Herbs-
Lavender -
Lavender flowers and buds are bost cooking. Release their flavor by steeping the buds in liquid, chopping and adding to batters, or grinding and adding to sugar. Harvest lavender by cutting the stem close to the foliage. The most flavorful blossoms are those that have not completely bloomed, but are violet in color. Rubbing the buds between your fingers releases their essential oils.
Savory -
Both summer and winter savory can be used for cooking, each in its namesake season. Add several sprigs to cooking liquid for legumes, or chop the leaves and stir into rice or grain as they cook. Harvest savory about one-third down then store the stem. Remove the leaves by grasping the top of the stem and gently pulling the stem through your fingers. This method works for most stemmed herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and oregano.
Lemon Verbena -
Lemon verbena parks a wallop flavoring teas and syrups or infused in milk, it also pairs well with tangy ingredients. Chop the coarse leaves very fine when use fresh, or strain them out when cooked in liquids. The leaves from this plant can grow up to 4 inches; use the smaller ones for cooking. Combine finely chopped leaves with sugar, then store to create a lemon infused sugar for baking for syrups and teas.
