Paging Dr. Greenthumb

By Warren Rojas

The Beginner’s Guide to Edible Herbs

All that stands between you and a dramatically more flavorful existence is a few strategic prunings.

At least that’s how gardening guru Charles W. G. Smith makes it sound in his welcoming-nature-to-your-table tutorial, “The Beginner’s Guide to Edible Herbs.”

Along the way, Smith maps out the functionality of over two dozen fairly common cooking aids—from anise hyssop (good in purgative teas) to tarragon (a must-have for homemade mustards)—offers invaluable planting tips (provides an herb yield cheat sheet for first-timers; seeds every entry with growing tips and potential food pairings) and delves into herb arcana (borage is a cross-pollination boon; rubbing fresh basil on insect bites neutralizes itching).

He’s also a firm believer in mixing herbs and vegetables, noting that certain planter buddies—chives stoke carrot growth, parsley plays well with asparagus, and “marjoram appears to have a beneficial effect on the flavor and growth of just about any garden plant it abuts”—get along famously.

Noteworthy recipes include: mushroom ketchup, chive blossom vinegar, fresh fennel and sausage ziti (provides a double-shot of the seductive herb), homemade seasoned salt (spiked with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme), minted chocolate sauce, béarnaise butter and frosted lavender sticks (rolled in sugar).

“The Beginner’s Guide to Edible Herbs.” Charles W. G. Smith. Storey Publishing, 152 pgs., $12.95

(June 2010)