What are your "go to" magical herbs around your kitchen?

[Glinda]

When certain herbs and spices get low in my house, I make sure to get more ASAP. While certainly some of this has to do with taste, there are also magical properties to consider. What are some of your pantry partners?

 

[Green Witch Cottage]

For me Rosemary, Sage, Lavender and Thyme are some of my favorites. But Basil, Garlic, and Oregano are close seconds.

 

[Black roses]

When certain herbs and spices get low in my house, I make sure to get more ASAP. While certainly some of this has to do with taste, there are also magical properties to consider. What are some of your pantry partners?

My 1st goto is Rosemary !! But white dried sage ,lavender , garlic , whole cloves and cinnamon ! Definitely cannot live without those even though my list is much longer ... Bb

 

[LiathGallese]

When it comes to cooking (leaving out herb use for non consumption spellwork) I am pretty selective about what I use with what, mostly because I am learning local recipes and you dont tweak your mother in laws recipes . Salvia (sage) is one we use frequently with pasta, as is rosemary with pork, and my ragu has cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of oregano. And I have enchanted cocoa powder which I shake onto my cappuccino. Oh yes.. and saffron for risotto.

 

[c C]

When certain herbs and spices get low in my house, I make sure to get more ASAP. While certainly some of this has to do with taste, there are also magical properties to consider. What are some of your pantry partners?

I’m big in to medicinal herbal teas so whatever I need at the time! I also love love rosemary I planted some last full moon and have it at my front door! Lavender is another I really benefit from…

 

[Selenabritt]

Lavender, sage, rosemary, cinnamon and basil are my #1's.

 

[Glinda]

I love rubbing either sage or rosemary on my fingertips. The smell is just delightful

 

[Malcolm]

I am not one for herbs as a rule, but I love history, so I did a bit of research on the humble Bay leaf. In Roman times they had a lovely and wonderful Idea. They took all the educated women who were single and made them vestal virgins, Here the learned many things. How to heal via medicine and herb, how to practice law, poetry, art and music, and lastly how to be a political wife. They used bay leaf as a pain killer, hand fulls of the leaves were dumped onto low burning fires, within the houses of healing. The fumes from this when breathed in took away pain and gave rest. So I had a go myself, I ground up a bay leaf until it was powdery, and put some in with my hand rolled smoke. All I will say is, it works on head aches in seconds, back pain in about a minute, and MS pain in seconds. It is the only one I use, Oh it smells like weed when it burns, and depending on how fine you grind it, you get quite a high as well.

 

[LiathGallese]

On of the interesting things for me, is that by moving to another country, some herbs that were expensive and difficult to find when living in Virginia, USA are now ridiculously easy to find and inexpensive here in my new home. Bay leaves... the hedges of my condominium are the HUGEST old bay plants, and the little old ones here just snap a few when they need them. And they are evergreen..which I hadn't considered before.

Spices I cannot find... allspice and coriander seeds. No clue why these are so hard to find, perhaps I have yet to discover what other name they are known by here.

Living inside history is super odd sometimes. But it does give me a lovely new insight into the history of practices, and a deeper understanding of history itself. I am not a traditionalist, but I think it helps me to understand WHY our ancestors used certain herbs in connection with their environment, so that I can effectively adapt that use to my life. I use far less dried herbs here, because some of the major ones remain through the year on my balcony... rosemary, sage, thyme, marjoram...

 

[Trish Telesco]

surprised about coriander as it is classified as "Italian" ... Allspice appears in far fewer recipes (of which I'm aware). A bay hedge! Call me green with envy. Can I ask what took you abroad?

 

[LiathGallese]

surprised about coriander as it is classified as "Italian" ... Allspice appears in far fewer recipes (of which I'm aware). A bay hedge! Call me green with envy. Can I ask what took you abroad?

I worked with the US govt in Afghanistan for a long period, and I burned out. Badly. But, while there, I worked with the Italian Military, and became very close with some of them. When I chose to build a new life, they welcomed me here, where I teach English for the military. I met my husband here, and after 5 years, I am beginning so put down some roots.

As far as the herbs go... "coriandolo" is most often used in the leafy green form, finding the dried seeds is apparently like finding the holy grail. It is possible that they call the seeds something else, and I just havent figured it out. Like when I needed to find "lard" to help make tacos, it turned out that what I needed is called "strutto"... hahah oh...the crazy hunt for what words mean what!

When we can all travel again, pop on over! There is always room for sisters!

 

[LiathGallese]

surprised about coriander as it is classified as "Italian" ... Allspice appears in far fewer recipes (of which I'm aware). A bay hedge! Call me green with envy. Can I ask what took you abroad?

I found coriander seeds yesterday!!! I was at a crazy little street market that popped up randomly and I wandered in to stand under their tents to get a break from the heat. And the goddess provided!!

 

[Trish Telesco]

Did you buy 10 LOL?

 

[LiathGallese]

Did you buy 10 LOL?

They sold it loose, so I got about a quarter pound.

 

[Oliviya]

This happens around once a month, or whenever I pick up a new herb or spice and begin experimenting with it. However, I believe rosemary has been the most profound.

 

[silverdawn]

my go to is always lavender and cinnamon, closely followed by bay leaves. growing mint from scratch right now, will see how i get on with it in a few months I guess.