About Nutmeg

I've been a nutmeg lover ever since my mother first sprinkled a little on top of my Christmas eggnog. It was good then, but it's better now that I grate my own. If you think nutmeg is a spice that belongs in the back of the cupboard, think again. Its mild flavor can be deceiving because it isn't as aromatic as cinnamon, or as aggressive as allspice, but nutmeg has something amazing going for

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Beat the Heat

While you are enjoying all of this hot summer weather, don't forget to protect your herbs. Water them in the morning and never spray the leaves of your outdoor plants during the hottest part of the day. Deep water herbs at least once a week, and be sure to pinch the stems of any herbs that are starting to bolt. This will help extend the useful life of annuals for a couple of weeks.If you are

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Make a Lavender Wand

By the beginning of summer, you should have enough lavender up and ready to make lavender wands. Lavender wands are always popular gifts for birthdays and around the holidays. I make a big batch during the summer, and tie them into my Christmas gift bows. These wands are an aromatic addition to a lingerie or linen drawer, closet, or laundry room. Lavender permeates the area in which a wand is

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Christmas Gift Ideas: Seed Packets with Markers

Christmas is coming. . . really. I'm sorry to remind you, but it is. One of the many great things about herb gardening is that you have the raw material for some wonderful gifts. If you plan ahead, you can make unique herb offerings quickly and inexpensively. For the next couple of months, I'll be giving you some examples.Here's one: Fabric Wrapped Herb Seeds with Popsicle MarkersThis fall,

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Tips for Growing Herbs Indoors

Many herbs are well suited to domestic life and thrive indoors. With some attention to their special needs, you can keep an indoor herb garden that will give you fresh herbs year round.Indoor Herb LightingThe biggest challenge to the indoor herb gardener is light. Lighting is critically important to all plants, but herbs seem to be especially sensitive to the right light conditions. If you can

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How to Make a Basic Tea Rub (Oh, and Some Variations)

Chef Ming Tsai has quite a presence on the web, and he uses rubs to create some wonderful recipes. One of his signature rub ingredients is tea. Other cooks have picked up the practice of using tea as a flavor base in rubs, artfully incorporating them in anything from mouthwatering BBQ to sea scallops. I don't know where the practice started, but I'm glad it did.If you'd like your next seared tuna

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Growing Bay Leaf (Bay Laurel)

Bay or sweet bay (Laurus nobilis) is the leaf from a tree in the Laurel family. It's an evergreen that originated in the Mediterranean, where it grows to a height of 40 feet. Bay laurel is beautifully appointed with medium sized, glossy, green leaves. It is not winter hardy in areas that experience freezing weather.Luckily, bay can be cultivated in a container and brought indoors to overwinter.

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