Herbs For Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the holiday of aroma. I don't think there's any other time so strongly associated with sweet and savory smells wafting from the kitchen. An integral part of this is the flavor of parsley, sage, and rosemary - the holiday seasoning trio.

All three of these herbs are easy to grow in pots or in the ground. Choose a place that has at least four hours of sun. Sage and rosemary are perennials so plant them where they'll have room to grow. Parsley should be treated as an annual and replanted each spring.

To use these herbs in the kitchen you can clip them just before they are needed for maximal flavor. Since all three are tolerant of light frost, they'll be around during the holiday season. Clip, rinse, chop, and add to foods - it's that easy.

You can also dry these herbs for later use. Spread the rinsed stems on a kitchen towel and let dry for 1-2 weeks, stirring occasionally to help them dry evenly. Once crackly you can remove the leaves from the stems and store the leaves in an airtight jar.

Here's a simple seasoning mix made from these three herbs plus ground black pepper:

• 1 cup dried parsley
• 1/2 cup dried sage, rubbed fine
• 1/4 cup dried rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

You can use this to season a roast or turkey. It can be added to commercial stuffing mixes to enhance the flavor. A tablespoon of this mixture combined with 8 tablespoons butter and chilled will provide a great seasoned butter to put on rolls or steamed vegetables. Whichever way you use it will add to the pleasant aromas of the season. Happy holidays to you!

Ann McCormick, the Herb 'n Cowgirl
If you enjoy herbs, you'll want to meet Ann McCormick, the Herb 'n Cowgirl. A life-long herb gardener, she has spent the last eight years devoted to writing and speaking about her favorite subject. Ann regularly contributes articles to Neil Sperry's GARDENS and Texas Gardener. The Herb 'n Cowgirl shares her gardening techniques with audiences at garden shows, herb conferences, garden clubs, and as an occasional guest on cable television. Find out more about the Herb 'n Cowgirl at www.ann-mccormick.com.