Fresh italian herbs are a good help in the kitchen. They can make our plate much more tasty and they can make better something that we don’t like too. The Fresh herbs have a special smell to help the aroma of food. In Italy is very common have a balcony and every good family’s Cook has his Fresh Italian Herbs.
My Dad was usually starting to put the Herbs in the Spring time because the nice weather helps to grow fast and they can stay good all summer with the help of much water.
It is so nice when your recipe requests, for example, ” Basil” and you can run to your balcony and put on some fresh.
The most used Fresh italian herbs are:

  • basil
  • oregano
  • parsley
  • mint
  • rosemary
  • thymo

Basil

Basil aromatic herb

Basil is one most famous herb. The most common use is on the top of a good plate of Spaghetti with Tomato sauce or on the top of good pizza Margherita. It is common to use in the soups too but a famous recipe is Pesto alla Genovese because it is a known souce where the main ingredient is Fresh Basil.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pesto)

Oregano

Oregano aromatic herb

Oregano is very common to use it dry, but if you have it fresh it also makes good use of it. I put it everywhere, on tomatoes, sauces, pizza, focaccia but also to give flavor meat and fish. You also can use it for soups because it is delicate flavor makes easy to add to the recipes.
I always remember when my mom was bringing at home big bunch of fresh oregano, she was putting around big newspaper and she was leaving dry on the balcony. In few weeks you could start to smell one of the most beautiful perfume.

https://www.wikihow.com/Dry-Oregano

Parsley

Parsley aromatic herb

Parsley is an herb easy to find in our market. In Italy we have a common sentence ” tu sei come prezzemolino in ogni minestra” ” you are like little Parsley in every soup”. We say to a person that wants to be every where and in every discussion. This means that the Parsley is used every soup or can be used in many dishes vegetables or fish. I can’t cook a fresh fish without having a fresh Italian Parsley.

Which is the difference between Italian Parsley and Curley Parsley?
Curly parsley can be less tough and better suited to fine-chopping, the flat parsley Italian style has a robust taste that’s more ideal for flavoring.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/parsley-benefits

Mint

Mint aromatic herb

Mint is one of herbs that is much used for cooking and for drinks too. His Fresh flavor makes great benefits, helps digest and stomach problems.
I remember when i was child,one of my favorite summer drink was water with Mint flavor because it was fresh and sweet. Now I still love the famous Italian “Granita” with Mint flavor. This herb is much used for cooking too you can put in delicious fried or roasted vegetables or in the top of delicious fresh fish.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentha

Rosemary

Rosemary

Rosemary is one the most used in the kitchen. The best is to a have a fresh plant on the balcony but if you don’t have it is good to buy fresh and save in wet paper for 4 or 5 days. I use Rosemary much with meat and fish. One of the best use is when I make the marinating of meat before to grill. I put meat in a bowl with Rosemary, olive oil and lemon or white wine and I leave for on hour. I love to use the Rosemary when I make Focaccia Bread too. An other way to use is also in the drink like tea or cocktail.

https://www.wikihow.com/Store-Fresh-Rosemary

Thyme

Thyme aromatic herb

Thyme is the plant botanically known by the name of Thymus vulgaris. It is a shrub of small size and green-gray and rather small leaves, with an intense small, especially by rubbing them between the hands. Thyme blooms between spring and summer. It is one of less know Fresh italian herbs. The use of thyme is particularly used for the treatment of diseases affecting the respiratory tract. There are many varieties of thyme, some are characterized by a lemon aroma. Thyme can be combined with many different type of food in particular meat and fish. it is also used in soup or vegetable and legumes. I use to decorate my plate too, his small leaves and his smell make perfect combination.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymus_vulgaris

continue to look this website : https://momcooksitalian.com/category/history-italian-food/