Growing herbs season the Bible and delicious cookies |
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Written by MARILOU SUSZKO, Chronicle Food Writer
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Friday, 01 May 2009 01:00 |
Last month, I walked into my garden searching for signs of anything alive and green. I can always count on the chives that sprout up reliably every spring and tender shoots of rhubarb capped with tiny, ruffled leaves to make their way up along the neighbor’s side of the fence.
The sage survived the winter as well as the thyme and, to my surprise, underneath a pile of slowly decaying oak leaves, one of the rosemary plants had braved the cold and seemed to be taking a foothold in the growing season ahead. A few green pine-scented leaves and soft branches that showed green when snapped have me hoping I’ll be harvesting this aromatic herb earlier this year.
Herbs season the Bible in small measure, just like we would use them in a recipe … a pinch here and a handful there. Hyssop was used for purification and medicinally and mint was used as flavoring and may have been among the bitter herbs eaten for the Passover supper. Parsley, one of the first herbs to pop up in the spring, was a symbol of new beginnings and Bible historians say it was served at banquets as a breath freshener. Garlic was prized by the Israelites who complained of missing it after they left Egypt, and during the Middle Ages, it was a common Christian tradition to carry garlic as a good luck charm to ward off demons and vampires.
Rosemary was a symbol of fidelity and remembrance and was used ceremoniously in Christian weddings and funerals. According to legend, when Mary washed the tiny garments of Jesus during their flight to Egypt, she spread them over the branches of a rosemary bush to dry them. God rewarded her for her caring nature by conferring upon the rosemary, or Mary’s rose, a fragrant aroma. Other versions tell that the flowers, originally white, changed to blue when Mary hung her cloak on the bush while fleeing Herod’s rule.
For centuries people thought the rosemary plant would never grow higher than 6 feet in 33 years so it wouldn’t stand taller than Christ. I just feel blessed that my diminutive plant made it to the spring — a rare gift from my garden.
But it’s this fragrant aroma that always gets my attention whether coming from the garden or drifting through the kitchen in a recipe like this one.
Walnut & Rosemary Shortbread
Makes about 1 1/2 dozen bars
1/4 cup walnuts (or pecans)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread nuts on baking sheet and toast in oven, stirring once or twice to prevent burning, until they are a shade darker, about five minutes. Remove from baking sheet to prevent further browning and set aside.
In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Remove pan from heat and stir in sugar, rosemary, salt and pine nuts. Combine until sugar is dissolved. Stir in flour to make stiff dough.
Spread the dough evenly into an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake about 20 minutes until the dough is golden around the edges and firm in the center. Cool pan on a rack for a few minutes, then cut dough into bars or squares. Let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before removing. Makes 18 bars or 16 squares.
Note: These delicate cookies freeze well … layer between sheets of waxed paper and place in a sturdy, sealable container to keep them from breaking and crumbling.
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Marilou Suszko is a member of Vermilion St. Mary, a food writer and author of “Farms and Foods Of Ohio: From Garden Gate to Dinner Plate.” She also is a culinary instructor and segment host of “Our Ohio,” which airs Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. on WGTE Toledo.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 July 2009 09:31 |
