Condiments, Etc.  It will be a great addition to any herbal library.

Please post a comment on this post.  This contest is open to everyone.   One entry per person.  Please note which book you are interested in and give me your contact information.  The winners will be drawn at 10:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, November 29, 2009.  GOOD LUCK!

The Season of Giving!

Yes, it is present time.  In this house, we look forward to figs around this time of year.  An early holiday present.   Nothing like a fig warmed by the sun!  This brown fig has no leaves, but it is still giving figs!  My favorite!  It was even holding on to the figs while we were visiting the beach!  I think this particular tree has given about 30 figs this year.  Not a record I'm told by The Herbal Husband, but still pretty good, I think.  Hope you are able to have fresh figs in your life.  It is a deliciously wonderful fruit.  The season of giving continues over the weekend!  Stay tuned!

An Herbal Plant Explosion!

Well, if you have read my previous posts on lemon verbena, this is NOT supposed to happen!  It has just taken off!  Most of the time, it loses its leaves because the plant is mad it has to come inside.  Sometimes we have leaves that hang on for dear life.  This time it just went CRAZY!  I guess it needed a vacation from us as well.  This is one of three windows that has a southern exposure in our house.  It likes it there!!  I foresee several lemon verbena breads in The Herbal Husband's future.  He will be herbally happy!  If you missed the bread recipe the first time, here is the post again.

The Herbal Kids Got Some Sun!

I am always amazed at how well herb containers exist in our garage in the winter.  Even when we were gone a week in Miami, they did very well.  Across the back of the bench are two containers full of 'Logee's Snowflake' scented geraniums.  This is their third year and they continue to thrive! The other herb that is doing just fine in the garage is the sweet lavender which is tender for us.  It would not survive in our winters.  The Herbal Husband loves his lavenders.  I think we have at least one more upstairs in a western facing window.  It has lots of flowers and blooms on it!  You won't believe the lemon verbena!  I'll show you a photo tomorrow.  Stay tuned!

I Have Just Barely Sat Down!

Well, I can't think about seeds yet. Although I got a call from my best friend's daughter last night and her science project is about botany!  She wants to grow herbs from seeds!  So I got busy and made a short list and we will have to have a meeting and pick out seeds.  The project is due in April.  Thank God!  She sometimes calls and needs an idea by the end of the week!  Whew!   So getting a seed catalog is the appropriate subject for today's post.  Even though we are just finishing this year's garden.  Next year's awaits!  Pinetree Garden Seeds catalog has gotten better over the years with color and more selection.  Maybe some of you think they are more mainstream and not as different as they once may have been.  They do have very inexpensive seeds and high quality ones as well.  Do you have a favorite seed catalog?