The beauty, fragrance, and usefulness of herbs earn them a spot in every garden. A healthful source of seasoning for your table. Herbs are easy to care for and take up little space in a garden. My commonly meditaranean home grown herbs are: thyme, rosemary, lavender, oregano, marjoram, sage, dill, lemongrass, mint, basil, coriander, parsley, and laural.

Lavender:

Mint:

Oregano:

Marjoram:

One of the oldest types of gardens consisted of mixing vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers all in one area. The mixture of these several colors and fragrances filled every season and kept the garden fruitful all year round. There is always a new surprise blooming which we can enjoy and later on use and preserve.

A kitchen garden of these days is updated, it borrows from the past and adds to the original one new plants and designs. There are no rules regarding layout, it is up to every individual’s taste.

To each season its chores. The settled oil from the October harvest needed to be checked this month of May and needed to be transferred from one container to another in order for the setted residue to be cleaned.

Cleaning process:

Furthermore, the crushed grapes from October is now fermented into vinegar and ready to be filled in bottles for later use.

vineger process:

The vineger is thick and concentrated at this stage and needs a couple of weeks to settle.

Knowing when to harvest the herbs is essential, this usually occurs just as the flowers are about to open; preferably in May as I did.

– cut the herb

– give it a clean wash

– dry them on towels

– make them into small bundles

– hang them upside down in a dry dark place

if bundled cannot be made, they can be dried flat on a clean screen. Once the herbs are dry, strip the leaves from the stem, the leaves will store best and retain their flavor if they are left unbroken until needed.

essential tip: do not store unless the herb is completely dry. Best store in a dark and cool location.

when you need a sprig of any of them, the pleasure you get by picking will measure to none.

As I was busy since early morning with sorting the herbs, I was wondering what to prepare for lunch. I heard the fish monger calling out, so I picked some for grilling. As I placed the fish into the oven, I made this particular type of tabbouleh that is made with rose petals ورد الجوري, the main ingredient and it only comes out in May. Meanwhile, my radio was broadcasting a lovely song, I put the volume on high to enhance a jolly mood so that all was working together in a positive and blessed attitude. This is a very old and traditional recipe in my family and I would like to share it with you.

Ingredients:

– rose petals ورد الجوري

– parsley mint

– green onion

– lentils, soaked for 24 hrs

– salt

– pepper

– lemon juice

– olive oil

To be eaten with nelwy harvested vine leaves

“I have always had work for my hands to do, so much in a day I could hardly get through, but I carried it with poise though I was not wearing a crown, I held my head high never with a frown, and when the sun finally decided to come down, I was surrounded by my family and that was my CROWN.” Karen Rusell

with love, Jahna