Herbs are quite easy and inexpensive to grown, so you might consider
adding some to your garden. All they need, generally, is good
sunlight and water. Herbs also grow well in boxes or pots, on porches
or window sills. Having fresh clippings of herbs at your fingertips
can be addicting and inspiring to the home cook.

Fresh herbs are preferable in cooking to dried herbs. They have a more
pleasing texture and aroma; moreover mush of an herb's distinctive
flavor is concentrated in the oils in the leaves, which are often
lost in drying. When a recipe calls for a fresh herb that you don't
have, you are often better off using another fresh herb, even
parsley, rather than using dried herbs, but dried herbs can be used
in a pinch.

When using fresh herbs, add them at the end of a recipe so their
flavor will be freshest and most aromatic. Using a fresh herb early
in cooking can add depth of flavor, but stir in a little of the
freshly chopped herb at the end to accentuate the flavor.

Chopping: ~ Small-Leafed Herbs (like thyme) seldom need chopping;
simply strip leaves from the stems and use. ~ Flat-Leafed Herbs
(basil, mint, sorrel) should be stacked and cut across into thin
strips; to finely chop, cut across the strips into tiny bits. - Other
Herbs (like rosemary or curly parsley): to chop these, put the sprigs
in a small pile on the chopping board and chop across the pile. Then
rotate the pile of herbs with your hand and chop across again;
continue until the herbs are chopped as desired.

* Always remove herb sprigs from the stem before chopping. * Use a
large, sharp chef's knife for chopping, not a small paring knife.

Simply Seafood Spring 1995