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Rosemary grows on the steep coastal cliffs of Italy, France and Spain and adjacent islands. According to a Greek legend, rosemary originated after Leukothoe, the daughter of Persian king Orchamos, had a forbidden tryst with Helios. When Leukotheo’s father found out about the affair he was so angry that he buried her alive. The sun god then commanded that a rosemary bush grow from her grave. The bush was to remain eternally green and fragrant.
During the Middle Ages rosemary was used to treat the plague, obesity, coughing and age-related memory loss. It has now been proven that rosemary can heal the plague and is effective in treating spiritual and bodily exhaustion.
The typical spice taste
Rosemary is an indispensable part of French and Italian cuisines. It goes well with meat and roast fish as well as with soups and sauces. Rosemary gives dishes a bitter-herb, spicy and resinous taste and is simply mandatory for many Mediterranean dishes.
Rosemary is one of the few herbs that taste more aromatic when dried than fresh. But it has to be black and stored in an air-tight container. As many small twigs as possible should be selected and dried.
Whole twigs are used in cooking and are removed before the dish is served. Rosemary twigs placed in oil are used to add a spicy aroma to roasts and grilled meats. The twigs also give food a typical rosemary taste. And do not worry about the needles. They will not bother you when enjoying the meal.
Rosemary should be used sparingly, because its herbal taste can easily drown out the other complements.
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