The first time I heard Martha Stewart say “herbs” with a pronounced H, I had to laugh thinking the übermom had a glitch in her matrix. Then I learned there was a whole H / no-H debate, and you had to pick your side with the courage of your convictions. Those who Proudly Pronounce feel as if they’re on the cutting edge, the smug in-the-know trendies looking forward and not back. The anti-H bunch feel like purists, traditionalists who won’t shy away from a pinch of French affectation.
Herbs and spices have enchanted humans from the beginning. Sure their aromas have drawn us and their flavors have tantalized us, but we’ve discovered other uses such as healing our ailments, wooing our mates, telling our future, and cleansing our pasts. Herbs and spices have a rich role in the human history play, playing integral roles in creating and shaping cultures at points along the way.
Officially the definition of an herb is a bit loose. An herb is classified as the fragrant leaf of any plant that grows in temperate zones and does not have a woody stem, which basically encompasses anything not a tree, bush, or shrub. Most people define an herb by use: Plants in the kitchen or medicine cabinet are herbs. Plants that are merely decorative are flowers—or just, well, plants.
Historically “spices” referred only to tropical-zone aromatics, but the American Spice Trade Association defines spices as “any dried plant product used primarily for seasoning purposes” (my emphasis). Included are tropical aromatics (pepper, cinnamon, cloves), leafy herbs (basil, oregano, marjoram), spice seeds (sesame, poppy, mustard) and dehydrated vegetables (onions, garlic). So it seems that all herbs are spices, but not all spices are herbs. Whether you call it coriander or cilantro, the power comes not in the name but in the ability to bewitch.
Some 5,000 years ago, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung compiled the first documentation on herbs. The Sumerians cataloged hundreds of plants on clay tablets around the same time. The ancient Egyptians were huge importers of Babylonian thyme and coriander and Chinese star anise, cumin, and saffron. The Egyptians were quite versed in the aromatic properties of herbs and spices. In fact they produced oils and essences specifically for the grave, hoping these treasured commodities would help ease the transition from this life to the afterlife.
Maybe we should thank the Romans for kicking butt all over the world. As they conquered they spread their culture—and with it their herbal influences in the form of garlic, parsley, dill, mint, thyme, and sage. They further expanded local spice stores by creating a trade network throughout the far-reaching Empire, bringing cinnamon, ginger, pepper, and the like from the Orient.
As new and exotic herbs and spices were being introduced through the Middle Ages, the secrets to their many properties were being unlocked. Fervent naturalists set out to compile exhaustive catalogues of information about herbs. These massive compendiums were like medieval Good Housekeeping mags, chock full of herbal gardening tips, a recipe or two, spiritual spells and witch repellent, medical advice, hair tonic ideas, and some general words of wisdom about life.
Each herb became a story, symbolizing the needs of the people who used it, entangling their cultures in the roots of the plant. Rosemary is the herb of remembrance, stemming from the practice of medieval students who intertwined sprigs of rosemary in their hair to stimulate their brains during study. A presence at both beginnings and endings, rosemary was worn as a crown in Greek and Roman wedding ceremonies and placed in the hands of the dead during funeral rites. Mint has always been a bit “loose.” Named for a flirtatious water nymph, Minthe, who was changed into the plant by the underworld goddess Persephone, mint spreads promiscuously through Minnesota gardens. There are many different varieties of mint, but all were thought to be associated with lust and white magic. Except by the Victorians, who oddly decided that mint was the symbol of virtue. Garlic is practically as old as time. The Islamic tradition states that garlic sprouted in the devil’s footprints as he left Eden. If you are Buffy or Balkan, you believe garlic dispels vampires and can cure whooping cough, as long as you place a bulb between your toes.
Herbal remedies and their healing properties have always existed hand in hand with an herb’s spiritual worth. Sage is from the salvia genus, from the Latin salvere—to save. Up to the 18th century sage was thought by doctors to be an efficacious fertility treatment, and if taken daily, would ensure a long life. Dill is named after an old Saxon word related to “lull,” and Southern Baptist mothers used to give the wrigglin’ chilluns bouquets of dill, fennel, and caraway to chew during church. Think it’s all ballyhoo and poppycock? Well, echinacea has been named the Herb of the Year 2002.
Soothing the mind, body, and spirit has been the charge of herbs for centuries, but the majority of users today just want a sassier piece of chicken. The culinary advantage of herbs is forever exploited by young chefs who “discover” the varied uses of fennel or designate thyme as the It-flavor of the month. For those who wish to cultivate some ancient alchemy of their own, it’s as easy as popping down to Target and picking up an Herb Garden Kit.
If you’re more inclined to large-scale herb gardening or heirloom varieties, there are many local resources to help you. The best and brightest on the scene is the Shady Acres Herb Farm, located in Chaska, with outposts at the Minneapolis and St. Paul farmers’ markets. They have unique varietals, crazy amounts of information, funky herbal dinners (on the farm), and you can order online. And they say “erb” not “herb,” but they probably won’t mock you.
Shady Acres Herb Farm
952-466-3391
www.shadyacres.com
Stephanie March is a Minneapolis writer.
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