Lately, more and more people have begun to understand just
how limited—in both variety and nutritional
value—our "modern'' diets have become. This
realization has sparked a new and widespread interest in
the culinary and therapeutic uses of herbs ... those plants
which —although not well-known today—were, just
one short generation ago, honored ''guests" on the dinner
tables and in the medicine chests of our grandparents'
homes. In this regular feature, MOTHER will examine the
availability, cultivation, and benefits of our "forgotten''
vegetable foods and remedies . . . and—we
hope—help prevent the loss of still another bit of
ancestral lore.
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The very name of this herb bespeaks flavor, and in fact,
summer savory (Satureja hortensis) imparts a
delicious taste to almost any dish the gourmet prepares. In
medieval times it was added to pies and cakes for a touch
of spiciness; today it's primarily used in soups, stews,
and marinades, and with meats and vegetables. Although it's
often referred to as "the bean herb"—being especially
good with string beans, limas, navy beans, soybeans, and
all types of broad bean—savory goes well with many
other vegetables, such as cabbage, tomatoes, green peppers,
asparagus, cauliflower, mixed greens, and rice. The
versatile herb is also tasty in stuffings, sausages, and
pork pie, and with chicken, fish, game meats, beef, lamb,
and eggs (try it in scrambled eggs or omelets). Boiled with
strong smelling foods like broccoli or sauerkraut, it helps
prevent cooking odors. Steeped in vinegar or salad
dressing, it lends an aromatic flavor. People on low-sodium
diets may even find it an agreeable salt substitute.
Savory's uses aren't limited to the kitchen, however. Since
the days of the ancient Egyptians who stirred the powdered
herb into their love potions-it has been praised as a
remedy for sore throats, dim vision, sciatica, palsy,
intestinal disorders of various kinds, and the stings of
wasps and bees. Nicholas Culpeper, the famous seventeenth
century apothecary and author, valued it as a virtual
cure-all and recommended that it always be kept on hand.