I’m a pretty conventional beer drinker - usually I buy whatever’s on special and what is relatively light. But sometimes I like to mix it up and try heavier wheat ales with combinations of sweet flavors, such as raspberries, oranges and lemons.

Herbal combinations can add an interesting flavor-kick to traditional homebrews. Not only will you get added scents and flavors, but also medicinal benefits. For instance, lavender gives an aromatic and relaxing lift to any pint, and rosemary’s sweet flavoring can help sooth your stomach.

Hops are already an herbal staple for any beer recipe, but what about trying a beer brewed with coriander, oats, black currant or coffee? In fact, hops have only been the brewing herb of choice for the last 500 of beer’s more than 4,000-year history.

Photo by onkel wart/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/onkel_wart/

If you’re daring enough, and have more chemistry skills than me, you can even brew your own herbal beer. Use this recipe as a starting off point and make your own unique blend.

Photo by Justin C Lenk/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockymountainman/

Herbal Beer Recipe: 

Nettles and dandelions tend to produce bitter flavors but ginger’s sweetness will help balance the taste. 

• 1 handful fresh nettle tops
• 1 handful dandelion flowers
• 1 ½ pounds sugar
• 2 tablespoons ginger, freshly-grated
• 2 lemons, sliced
• ½ ounce yeast 

1. Add the nettles to a pan. Cover with about 19 cups water, bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes. Strain into a bowl and set aside.

2. Add dandelion flowers to another pan, cover with 19 cups water and boil for 10 minutes. Strain into same bowl as nettles. Stir in sugar and ginger, and mix well.

3. Transfer to a fermenting bucket, arrange lemon slices and scatter yeast on top. Cover and allow to sit over night; strain liquid, bottle and store in a cool, dark place for at least 3 weeks - then bottoms up!

Source: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/brewing/fetch-recipe.php?rid=herb-beer

The perfect mix of seasonings can make all the difference when flavoring any dish. Last night, I made Spicy Sizzling Prawns with Mountain Rose Herbs' new line of Epicurean Organic seasoning blends. I used the Herbs De Provence, a refreshing blend of basil, tarragon, organic marjoram, thyme, lavender and fennel. The distinct aroma of this blend lends a clean flavor to this prawn dish. I also used the West Indies Rub, an exotic blend of ginger, fenugreek, coriander, mustard seed, black pepper, garlic, sea salt and other spices. This blend added a Caribbean spice. Together, the seasonings were a perfect mix for my prawns.

Photo courtesty of C Results Communications

Mountain Rose Herbs also offers a Macadamia Nut Oil, which has a nutty aroma and flavor but it does not overpower your food. I used 3 tablespoons of this oil to cover the bottom of my cooking pan. This oil also tastes great with sundried tomato rolls.

The Epicurean Organics line is Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth and Kosher Certified by Earth Kosher. They are non-GMO, irradiation-free, fairly traded and chemical free. Try these products together to flavor seafood. (I recommend prawns.)

Summertime is the best time for relaxing and having fun in the sun. One of my favorite summertime activities is having a picnic.

Whether it’s a romantic afternoon date or just an afternoon with the girls, a picnic is classic; but picnic food is generally quick and can sometimes lack flavor. It’s time to spice up classic picnic dishes with a variety of herbs! Try these recipes from our July 2006 article Picnic Ideas and Recipes. Also try our Garlic Mayonnaise and our Herb Fried Chicken.

Iced Herb Gazpacho

This healthy, easy summer recipe is best when it’s made from garden-fresh ingredients. Chill for at least an hour or two before serving.

• 6 large tomatoes
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 3 sprigs basil leaves
• 3 sprigs cilantro leaves
• 3 sprigs parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper

1. In a food-processor bowl, roughly purée the tomatoes, garlic, cucumber, red pepper flakes, vinegar and oil.

2. Add scallions and herbs, then pulse just until they’re chopped. (If you let the machine run, you’ll end up with a brownish mess.)

3. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. If possible, chill overnight before serving so the flavors can blend.

