The Herbs in My Garden

Part I:

Dill, It’s Not Just For Pickles
Holly Miller

Anethum graveolens

Dill is a herb which has a long history of both medicinal and culinary use.

Native to the Mediterranean region, dill is an annual or biennial herb which grows up to three feet high. I have found it easy to start from seed, but sometimes buy bedding plants too so that I have plants of different ages to use throughout the summer. It usually has one main stem and small, yellow flowers arranged in clusters which appear here in early to midsummer. Dill's feathery leaves are aromatic and are blue-green in color. The plants will self-sow here in the south if allowed to go to flower and drop seeds.

Seeds are collected by carefully clipping the flower heads when they are mature. Gently place them in a paper bag and, as the seeds dry, they will drop off into the bag. When the majority of seeds have dropped, remove the flower heads, place the seeds in an airtight container and keep in a cool, dry place until needed. The seeds can be used fresh or dried, whole or crushed in a mill or grinder.

Leaves should be used fresh or air-dried, stored in an airtight container and kept out of sunlight. The dried leaves are also known as “dillweed“. Seeds and leaves are aromatic - even more so when dried - so their scent will be absorbed by the container if stored for a time in plastic or in glass with a plastic lid.

Most Common Uses of Dill

• Culinary – the leaf, seed, and flower are used to flavor soups, meat and fish dishes, cakes and breads, and are used in pickles and condiments.
• Cosmetic – the seeds of dill are chewed to freshen breath; used as a fragrance component in perfumes, soaps and detergents.
• Aromatic – dill is used in aromatherapy as an essential oil; useful for help with a number of ailments, especially digestive difficulties, but also used with nursing mothers to promote the flow of milk.
• Medicinal – dill is rich in mineral salts and can help with a salt-free diet. Dill water is a popular pharmaceutical digestive preparation.

The word “dill” comes from the Norse “dilla”, meaning “to lull”. Dill is considered carminative, stomachic and slightly stimulant. Both seeds and leaves are edible.

Culinary Uses:

Dill is mainly used in pickling, where most of the plant is used. “Dill Pickles” have become a North American classic and in Europe Sauerkraut and dill vinegars have been popular for centuries. It is especially popular in Russia and Scandinavia, where it is used in courts-bouillons and sauces for fish, pickled salmon, casseroles and soups. It is also used on cakes and breads, particularly in rye breads, the way caraway is used. Dill should be used sparingly as the flavor grows. Its flavor works well in sour cream and yogurt sauces. The chopped fresh leaves are frequently used with trout and salmon, shrimp, deviled eggs, green beans, cauliflower, beets, soups, cottage and cream cheese.

Dill leaves are delicate and add a distinct flavor to salads, seafood, soups, potatoes, pickles, and butters. The leaves can also be used in vegetable salads.

Other Uses:

As a medicine, dill has been used as a digestive aid for centuries to help with wind, colic and indigestion. Dill water, made from the seeds, is used to soothe babies. A tea made from the leaves can be given to children and adults with digestive problems. Crushed dill seeds, diluted with water, can be used as a nail-strengthening bath. The seeds, when chewed, can be effective in curing bad breath and staving off hunger.

The Pioneer settlers of North America gave their children dill seed to chew throughout long sermons in church. They also filled small cloth bags with the leaves. Chewing on these bags seemed to soothe teething babies. Dilly pillows, made from lavender and dillweed, helped to lull children to sleep with their fragrance.

Recipes:

Below are two very easy, yet lovely, recipes that feature dill.

Creamy Dilled Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Wash fresh cucumbers and peel if desired, cut into ¼”-thick slices, then quarter slices. Rinse tomatoes, cut in half and squeeze to remove most of the seeds and moisture. Dice the tomatoes, add to cucumber pieces, toss with fresh snipped dill leaves, salt & pepper to taste then add sour cream or plain yogurt and stir gently. The amount of sour cream/yogurt needed will depend on the number of cucumbers and tomatoes used.

Baked Salmon with Dill and Lemon

Preheat oven to 350º.

Using one fresh salmon fillet per person, place fish on a baking sheet lightly coated with Pam. Spray the fillets with a little of the Pam also. Sprinkle with fresh snipped dill, salt and pepper to taste.

Bake at 350º until fish flakes easily with a fork (10-15 minutes).

After removing fish to serving platter, squeeze a small amount of fresh lemon juice over them. Garnish platter with fresh dillweed, grape tomatoes and lemon slices.

The Herbs in My Garden - an introduction

Today I'll begin posting a series of articles on the herbs I am most familiar with... the ones I have grown for years in my own garden and used in my own kitchen and family life. I will include information on the culinary and medicinal uses of these familiar plants along with a little history and some personal anecdotes. The information comes from my own experience, books, television shows, friends and web sources. I also plan to include recipes or special uses for the featured herb. These recipes are usually my own and since I am the type of cook who only measures when baking, they will be pretty general, but also very easy to make. My garden is quite small so the list won't be long but I hope you'll find these articles informative and useful. I am beginning with one of my favorites - Dill. Dill is a lovely herb - both aesthetically and aromatically. I hope that if you haven't tried to grow or use herbs that you will consider it after reading this series. If you need any additional information or have any comments please feel free to post. ~Holly

Vincent Van Gogh and Me - by Holly J. Miller

Early this morning I watched a very interesting program about post-impressionist painters Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh which made me realize that I undoubtedly have a lot in common with Van Gogh. He had an intensity and passion that I can relate to. When he was interested in a subject, be it religion, drawing or painting, he totally immersed himself in that subject - reading, watching, learning all he could as quickly as he could so that he could become proficient in his interest. This is a style of learning with which I am very familiar and most comfortable.

