"parsley" news and stories

You worked so hard to keep that luscious herb garden at its finest this summer; don't stop now! Don't know what to do with all your leftover herbs and afraid the first frost is going to destroy them, try freezing them!

This past weekend, I visited my boyfriend's uncle's garden in New Jersey. It certainly lives up to its nickname, The Garden State. We tasted a wide assortment herbs and vegetables. The one that left the longest impression on my palate was the parsley. Perhaps, it was because I just recently purchased the most incredible tabbouleh from Sahadi's while in Brooklyn.

Normally, we use parsley as a garnish. This shiny green herb that originated in Iran is in season and could be the focal point of many dishes. During the oppressive August heat, I find it to be deliciously refreshing. Although, we tend to use this herb to enhance flavors in soups, casseroles, sauces, and salads, we can also use it as the centerpiece of a meal. Below are eight recipes that will make parsley shine:

1. Tabbouleh
2. Parsley and sweet onion sandwiches
3. Parsley cumin parathas
4. Parsley leaf potatoes
5. Parsley, fennel, and celery root salad
6. Parsley dumplings
7. Parsley and cabbage salad
8. Parsley soup

What are some recipes that you have tried in which parsley was the main ingredient being showcased?

I know we're hearing a lot about this kind of thing lately. I, for one, think that isn't a bad thing. This post from Remedicated about 20 common cooking herbs with medicinal properties collects a lot of disparate information and puts it in one place.

Some of the herbs are well known to have medicinal uses, like turmeric and cloves, but did you know that onions (and other vegetables related to onions) have been used for centuries as medicines? Apparently they have anti-inflammatory properties. Also, rosemary, cinnamon, and parsley (great for detoxifying carcinogens from cigarette smoke) are just some of the surprising (to me) herbs on the list.

There is no way this list can be complete, though. If you study a natural product long enough, you're sure to find lots of healthy qualities. Does anyone have any herbs they'd like to add? If you disagree with this list, I'd love to read about that, too.

• Parsley is more than just a garnish.
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According to conventional wisdom mothers have fought to get their little ones to eat veggies since before the earth was cooling. Cruciferous varieties, like broccoli and Brussels sprouts are often cited as particularly challenging.

Last week at my nephew's tenth birthday party, I was reminded of his surprising appetite for a particular green. It's not broccoli, kale, spinach, or even broccoli rabe, my Sicilian father's favorite. I don't know where the little guy stands on those. The object of his appetite isn't even a vegetable. It's an herb. He goes gaga for fresh parsley.

What reminded me of his parsley passion, was the birthday present his Aunt Dawn gave him: two fresh bunches of parsley. Ever since he had it in a salad his grandmother made for him when he was six he's been a parsley fanatic. Besides wanting to make her nephew happy, one of the reasons for Aunt Dawn's gift is that he once ate the better part of her parsley patch before anyone noticed.

By now you're probably wondering why this kid likes to eat what many regard as mere garnish.Taking a break from his hectic Lego-building schedule he provided me with the following quote: "I like it because it doesn't have much of a taste. How can you dislike something that has no taste. And it's healthy."

As for me, I was never into fresh parsley as a kid. I was too involved with my own food quirks, like slicing a notch in apple and stuffing it with a slice of bologna.