Photo by Norma Desmond/ Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dramaqueennorma/

Fresh Tarragon Potato Salad

Redolent with fresh garlic and tarragon, this unusual blend adds a touch of country French to an American picnic table. Substitute fresh dill or cilantro if you don’t like tarragon.

• 4 large russet potatoes
• Apple cider vinegar
• 1 batch Garlic Mayonnaise, or to taste
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup whole fresh tarragon leaves, stripped from stems
• 1 red onion or several scallions, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook and peel the potatoes. Dice them when they’re nearly cooled and douse them liberally with apple cider vinegar. (Pouring on vinegar while the potatoes are still warm allows the vinegar to soak in.)

2. Add Garlic Mayo, fresh tarragon, chopped onion and salt and pepper.

3. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate over-night to allow flavors to blend.

Chocolate-Peppermint Fudge

Peppermint is the only mint with enough oomph to stand up to chocolate. Use fresh-chopped peppermint leaves or, in a pinch, substitute store-bought peppermint extract. Making this in a small-capacity slow cooker is a foolproof way to melt the chocolate.

• 3 cups chocolate chips
• ¼ cup butter (½ stick)
• 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup fresh peppermint leaves, chopped

1. In the crock of a small slow cooker, melt chocolate, butter and condensed milk on the low setting. Check and stir from time to time until all chocolate is melted and smooth.

2. Gently stir in walnuts and peppermint leaves. (The peppermint must be completely dry when you drop it into the chocolate.)

3. Pour the mix into a 9-by-9-inch baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Place the pan in the refrigerator until hard, then remove and pull fudge out by tugging gently on aluminum foil. Invert fudgeon a wooden cutting board or counter and gently peel off aluminum foil.

4. Cut the fudge using a 10-inch chef’s knife with blade heated under hot running water.

So grab a basket full of these goodies and head to your favorite park or beach for a tasty afternoon! Leave a comment and let me know what kinds of recipes you prepare for your picnic!

Nearly every morning my day begins with a stop at Starbucks to fuel my java addiction. Sometimes I just don’t have time to brew my own coffee. More often though, I crave a more flavorful cup of joe than what drips out of my Mr. Coffee.

But the price of those grande vanilla lattes is starting to add up – and I’m feeling the pinch. With a little extra time I can create my own aromatic, flavorful coffee brew to get my morning fix. Check out these tips on how to make your own coffee.

Photo By tonx/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonx/

How to Roast your Own Coffee 

All you need to roast your own coffee is green coffee beans and an oven. Purchase green coffee beans here.

Yields ½ cup roasted beans

• ½ cup green coffee beans

1. Spread coffee beans evenly in one layer in a cake pan. Roast for 15 minutes

2. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

3. Store cooled roasted beans in an airtight container for up to a week, or longer in the freezer. Or grind beans with a coffee grinder and brew some coffee immediately!

How to Steam your Own Milk

If you’re craving a latte, follow these steps to steam your own milk. Add a couple of tablespoons of flavored syrup for a special treat.

• 1 cup milk

1. Heat milk in a saucepan on the stove or microwave it in a glass container until hot, but not simmering or boiling. (Microwave time is about 20 seconds.)

2. Pour hot milk into a blender and hold the lid on tightly with a kitchen towel. Blend on high for 45 seconds.

3. Pour into a mug or to-go tumbler.

How to Herbal-ize your Coffee

In her weekly calendar, All About Thyme, Susan Wittig Albert gives some tips on how to kick up your coffee.

• For a mint-flavored mocha, add 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves (powdered) and 2/3 cup non-dairy creamer to a cup of coffee.

• For an orange-mocha treat, add 1¼ teaspoon crushed dried crushed orange peel, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of cloves to a cup of coffee.

Not into coffee? Try these herbal coffee alternatives.

Do you have any tips for first time coffee roasters? How about other ways to herbal-ize coffee? Tell me about them in the comments section.

References:

The Frugal Foodie Cookbook: Waste-Not Recipes for the Wise Cook (Viva Editions, 2009) by Lara Starr and Lynette Shirk

Photo by Katrina Hall/www.shesinthekitchen.blogspot.com

Since my internship with The Herb Companion began, I’ve sought out new ways to incorporate herbs into my daily routine. Learning new recipes and adding herbs to my favorite recipes was a great first step and easy to do.

