Lots of Provençal recipes ask for a good pinch or two of "Herbes de Provence". And Herbes de Provence are one of the most popular souvenirs tourists like to take home. Which makes me kind of sad. Because unless you live in the northern part of Finland or Alaska nothing is easier than producing your very own Herbes de Provence. As far as I am concerned, all you need is a chopping board, a good sharp chef's knife and a handful of thyme and rosemary. Now I do know that the "official" mixture often contains tarragon, sage, fennel, marjoram, oregano and even lavender. But when I look around my garden , the neighboring fields, or when I take a walk in the nearby forest - what grows wild and all over the place? Thyme and rosemary! And do you really think our grandmas went out of their way to search for herbs that didn't grow on their doorstep? I don't think so!
So whenever I need some "Herbes de Provence" I step out of my kitchen door to the "wild" part of the garden, kitchen scissors in hand and cut a branch or two of the wild rosemary and thyme. I strip off the rosemary needles and the tiny little thyme leaves, chop them furiously until powder fine et voilà - deliciously perfumed "Herbes de Provence". And if you have smelled my mixture and then go and smell what is being sold in those pretty little sachets - well I know which mixture I prefer. And if you then also know that most of those herbs originate in Albania, China or North Africa I really don't know what is so "Provençal" about them.....
Herbes de Provence - all you need is
Thym, Rosemary and a good chopping knife
i never buy dried herbs de provence. i use the fresh ones out of my garden. i keep rosemary inside in winter and my sage grows year round. thyme sage and oregano are perennials here. all of the rest grow for three seasons.
ReplyDeleteSmart and easy!
ReplyDeleteI do a similar thing with the herbs that grow easily here, wild dill, parsley, thyme, rosemary, chives...
I dry mine in a paper bag and when dry, I crumble them up and store them for those winter days' soups.
wow, I didn't know these herbes. Must be so tasting!
ReplyDeleteBarbara, I am so glad you explained this. We grow our own herbs and being in Florida, we grow them year round. I never used dried anymore. I think I can smell your cutting board right now. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I tend to zone out when I read something asking for herbes de provence!
ReplyDeleteI feel suddenly feel educated. I have fresh thyme and rosemary. What have I been waiting for!
ReplyDeleteVelva
Like your way, simple, delicious and easy : )
ReplyDeleteWe make our own too from the garden, using basil when it is in season and depending on Mr O is cooking he tosses in sage and oregano- you are right things are always better fresh. The HdP market is scandalous!
ReplyDeleteFresh herbs are always so much better than dried ones that were made on the other side of the world but I never thought to make my own Herbs de Provence. Love this idea and my herbs are going crazy right now. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh to have wild thyme and rosemary growing near by. Living in a semi dessert though there is plenty of sage:D
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to read this. I was going to buy lavender, but everything I have seen/smelled like deodorant. So I stick to the fresh since my neighbor thinned his garden and gifted me pots of rosemary, thyme, mint, and oregano, and Chris for The Cafe showed me how to propagate basil. I have to say that fresh raised my level of cooking considerably.
ReplyDelete