Think Italian cuisine, and your mind conjures up vivid images of salads, pastas, and the ubiquitous pizza, complete with the aromas and flavors that tingle your senses and set off a craving in your tummy. Some of the best cuisines in the world come from Italy and while the main ingredients (meat, vegetables etc.) remain the same as in other places, the flavors lie in the herbs used in Italian recipes. And anyone who loves Italian cuisine knows this for a fact.
If you are an aficionado for Italian food and have a green thumb with some spare space in your garden, you can have your own Italian herb garden. Italian herbs are not difficult to grow and cultivate, and they add to the aesthetics of the garden as much as of the food. Some Italian herbs that are commonly used and are easy to grow are Parsley, Oregano, Rosemary, Garlic, Sage and Basil.
Parsley
Traditionally used as a mouth freshener after meals, parsley is known to absolve the smell of food from your breath. Though the parsley plant requires comparatively more attention, it is a great herb to be used in your food, especially as a garnish.
Oregano
Perhaps the most popular Italian seasoning, Oregano imparts a strong flavor to the food it is added. The Oregano plant adds to the beauty of your garden when its beautiful purple flowers are in bloom. This is also the best time to harvest the plant as it is fully mature and imparts the most flavors.
Rosemary
The Rosemary plant also looks very pretty in a garden. When in full bloom, little blue flowers grow on it that also attract bees. Hence, it is also useful to a garden as it helps in pollinating. Though the Rosemary is a perennial plant, it, however, cannot survive frosty conditions.
Garlic
Garlic is perhaps the most popular herb in not only Italian but in many cuisines around the world. It has great flavor and aroma and is known to possess medicinal properties as well. The plant itself is easy to grow and maintain. Just plant the cloves and watch it grow. Though Garlic is best when used fresh, it can also be stored in a frozen form or pickled for later use.
Sage
Sage is a popular herb in Italian cuisine and is used in almost everything. The flavors of the herb lie in the new shoots so the plant should be encouraged to grow instead of keeping it trim. It is important that the herb should not be harvested unless it has bloomed.
Basil
Basil is a great herb that has many other uses besides adding great flavor to Italian cuisine. The Basil plant is helpful to other plants like tomatoes and peppers if the are grown next to it since Basil helps in improving their flavors. Basil is also beneficial for repelling bugs like flies and mosquitoes. It can also be brewed as a tea to help sore throats and colds.
You can grow more Italian herbs in your garden depending on whether the appropriate growing conditions are available for them to thrive. Growing herbs is much more than just collecting ingredients for food. They add color, texture, variety and aromas to any garden. And, if you just spend some time in your garden, the heavenly aromas will be enough to get you in the mood to make your next meal Italian.