"fresh herbs" news and stories

Well, this is the oddest food holiday I've found, next to Dress Up Like An Ear Of Corn Day*, but let's see what we can do with it.

It's always good to use less salt, especially if you have high blood pressure (and a lot more people in the country have high blood pressure than anyone realizes - what used to be "borderline" is now too high). I haven't added salt to food in over 10 years (no joke), usually substituting pepper if I need a little seasoning. I also like those no-salt seasoning like Mrs. Dash. Go check out that aisle in your supermarket. I think you'll be surprised at what you'll find there.

Here's some info on using less salt. Here's a recipe for Linguine with Fresh Herbs you might want to try, and how about some tips on drying fresh herbs?

* This doesn't actually exist.

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Okay, perhaps it won't quite last the duration of a week, but I have an enormous plastic container full of pesto now, and will be sharing all kinds of fun pesto stuff this week. Or at least, I have to try to, because my poor tastebuds will die of boredom if I eat plain pasta tossed with pesto every day. I suppose I could freeze the stuff, but you know what they say about freezing foods. The foods end up really, really cold.

First things, first, how on earth did someone who used to HATE the smell and taste of pesto end up with an entire container full of the herbaceous green paste? Really, no joke, I hated pesto. I didn't hate fresh basil, but I didn't particularly care for it. However, once fresh basil was mashed together with all the other ingredients that make up pesto, it repulsed me. It repulsed me to the point of childish antics. I would literally sniff it, crinkle my nose, then grab my throat as if I were choking on a chicken bone.

But sometime last year, I made pesto myself (recipe tomorrow). Something happens when you do a little research, learn about the history and the significance of something, and make it yourself. You forget about your silly stupid juvenile taste preferences and learn to appreciate the food. Now, though I don't get all tingly when I smell and eat pesto, I have learned to appreciate it. Of course, I absolutely refuse to believe that my tastebuds will ever appreciate cilantro.

That, my friends, is the lesson of the day. If you hate something, it might be a good lesson in love to make it yourself. And for a little note on authentic pesto, check out Sarah Gilbert's post a few months ago.