Herbs can be the Mary Tyler Moore of cooking.  They can take a nothing dish and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile.  The pop of flavor can be both subtle or eye popping depending on how you use them.  Knowledge of herbs can really up your game in cooking.  Herbs can also help you cut back on salt intake for those with high blood pressure by adding flavor so you don’t miss or crave the salt.

Fresh herbs:

Basil- nothing smells as amazing as fresh basil. You can use it in Italian cooking or salads.  Have you had good pesto?  Fresh basil is the key ingredient. Fresh pesto is a simple topping for pizza and pasta.

Parsley-  adds freshness to almost any of your dishes.  It’s great on fish.  A fresh chimmichurri sauce is heavily used in South America on chicken, pork  and steak and relies on fresh parsley.

Cilantro- a must for Latin cooking and used in Southeast Asian cooking. This brings a fresh pop to salty soy dishes and cools chili.

Chives – adds a mild onion flavor.  I add it to scrambled eggs, dips and soups.  Why not try it on deviled eggs?

Sage- sage to me is the flavor of savory  fall cooking, from sausage to turkey stuffing.  Sage gives an earthy quality.

Mint- I use this more in drinks or desserts; it goes nicely in Southeast Asia dishes. Mint enhances alcohol very nicely.

Dried herbs:

Are you going to Scarborough fair (who knew Paul Simon could cook)?

Parsley- I use it in crab cakes, seafood and dips.

Sage- great with poultry (although not with duck so much)

Rosemary- great with lamb and beef

Thyme – great with any meat and with Mediterranean fish like olive oil packed Italian tuna (sorry Charlie – this ain’t the stuff of Friday tuna casserole).

Oregano- the consummate Mediterranean herb.  It can be used in Italian or Greek cooking.

Italian herbs- this has parsley, oregano, basil, Marjoram, sage and thyme and is great in pizza or with any jar pasta sauce.

Herbs from Province – all the same as above but with the floral notes of lavender; great for fish and lamb.

Check the dates on the bottle. They age well, but after 5 years you may want to replace them.