Rosemary
Rosemary is a fragrant evergreen herb native to the Mediterranean, especially along the coast, it has been used since the time of the early Greeks and Romans. Its earliest use is said to be by the Greek scholars who would either wear a rosemary garland on their head or braid the herb into their hair — which is where rosemary's other common name "herb of crowns" comes from. They did this to help improve their memory during examinations. Throughout history, the herb was also the subject of many poems and was mentioned in five of Shakespeare's plays. There are many different myths about rosemary — for example brides often wore rosemary at their weddings as it symbolises happiness, loyalty and love. The herb is also a symbol of remembrance, which even today is still placed in the hands of the deceased at funerals.
Apart from being a very popular herb in the kitchen rosemary also has a range of health benefits including improving digestion. Due to being high in antioxidants, it is also thought to help boost your immune system. Other benefits include enhancing memory and preventing brain ageing.
Rosemary is a very easy herb to grow, it thrives in sun with well-drained soil, easy to grow in pots. Once you have harvested your rosemary you can either use fresh or you can freeze the herbs to use later.
Rosemary Potatoes
Ingredients:
- Potatoes
- 1 Onion
- Olive oil
- Seasoning
- 6 sprigs of rosemary
Method:
- Part boil some potatoes, drain and cool, then cut potatoes into cubes about the size of 1½ inches and pop into an oven pan.
- Roughly chop your onion and add them to the pan, glaze with olive oil and season.
- Take 6 sprigs of rosemary, take off the leaves and add to the potatoes and onions making sure you add in the stalks as well.
- Pop in the hot oven for approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour, until potatoes are golden brown.
Be sure to tag @GrimscoteManor in photos of your delicious rosemary potatoes!