A week ago I came across Organic and Chic (HarperCollins Publishers, 2009) by Sarah Magid at my local bookstore—a bake book filled with 60 yummy, organic recipes. Although I’m still in the "undercooked or burnt phase" of baking Magid’s recipes, I am enjoying the process of making organic treats with the herbs from my backyard. My favorite recipe is Minty Strawberry Shortcakes (see below). The recipe is an easy summer treat and most of the ingredients can be found at your local farmer’s market. 
 
Magid and her husband are teaching and raising their two young children to love cooking and baking. One of my favorite sections is the children’s goodies section because the recipes are easy to make and they introduce children to the baking process. 

Check out my chat with Sarah Magid!
 
Q: What's your favorite recipe in the book?
A: It’s a tie between the Goldies and Crisp, Crumbly Shortbread. I make the Goldies so much—they are so easy. The shortbread is a great excuse to create new flavors with herbs that are in season.

Q: Why do you choose to use organic ingredients in your cooking?
A: Organic is important to me because of the quality and purity that is inherent—no hormones, no GMOs, no pesticides, etc. I am a mom of two, so besides worrying about what I eat I think about my kid's growing bodies and I want to make sure they have what is best for them.

Q: What herbs and/or vegetables do you grow in your yard?
A: Right now (in my NYC apartment window!)  I have lots of herbs—such as rosemary, oregano, thyme and basil—and some that my son picked out to make summer drinks with—lemon verbena, pineapple sage and rose geranium.

Q: What's your favorite herb to cook with or incorporate into your baking?
A: I love lavender, it is perfumed and tastes amazing in cookies. I also love rosemary because it can be added to my lemon cake and it gives the dish a new flavor.

Q: When it comes to cooking, what's your motto?
A: Fresh, farmers market, simple.

Q: What advice would you give people who are just starting to cook or bake?
A: Keep it simple and try to have fun!

Minty Strawberry Shortcakes

Makes 12 shortcakes

Shortcakes
• 2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
• ¼ cup organic cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ sticks (3/4 cup) organic unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
• ½ cup organic buttermilk
• ½ cup organic heavy cream, plus more for brushing
• 2 teaspoons grated organic lemon zest
• Organic raw sugar, for sprinkling

Strawberries
• 3 pints farm-fresh organic strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh organic mint
• ¼ cup organic cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh organic lemon juice (use the lemon you zested for the shortcakes)

Vanilla Whipped Cream
• 1 pint organic heavy cream
• 1/3 cup organic powdered sugar, sifted
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract

1. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to combine.

2. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, pulsing on and off until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. This should take 20 to 40 seconds. Dump this mixture into a large bowl and set it aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cream, and lemon zest. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture, stirring with a fork just until a dough forms.

4. Lightly flour a work surface. Gently knead the dough on the floured surface a few times, until all the ingredients are combined. Form it into a disk. Place the disk on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly sprinkle the disk with flour, and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough to 3⁄4- inch thickness. Let the dough chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Using 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutters, cut out the shortcakes as close together as possible, so that you’re using almost all the dough. Place the heart shapes at least 1½ inches apart on a baking sheet. Brush with cream and sprinkle with raw sugar for sparkle. Reroll the scraps, following the directions until all the dough is used up.

7. Bake the shortcakes until they are pale brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to place them on a wire cooling rack.

8. While the shortcakes are cooling, combine all the strawberry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Let stand for about 30 minutes, until the strawberry juices come out. (You may need to drain the mixture before placing it on the shortcakes.)

9. When you are ready to assemble the shortcakes, chill the metal bowl for a standing mixer (or if you’re using a hand mixer, a stainless-steel bowl) for about 10 minutes in the freezer. Pour the cream into the chilled bowl and beat with the whisk attachment on low speed, gradually increasing to high speed as the cream thickens. Slowly pour in the powdered sugar, and when the cream has thickened, add the pinch of salt and the vanilla. Continue beating until fully whipped.

