Heirloom Herbs: Using Old Fashioned Herbs in Gardens, Recipes and Decorations - Hardcover

provides both inspiration and information on a history of herbs, a hands-on gardening reference for indoors and outdoors, and an illustrated listing of 45 individual herbs, each with history and anecdotes. 125 full-color photos.

Meticulous research fills this book as Forsell ( Berries, Flower Arranging ) calls on the expertise of herbalists from around the world to survey the plants and their uses. Emphasizing lore and applications alike, she offers tips gleaned from historical sources on growing and harvesting herbs. Yet her information does not always present a full picture; for example, Forsell recommends only the air-dry method of preserving herbs and not the faster, more convenient technique of drying them in an oven warmed by its pilot light. Her rather basic recipes include grilled salmon with chive butter sauce, chicken livers with marjoram, and rack of lamb with rosemary. Befitting Forsell's experience as a floral designer, she explores in detail potpourris, sachets, centerpieces and other herbal household crafts. Facts sprinkled throughout--catnip exhilarates cats, but has been known to have the opposite effect on humans--are entertaining. A list of high-quality and somewhat pricey purveyors of plants, seeds and accessories completes the text. Cenicola's splashy, festive color photography adds zest/mm .
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.