Our June 2000 Meeting: How wonderful to have a meeting in the early summer just to gather, meet with good friends and, of course, feast! Our June meeting at Maddy's greenhouse was our Pot Luck and Plant Swap. After taking a tour of Maddy's lush theme gardens, we were richly awarded with huge amounts of delicious food and great company. After brief discussions of current and coming up herbal goings-on, plants were swapped and members headed home. Our July 10, 2000 topic will be: Rosemary, in Cooking and in Craft Members Jane Workman and Allison Lee will be leading our discussion of this Mediterranean herb. Jane will be recounting the culinary marvels of Rosemary while Allison will share her experiments with Rosemary topiary. If you have Rosemary related ideas, recipes, or notions come prepared to share and add to the discussion. The more we share, the more we know... This month's meeting will be held at the home of Maddy Perron, New Boston, NH. (For directions, refer to your mailed copy of The Herb Connection June 2000 issue or e-mail jill for directions.

Recipes submitted from June Pot-Luck meeting: Tabbouleh- Submitted by Vicky Williams This Issue: Drying Herbs Featured Herb: Bee Balm Other recipes this issue: Lover's Potpourri Oswego Tea Blend Back to Top

Nature, time and patience are the three great physicians.

Drying herbs Many people are confused about what to do with their herbs now that they are up and flourishing. There is something downright magical that occurs when these plants are put into the hands of such wise persons and used in daily life. Questions about when to pick them, how to pick them and how to preserve them can often keep people from doing anything at all. If there is one thing I would like to get across with these newsletters it is to get past those fears and USE THOSE HERBS!!

Pick your herbs when they are the freshest. If the plant looks sickly, dry or otherwise less than optimal, tent to it and pick when it's better. If the plant is thriving then cutting the top third only will assure that the rest of the plant will recover nicely, (although some plants can take more). If you are trying to preserve the flower or bloom of the plant, pick it just before it opens completely as it will continue to open after picked. Picking the plants midmorning just after the dew has evaporated can assure the highest oil content in your plant.

Drying your herbs can be as simple as bunching them in smallish bunches and hanging them in a fairly dark, well ventilated area. These plants should be taken down promptly when dry (several days to a week or two). If you leave them hanging and expect to get a scrumptious product what you may find is unsavory dust filled plant relics. Yuck. Spreading herbs on screens is another useful way to dry them. Your herbs are dry when they crumble like corn flakes.

Take them down and bottle them in glass jars for best flavor retention. (Don't forget to label!) If they feel a bit leathery try popping them in a just warm oven for a minute or two to dry them completely and then bottle. If they are not crispy they may mold. Other ways to dry include oven drying, microwave drying and dehydrators. Use extra caution when using these methods. Too much heat can ruin the entire batch in seconds, turning it tasteless. Remember, light and excess heat are your herbs enemies. Mistakes will teach you for next time. Imagine, by simply drying a few herbs you can enliven winter dishes, make dip mixes, create flavorful teas or romantic potpourris. Each time you open up that carefully preserved jar of fragrant herbs (that no store-bought herb can compare with) you will be reminded of the bounty of your summer garden. Back to Top

Featured Herb

Bee Balm- Monarda didyma Bee Balm also known as Oswego Tea or Bergamot, is a wonderful part of America's history. An American perennial, it is the source of a tea which was a popular substitute for the imported variety amongst the mid-Atlantic patriots in the wake of the Boston Tea Party, after which they aptly named it Liberty Tea! The name Oswego Tea is from the Oswego Indians that introduced this herb to the early settlers. By the 19th century, bergamot tea had become popular in England too where it acquired a reputation as an herb of fertility. It became part of every bride's dowry in hopes that it would prove beneficial to the young mother-to-be. It was also said to be a favorite perfume of Napoleon who included it in his daily toilette, pouring the infusion over his neck after washing. Nowadays herbalists may use it medicinally for an upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting.

Bee Balm is a favorite in the bee and hummingbird garden, with its brightly exploding red blossoms and enticing scent. A rapid spreader, it grows to over three feet high, blooming mid-July. It likes full sun or partial shade and grows with creeping and shallow roots. Other varieties may be pink, purple or even white flowered. Growing tips include dividing Bee Balm every three years and discarding the older middle growth, and cutting it back severely after flowering and destroying the cuttings when faced with powdery mildew, Bee Balm's nemesis.

Lover's Potpourri 1 C. dried bergamot flowers and leaves 3 C. dried rose petals 1 T. orrisroot powder __________________ Put all ingredients in a pretty container by your bed, or use it to fill a sleep pillow. From: The Book of Magical Herbs by Margaret Picton

Oswego Tea may be made with the fresh leaves by simply plucking a few and infusing with liquid but to assure that you have a good supply to last you in later months you'll need to harvest and dry it. To harvest your Bee Balm, strip the leaves from the stems and spread on screens in a warm dry place. The quicker the herb is dried the more flavor it will retain. The flowers may be dried in the same manner. But for a special mid-winter treat, freeze a few Bee Balm blossoms in ice cubes to add to your tasty drink! Resources: The New England Herb Gardener by Patricia Turcotte, The Rodale Herb Book, and Mastering Herbalism by Paul Huson Back to Top

Oswego Tea Blend 1 part Bee Balm leaves and flowers 1 part lemon balm ½ part mint ___________________ For fresh herb use 1-2 T. per cup of water. For dried mix use 1-2 t. per cup of water.

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