10. To assemble, slice the cooled shortcakes in half and arrange them on individual plates. Spoon ¼ cup or more of the strawberry-mint mixture onto the shortcake bottoms, and finish with a dollop of Vanilla Whipped Cream. Place the other halves of the shortcakes on top and devour!

It’s time to stop going out for lunch and start brown-baggin’ it. Lara Starr and Lynette Shirk offer this advice in their new book, The Frugal Foodie Cookbook: Waste-Not Recipes for the Wise Cook (Viva Editions, 2009). Flipping through pages and pages of money-saving recipes, I realized this is just the book for me. I’m young, lazy and I continually forget to pack a lunch for work. Now, more than ever, is the time to really start saving money. I just graduated college and I need those extra dollars to get by. The problem is that I’m so sick of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but that’s all I have time to make in morning (my lunch is prepared five minutes before I rush out the door).

Photo courtesy of Viva Editions

The Frugal Foodie Cookbook is a great source for delicious, herb-infused recipes. Try this recipe for Roasted Garlic, Spinach, and Feta Pizza.

• 1 whole head of garlic, unpeeled
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ large red onion, very finely minced
• 1 pound fresh spinach, washed, stemmed, and chopped
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ pound feta cheese, crumbled

* Roast the garlic before baking the pizza dough 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut off the top of the head of garlic about ¼ inch from the top, exposing most of the cloves. Place garlic on a square of aluminum foil and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Wrap the foil around the garlic, covering completely. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until soft to the touch. Let the bulb cool, then squeeze the soft garlic into a small bowl.

Make the Sauce

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, lidded skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spinach, cover the pan, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until wilted. Stir in the vinegar and salt. Cook uncovered, stirring, for about 2 minutes more. If the spinach is very wet, transfer to a mesh strainer and press with a wooden spoon to remove excess liquid.

2. Brush the prebaked pizza crust with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread the roasted garlic over the olive oil. Add the spinach in an even layer and top with the crumbled cheese. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes.

Last summer I finally found a recipe to mix up my usual warm weather menu of “everything but the kitchen sink” pasta salads. Thank God for mothers—if my mom hadn’t cooked this for me when I was visiting her, I probably never would have tried to cook it myself.

I am now a huge fan of soba noodles and sesame oil, and with good reason. Both of these key ingredients are packed full of nutrients that can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar.

Buckwheat, which makes up 80 percent of soba noodles, contains the compound rutin (a powerful flavanoid), plenty of protein and essential amino acids.

I usually use low-sodium soy sauce with the recipe so that the salt doesn’t overwhelm the taste or negate the health benefits. I love the unique flavors of this recipe: the sweet honey, the bitter vinegar and the nutty soba noodles. It can be served at whatever temperature suits your fancy, although I like it a little chilled to battle the summer heat.

Photo by Rubber Slippers in Italy/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rubber_slippers_in_italy/

Soba/Buckwheat Noodles with Cashews and Greens

Serves 2

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 4 ounces uncooked soba/buckwheat noodles
• 1 (10 ounce) package spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup cooked chicken breast, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews, or another favorite nut

1. Place honey in small bowl; add vinegar and soy sauce; stir until honey dissolves.

2. Boil pot of water, add noodles and cook until tender (about 4 minutes).

3. Place prepared greens in medium-large, microwave-safe bowl

4. Drain noodles and immediately add them to the greens in the bowl. Add the sesame oil and garlic, and mix with a fork, bringing the greens up from the bottom so that they will wilt on contact.

5. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for one minute to further wilt the greens. Add the honey mixture. Stir with a fork and add salt to taste.

6. Sprinkle the top with chicken, if desired, and nuts. Enjoy!

I don’t know if olives can be considered a condiment, but I sure use them like one. They come second only to salt as my preferred meal additive. Not only are olives tasty but they’re a staple of the famously healthy Mediterranean diet. I put them on almost everything I eat from burgers to eggs.

