Growing spices

[Phil Florian]

Hey Chef!

My wife bought me three little bowls for growing spices in our kitchen. Query: What are the three best spices to grow at home for versatility, ease of growth, and re-usability?

Thanks!

[dl meckes]

I think I need four: chives, flat leaf parsley, lemon thyme and basil.

I think basil is hard to grow indoors, but maybe it's just me.

[Jeff Endress]

I also have a hard thyme growing herbs indoors...more as a result of cats that think they are gardeners then from lack of light!

But, if I had to choose only 3, I'd go with standard sweet basil, lemon thyme and and either marjoram or oregano......

Jeff

[Phil Florian]

Thanks! I will give these a whirl. Even the basil. I will probably choose oregano over majoram as I have never used majoram (see "Cooking Basics" post to see why...no skills, yet!).

Much appreciated!

Phil

[dl meckes]

Most herbs and spices develop flavor if they have a chance to be part of a marinade of some sort.

If you buy some marjoram, put a tablespoon or two into a small container and add an equivalent amount of cooking oil. Make sure the herb is coated with the oil, cover it & put it in the fridge overnight.

Get some small spuds- russets or fingerlings - coat them with the herbs and oil mix and roast them. You'll get a really good idea of how the herbs taste.

Eventually, you will have a good idea of how herbs work together.

This also works really well on roasted or baked chicken.

I'm using the term roasting and baking interchangeably in this scenario.

[Brad Hutchison]

I also have a hard thyme growing herbs indoors...

Yikes.


I always do basil and rosemary. Just do things you like and use a lot, otherwise you just end up with a huge bush that you chuck at the end of the season.