Culinate Newsletter: Taste test your herbs, albacore tuna, Gravensteins

Dear readers,
I confess to being a little intimidated by simple herbs. A slice of Too-Much-Rosemary Bread or a perfectly fine squash sauté rendered unlovable at the last minute with a shower of summer savory (clearly not my favorite) — tastes like these have made me think I will too easily overdo it.

Although I love the idea of sprinkling fresh herbs on everything, the reality is that — with the exception of parsley, basil, and cilantro — I under utilize the herbs we grow.

This week on Culinate, Deborah Madison offers a sensible method to determine which herbs you like and which you don’t, as well as some guidelines for how much of an herb to use. Almost like wine tasting, this simple process can help you appreciate new flavors — and navigate the herb garden with a little more knowledge about your preferences.

I’m going to try Deborah’s taste test; I hope you’ll join me.

And also check out this remembrance of rosemary, this paean to parsley, and Kelly Myers’ recipe for Thyme and Caper Salmoriglio, a sublime thyme-spiked sauce for fish.

Kim Carlson
Editorial Director