That’s why I love antipasto, the ever-present appetizer at Genovese, which is a locally owned Italian restaurant in Lawrence, Kansas, and one of my favorite places to eat. A bowl filled with olives and other veggies coated in a white vinaigrette is always within reach. I can make an entire meal out of a little dish filled with this antipasto and some of their rosemary flatbread.

Although I’ll probably never make this at home, as I don’t have the culinary skills, I asked Genovese’s executive chef and co-owner, Armando Paniagua for his recipe. I was amazed at how many different fresh, herbal ingredients are in this seemingly simple appetizer.

Photo by Ariel Tilson

Genovese’s Antipasto

Serves 1 to 2

Vinaigrette Ingredients

• 3 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole star anise
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon peppercorn
• ½ tablespoon whole allspice
• Chile flakes to taste

Vegetable Ingredients

• ½ cup diced carrots
• ½ cup diced green beans
• ½ cup diced fennel

Remaining Ingredients

• 3 cups olives, any kind you like
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Fresh rosemary to taste
• Lemon zest from one lemon

1. Combine vinaigrette ingredients in medium pot and bring to boil. Add vegetable ingredients to pot; cover and cook for 3 minutes.

2. Put pot in ice water to cool. Once it’s cooled, drain the vegetables and add olives, olive oil, rosemary and lemon zest.

Katrina Hall is a cook, foodblogger, photographer and passionate herb lover. You can find her blog at: http://shesinthekitchen.blogspot.com. 

Smooth, tangy, full of flavor, it just takes a few minutes to whip this up for spreading on focaccia or roasted chicken. It's wonderful for sandwiches, as well as swirled into soups, or served with a fresh vegetable platter for appetizers.

Photo by Katrina Hall/www.shesinthekitchen.blogspot.com

• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tablespoon dried tarragon (the dried is stronger, if you use fresh, use twice as much)
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper (to taste)

1. In a mixer bowl, combine ingredients and mix well until blended and creamy. Taste carefully, as it often needs salt. 

2. Pack in containers and place in fridge until needed. I also usually keep a small amount frozen—just in case.

When cooking, I never use herbs as the heart of a dish. A sprinkling of basil or parsley can add that extra zing of flavor that pushes a meal from blah to delish, so I have never considered using herbs as more than ingredients. But they can be!

Because it's summertime, I crave cool, refreshing salads. For your next meal, rather than falling back on the standard lettuce-tomato-cucumber salad, skip the lettuce and use fresh herbs instead. Try this mouth-watering mushroom and fresh herb salad, from The New York Times, which is rich in vitamins, beneficial flavonoids and volatile elements. The recipe uses "sweet- and sharp-tasting herbs, such as tarragon, chervil, parsley, wild arugula and dill."

(Read The New York Time's "A Focus on Fresh Herbs")

Try combining fresh herbs with mixed greens like in our Herb Companion recipe for a fresh herb and flower salad.

Photo by Vigilant20/Courtesy Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/lynnszwalkiewicz/

Wild Spring Herb and Flower Salad

Serves 4

• 1/2 head romaine lettuce, washed, patted dry, and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 head red leaf lettuce, washed, patted dry, and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup sweet violet flowers (Viola spp., the common wild perennial)
• 1/3 cup unsprayed sweet violet leaves, stems removed
• 12 small young yarrow leaves
• 1/4 cup arugula flowers or 8 arugula leaves
• 1/4 cup organic dandelion leaves, picked before flowering
• 12 tips each of two mild herbs, such as dill and lemon balm
• 3 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. In a large bowl, toss all the greens and herbs with the olive oil. Drizzle the rice wine vinegar over the greens and serve with salt and pepper on the side.

Not only do herb salads make for a refreshing change, but they also offer health benefits. The dark green color of fresh herbs indicates their high nutrition value. For example, parsley is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and iron, while basil packs a punch with vitamin A, vitamin K, iron and calcium.

Do you have a delicious (and nutritious) herb salad recipe? What herbs do you think would make the best salads? Leave me a comment and let me know!

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! On Sunday, July 19 I’m going to enjoy a few scoops of ice cream because it’s National Ice Cream Day. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day, according to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).

