Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs are mostly water and volatile oil, so heat is what decides whether they taste of anything by the…
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Herbs, and Whether Yours Should Be Fresh or Dried
Fourteen herb profiles split by the decision that actually matters, whether the herb belongs in your kitchen fresh or dried, plus the growing and drying guides for the ones you raise yourself. Each says how much to use and how late in the cook it goes in.
Fresh and dried behave differently. Every entry says which one a recipe means, and what changes when you swap.
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Browse by group 3 groups
Each group narrows the section to one kind of decision.
In This Collection
Profiles 14 profiles
One ingredient per page: what it tastes like, where it belongs, and what replaces it.
Basil: The Herb Heat Destroys, So Timing Is Everything
Basil is a heat-fragile herb, so add it raw or in the last seconds of cooking, or its sweet aroma turns to dull, bitter…
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Bay Leaf Works Best When It Has Time to Infuse
Bay leaf rarely announces itself in the first spoonful. Give a good dried leaf enough time and it adds tea, pine…
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Chives: The Onion You Never Cook
Chives are the mildest onion in the kitchen and the only allium used raw as a finishing herb. The two decisions that…
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Cilantro: Why It Tastes Like Soap, and How to Use the Whole Plant
Cilantro tastes bright and citrusy to most people and soapy to some, and that split is genetic, not a matter of skill…
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Dill Loses Its Grassy Lift If You Add It Too Early
Dill loses much of its leafy aroma when it simmers for too long. Add fresh fronds near the end, give dried dill a few…
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Fresh or Dried Oregano: Which One Does Your Dish Need?
Dried oregano usually beats fresh for sauce, pizza, beans, and rubs, because drying concentrates its savory bite…
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How to Use Lemongrass in Cooking, From Stalk to Paste
Lemongrass gives food a lemon-like aroma without making it sour. Bruise large pieces when they will perfume liquid and…
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Marjoram: Everything You Know About Oregano, Reversed
Marjoram is oregano's gentler relative and almost every habit you have with oregano runs backwards with it. Oregano is…
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Parsley Is an Ingredient, Not a Garnish
Parsley is the bulk of most dishes that made it famous, from tabbouleh to gremolata, rather than the sprig beside them…
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Rosemary: The Herb You Have to Hold Back
Rosemary is a strong, resinous herb that a heavy hand can push into medicinal, perfumey territory. Use it sparingly…
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Tarragon: Why the Plant You Bought Has No Flavor
Two different plants are sold as tarragon, and only French tarragon carries the sweet anise flavor the herb is known…
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Thyme: The Backbone Herb You Can Barely Overdo
Thyme is a forgiving background herb that blends into soups, beans, stock, and roasts without taking over. Add it early…
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What Does Sage Taste Like, and When Should You Add It?
Sage is a strong woody herb that works best with fat, starch, poultry, beans, squash, pork, and brown butter. Fresh…
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What Is Mint, and Should You Cook With Spearmint or Peppermint?
Use mint to cool and lift food that feels heavy, hot, or over-sweet, not as a base flavor. Choose spearmint for almost…
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Techniques and how-tos 3 guides
The handling steps that decide how much flavour survives to the plate.
Herb Companion Planting: Which Pairings Actually Help?
Companion planting is four different claims sharing one name, and they are not equally well supported. Letting herbs…
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How to Dry Herbs Without Trapping Moisture in the Jar
Air-dry woody herbs in small loose bundles, and use a low-temperature dehydrator for tender leaves or humid rooms…
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Starting an Indoor Herb Garden That Actually Survives
An indoor herb garden lives or dies on light long before care comes into it. A kitchen windowsill gives a fraction of…
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