Saturday 20 April 2013

A-Z Challenge -- "R"


Well, Hello there!!! I am so pleased that you stopped by  to visit!
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    For the past many years I have had an interest...no, make that a fascination with herbs, spices and seasonings. - About how they were used by our ancestors centuries ago for a variety of ailments, and how they are used today to enhance your favorite recipe.

With this in mind I am attempting to present a different herb, spice or seasoning  for each day of the  A-Z Challenge. Please drop by often and perhaps we both will learn something new.

Learn more about these terms

                  "R" is for Rosemary

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Other "R" contenders were Red Pepper Flakes, Ramsons ( wild garlic), Rue(a hardy plant from Southern Europe-used for medicinal purposes). The latter two I never heard of before. But the herb that is quickly becoming one of my "fab five favorites" is

ROSEMARY
(bbcgoodfood.com)

Rosemary is one of those wonderful herbs that makes a beautiful ornamental plant as well as a welcome culinary seasoning. Its Latin name, Rosmarinus officinalis, means "dew of the sea" and rosemary is most closely associated with the cooking of the Mediterranean area. However you don't need perfect sunshine, sea mist or even a never ending summer to successfully grow rosemary. In fact, more rosemary plants suffer from too much attention than from too little.

                                                                         
The leaves and flowers of rosemary can be used in many different dishes; here are just a few ideas to whet your appetite. However, remember that rosemary has quite a strong flavour so you don't need to add very much even in dishes that are slow cooked.
The flowers can be used in desserts eg.sprinkled over ice cream or mousses.
Rosemary blends especially well with oranges but also other fruits. An orange fool flavoured with rosemary is lovely.
Use sprigs for roasting, grilling or on the barbeque.
Another combination for lamb is to mix rosemary leaves with orange to create a glaze but some people may find this a bit too sweet.
The fresh shoots can be used to flavour olive oil or milk/cream or syrup to be used in puddings. Also delicious added to lemonade and other summer drinks.
Onions roasted with rosemary and made into a sauce is also tasty.
You can make rosemary flavoured oil or vinegars.


Medicinal Uses:


Rosemary  is used in many different ways, both internally and externally on the body. It is the pine-like green leaves of the plant that are used.
Scientific research has been done and suggests that Rosemary’s seemingly infinite healing applications may be used for such diseases as Alzheimer’s, Cancer, Circulatory Problems, Eczema, Indigestion, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Menstrual Cramps, and Yeast Infection.


(www.ecurry.com)
The herb can be very effective in bringing a feeling of well-being and increase in energy.
It is known as an antidepressant and a soothing tonic for the nerves, which makes it excellent for people who deal with anxiety, depression, and related conditions (such as migraines which are associated with nervousness and tension)
 Some people take Rosemary essential oil with them when they travel, and use it frequently on the bottoms of their  feet and other points of the body to support the immune system, and to put the body and emotions in a state of ease.

Sources:
http://madeleineg.hubpages.com


Disclaimer

The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.    *The medicinal usages are for informational and educational purposes only*
                                      





25 comments:

  1. I really liked the roasted onions with rosemary idea. By coincidence, someone gave me fresh rosemary a few days ago, and I didn't know what to do with it. I use dried rosemary and powdered, but the leaves in the fresh sprigs were so big... I was like "It's a friggin' pine tree!"
    New follower; thanks for the tip! :-)

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    1. haha... I know what you mean. Sometimes I have even chopped them up a bit... still same flavor. (not pine lol)

      Patricia, Sugar & Spice & All Things ? Nice

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  2. I guess I know what I'll be taking with me on our next trip, or even just around the house...to get me through the rest of the A to Z Blogging Challenge! lol
    http://oaklawnimages.blogspot.ca/2013/04/a-to-z-blogging-challenge-2013-r.html

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    1. Me too,Kathy. I could use a plant a day to keep my memory intact.... but that's another story. !!!

      Patricia, Sugar & Spice & All Things ? Nice

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  3. Love your theme! I cook a lot with dried rosemary but recently started a garden patch. Did not know the flowers were edible! Just saying 'hi' in the big A-Z.

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  4. Patricia, I am so glad you stopped by my blog and left a comment so I could find you. Your Challenge theme is awesome! I'm also fascinated by herbs and had a wonderful herb garden at my previous home. I miss it so much! And I did grow rosemary. Now I want to browse through your previous posts!

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  5. I love your theme. I find it fascinating that there are so many herbs and spices that are natural remedies. People who have that kind of knowledge about what tree or bush or herb does what, amaze me.

    Have fun with a-z. :)

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    1. Thanks for dropping by,Jessica. It's the people who lived in the years BG (Before Google) that amaze me. What a wondrous amt. of knowledge they passed on to us.Patricia, Sugar & Spice & All Things ? Nice



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  6. I absolutely love rosemary! thanks for giving such a detailed blog about this wonderful herb. I have learned a lot from your blog!

    visiting from A~Z

    http://wearinglemon.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks, Deb. You have an amazing site! Talk about making lemonade out of lemons!!

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  7. boil rosemary in water - remove the rosemary then freeze into ice cubes - great in fresh lemonade!
    Thanks for the encouraging words on my post!

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  8. I may need to look into this herb and the essential oil. Sounds like some benefits that could be beneficial to me.

    Lee
    An A to Z Co-Host
    Tossing It Out

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    1. Thanks for stopping by,Lee. You have a super blog site!!

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  9. Rosemary (along with mint, thyme, and lavender) is one of the herbs I always grow in multiple varieties here (Interior Alaska) but of course it's an annual here.

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    1. Haha, well it's not a whole lot better on the East Coast of Canada. Mint and lavender are perennials here but rosemary and a few others I plant annually. Thanks for stopping by.

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  10. Another way of cooking with rosemary which I came across in Sicily many years ago. Take some tiny new potatoes, peeled, and sauté them in a little olive oil. Just before they are ready, add tomato paste and rosemary to the pan together with a little salt and pepper and cook for abotu 5 minutes longer. They are delicious.

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    1. I am absolutely salivating just reading this!! Have "pasted" it on my recipe page! Thanks.

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  11. Have never used fresh rosemary before... always just the dried spice. However, with all of these ideas, it might be worth trying to grow some just to give it a whirl. Some of these things sound really good:)

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  12. Oh wow, what a great R! I love Rosemary. Just the scent makes me feel good and I'm planting a hedge of it mixed with Lavender. Thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving a comment! Glad to meet you as well on the a to z!

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  13. Love fresh Rosemary. Have never tried the flowers though.

    Thanks for the follow and the comments!

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  14. Hi Yolanda, nice to meet you. Am following you now. I love using dried Rosemary herb. I like its fragrance.

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  15. lot of good information! great post!

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