Rosmarinus officinalis

A small evergreen shrub, the leaves of the rosemary give food a hearty lemony pine flavor. Because of its pungency, it is possible to add too much of the herb and overwhelm foods.

Dried rosemary is pale to dark green with shades of silvery gray. It has a deep lemony-pine flavor.

Through history, some have used rosemary as an aromatic, antiseptic, and astringent.

Recrush the rosemary between your fingers (or in a mortar and pestle) before using. This will help release the oils in the leaves, giving your dish the best rosemary flavor possible. Adding re-crushed rosemary to potpourri can help deodorize and disinfect your rooms.

Rosemary is fabulous when used with stews, roasts, poultry, stuffing, and potatoes.

Rosemary can be added to dishes straight from the bottle, but for added flavor, rub or crush the rosemary before adding it to your dish. Rosemary is generally added at the beginning of cooking to allow it's oils to be released.