On the 19th, I plan on having a few scoops (or maybe 10) in honor of this special event. This day is also a perfect opportunity to throw an ice cream party.

Photo by Kevin D Weeks/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68188294@N00

A family friend used to throw annual ice cream parties in Taos, New Mexico. She made gallons of homemade ice cream, which is about as good as it gets when you’re 12 years old, provided hot fudge and caramel sauce, and asked everyone else to bring a special topping. My family brought chocolate sprinkles but the more creative guests would bring spicebush berries, chopped fresh lavender blossoms, blackberries, strawberries and more. My favorite topping involved crushed biscochitos. Biscochitos are the state cookie in New Mexico and they’re made with anise seed, cinnamon and sugar.

If you want to make your own ice cream this month, try this classic recipe.

French Vanilla Ice Cream  

Makes 1 quart

This basic recipe is rich but not overpowering. It makes a wonderful foundation for all of the herbal ice creams listed here, and you can also use it to develop your own ice cream creations, herbal or otherwise.

• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan or double boiler over medium-low heat, stir and heat the cream, milk, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly. While whisking, pour 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the bowl, then pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon (don’t let the mixture boil; it could curdle) for about 8 minutes, or until it begins to thicken and coats the spoon. To test for doneness, dip a metal spoon into the mixture and run your finger across the back. The custard is done when your finger leaves a clear, clean trail. A candy thermometer should read 175° to 180°F.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Use the prepared base in one of the following recipes, or enjoy it frozen as is, garnished with edible flowers.

For more recipes, try Chocolate-Mint Ice Cream, Rose Ice Cream and Lavender Ice Cream.

With summer underway, I’m looking forward to some delicious food hot off the grill. Herbs can spice up any meal, but some work particularly well with grilled food. Here are the best herbs for your grilling recipes.

Lemon Thyme

This tangy herb goes well with chicken or pork, but tastes especially delicious with vegetables. Try this recipe for delicious Lemony Asparagus.

• Heavy-duty aluminum foil
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 pound asparagus, ends snipped
• 2 teaspoons lemon thyme
• 2 teaspoons lemon basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter

1. Spray two sheets of foil with cooking spray. Add half the asparagus to each sheet. Blend herbs and divide between asparagus packets. Add 1 tablespoon butter to each packet.

2. Fold foil over, lengthwise, pressing both sides together and fold over. Fold and seal each end. Repeat with second packet.

3. Grill over indirect heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once. Open carefully — the steam will be hot!

Photo by woodleywonderworks/Courtesy Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/

Rosemary

Rosemary has a pine-like, rich taste that combines well with pork, chicken or potatoes. I love grilled food as a healthier alternative to pan cooking or frying, but as a novice griller I need easy recipes. Try this easy grilling recipe for Rosemary New Potatoes.

• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Fresh pepper
• 20 small, whole new potatoes
• Skewers

1. Mix the first four ingredients and toss with potatoes.

2. Skewer potatoes and grill for 25 minutes, turning occasionally and basting with olive oil mixture.

Tarragon

With its sweet flavor, tarragon goes well with fish, turkey and chicken. Add this tarragon mustard to a grilled chicken sandwich for a tasty lunch.

• 1/4 cup black mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup dry powdered mustard
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1. Mix mustard seeds, powdered mustard, and water in the upper pan of a noncorrodible double boiler. Let stand at least three hours.

2. In another noncorrodible sauce­pan, mix the wine, vinegar, tarragon, and allspice and bring to a boil. Strain the liquid into the mustard mixture and blend well.

3. In the lower pan of the double boiler, heat water to boiling, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Place the upper pan, containing the mustard mixture, on top. Cook, stirring, until the mustard is as thick as you like. It will thicken a bit more as it cools. Cover and refrigerate.

Dill

The smoky flavor of dill tastes great with grilled fish, chicken or pork. When grilling with dill, marinate the meat with dill leaf, then put three or four dried dill heads and stalks on the fire just before you’re ready to grill.

What herbs do you like to use when grilling? Leave a comment and let me know!