Vincent also had great passion in his love life. That, however, never came to a good conclusion for him. His first love rejected him out of hand as she was secretly engaged to another man. Next, he fell in love with an aging prostitute. She moved in with him but during their 9-month love affair the passion they shared manifested itself in anger and fighting and abuse so he eventually left her and moved to the country. There he discovered the impressionistic style of painting and fell head-over-heels for this new love.

Immersing himself in the lifestyle of a painter he began to emulate those he considered the great artists of the time. One of those artists was Paul Gauguin. Vincent considered Gauguin his teacher, mentor and friend. They even lived together in a little yellow house in Arles France for a time. The house was so small that in the winter they both had to paint in the one room with a fireplace. The room was cramped and Van Gogh’s passion and intensity began to wear on Gauguin. Eventually Gauguin made the decision to abandon Arles and return to Brittany where he was happier.

Upon realizing that he was loosing what he desired most, the opportunity to learn from his mentor, Van Gogh suffered an epileptic episode in which he cut off a portion of his left ear. This was not a sexual affair, but a very one-sided, passionate need of Van Gogh’s. He considered Gauguin one of the greatest painters of their time and wanted very much to study and learn from him and work with him.

Vincent soon recovered from his injury and began to paint some of his most well-known canvases - Sunflowers among them. He actually did a complete study of the sunflowers over many days during which the flowers faded and eventually died. Soon after, Van Gogh committed himself to a mental hospital where he continued to paint. It was during his time in the hospital that he completed Starry Night.

A very prolific painter, Van Gogh however, sold only one painting during his lifetime - The Red Vineyard. After a relatively short decade-long career as an artist, Vincent Van Gogh died by his own hand at the young age of 37.

During his lifetime as an artist Van Gogh evolved from solemn, dark paintings like The Potato Eaters to bright, happy paintings with thick layers of paint and very prominent brush strokes. Though not a painter like Van Gogh, I do feel that my life through Christ has evolved from a solemn, dark existence to one that is bright and happy and thick with layers of memories, the brush strokes showing as laugh lines on my face.

You can see all of Van Gogh's paintings at:
http://www.vangoghgallery.com/

Pantoum

A pantoum is a form of poetry in which each stanza is four lines long. The stanzas are linked closely together by using the second and fourth lines of each as the first and third lines of the next.

Sounds fun!

Here are a couple of my tries at writing a pantoum:

A flower blooms
sunny yellow,
tall and straight
in the snow.

Sunny yellow,
determined,
in the snow
all alone.

Determined,
tall and straight,
all alone
a flower blooms.

***************************

Welcome home,
Robin Redbreast,
singing sweetly
on a high branch.

Robin Redbreast
resting and nesting
on a high branch
in the old oak tree.

Resting and nesting,
singing sweetly
in the old oak tree.
Welcome home.

25 Random Things About Me

1. I have been married for over 30 years to the same man and I honestly do love him more today than I did even on our wedding day.
2. I fear for my child even though I know that she needs to make these mistakes for herself and suffer the consequences in order to learn. It’s in God’s hands and I love her as He does, completely and unconditionally.
3. Speaking of God, I had a face-to-face meeting with Him once. I’ve tried to describe it to people, but can never quite do it justice and besides, what He had to say was just for me. I’m just sorry He had to put me flat on my back, totally unconscious, and completely incapacitated before I would listen.
4. I grew up in Westlake, LA. My two best friends were Alice and Linda Joyce Bunch. My daughter Alicia Joy is named for them - and for my husband’s favorite grandmother, Alice Hebert.
5. I am a nightowl., rarely going to sleep before 3 am. I sleep till the very last minute then pop-up, get dressed and ready for work in 15 minutes or less.
6. We had a failed adoption many years ago, but I still think of and pray often for Misty.
7. I love to watch King of the Hill and own many of the DVDs.
8. I am on Facebook where I like sending and receiving Flair.
9. I still remember watching the Beatles on TV, the original moon walk, and watching the Flintstones in color for the first time with my daddy.
10. Once, when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade, it snowed. I remember going out to play in it at recess and hitting Mrs. Miller with a snowball. My mom saved some snow in a bucket in the freezer just in case I hadn’t gotten to play in it at school.
11. I drive a white 2007 Mustang and I love it. I happened to mention to Steve that it was pretty and he bought it for me right then and there.
12. I have only one kidney. I had cancer and the other was removed.
13. I totally believe that God sent Sam, my cat, to be a distraction and physical comfort for me when I needed it so very much.
14. I would have loved to have more children, but it truly was God’s decision that we have just one. And she was so worth the eleven year wait. Even now, I thank Him daily for His great wisdom and grace in lending her to us.
15. I am an elections commissioner in Topsy - Precinct 17, Jeff Davis Parish.
16. My middle name is Danette.
17. Steve and I enjoy camping and go every time we can.
18. I like to play word games and puzzles - online, on boards, or on paper.
19. I want to take a cruise.
20. I tend to be very reserved, but I feel deeply.
21. I like bats and herb gardens. We have been known to choose a vacation destination just so we can see some.
22. I’ve made homemade soap (from scratch, with fat and lye) for over 20 years.
23. We live in Topsy, in Jeff Davis Parish, have a Moss Bluff phone number and a Ragley address.
24. Every time I smell sawdust I think of my dad who was a carpenter.
25. I struggle with thinking of myself as a woman - even now at 49. (As opposed to a girl, not a man!)