The Observation Deck

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!

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.

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

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

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.

Jeff Endress wrote: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.