Popular for its rich pine-like fragrance, rosemary is an excellent accompaniment to pork and chicken. In Mediterranean cuisine, rosemary is most often associated with vegetables sauteed in olive oil, such as zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant. Sprinkle dried rosemary on charcoal when grilling for a delicious, aromatic treat.
A perennial evergreen shrub, rosemary resembles a thick needled small pine, and even has a piney smell. The leaves resemble pine needles, which are thick and leathery, about 3/4 inch long. The upper surface is a dark green and undersides white and hairy. The flowers are small, blue or pale blue, growing in clusters along the branch. The shrub can reach a height of 6 ft outdoors-though, I can never get them to grow this high!
Rosemary has a wide variety of uses outside of the kitchen. Historically, people used rosemary to treat a variety of ailments, such as: depression, headaches, muscle spasms, rheumatism, skin ailments and wounds. It was also burned along with juniper berries in early hospitals to “cleanse the air,” as it does have some antibacterial effects.
Please note: Rosemary oil should be used sparingly since over-use can produce poisoning symptoms. Always follow the directions on the container.