Herbs play a large part in the Italian diet, with Basil Genovese for example, being crushed in a mortar and pestle with pine nuts, peccorino and Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt and then mixed with good olive oil to make pesto a Genoese would dream about. But the Romans wouldn't eat basil. They thought it would make you mad and fed it to their horses, but they did use it to treat ear infections.
Herbs were so important to the Roman Legionaires, that varieties such as dill and chives were issued to every garrisson. Wild chives can still be found growing along Britain's Hadrians wall to this day.
On this page you'll find the 'classics', the really indispensable stuff.
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| GL DENTE DI LEONE - DANDELION MEDICINAL RANGE |
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ORIGIN Taraxacum officinale, commonly called Dandelion, is a herbaceous perennial plant that grows from long, thick taproots. The intense green leaves are serrated and the plant produces yellow flowers on long stems. USES |
£2.49
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| ISOPPO - HISSOP |
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ORIGIN Herb Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family.Hyssop is a brightly colored shrub or subshrub. Its stem is woody at the base, from which grow a number of straight branches. Its leaves ar |
£2.49
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| LAVENDER SPIGA |
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Use the dried flowers to flavour homemade biscuits, with pork and for perfume pouches. Lavender oil can relieve headaches. 1g. Sow mid Feb-mid Sep. |
£1.85
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| LEMON BALM (ON SALE - SAVE 36p) |
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Lemon Balm has a wonderful lemon fragrance. The leaves can be used as a garnish to sorbetto ice-cream, cocktails and dried to make herbal tea. Sow Mar-end Jul. |
£1.49
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| LIMONCELLA - LEMON BALM MEDICINAL |
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ORIGIN Lemon Balm is a perennial herb belonging to the Lamiaceae family. It grows to about 80cm tall and the hairy oval leaves are highly perfumed with a scent similar to lemon. Easy to grow, it can be cultivated outside in the garden or in contai |
£2.49
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| LOVAGE |
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Known as mountain celery in Italy due to it's flavour. Leaves like parsley. It can spread (like mint) so plant into pots and plant the whole pot into the soil. Sow from Feb-Jun. |
£1.85
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| MALVA - COMMON MALLOW |
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ORIGIN Known as common mallow, Malva Sylvestris is a bushy plant which produces bright mauve-purple flowers with dark veins from april to october; a handsome plant, often standing 3 or 4 feet (1 m) high and growing freely in fields. |
£2.49
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| MENTA - MINT OFFICINALIS MEDICINAL |
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ORIGIN Mint is an herbaceous perennial plant growing to 50–70 cm tall, with smooth stems, which spreads by producing underground runners or rhizomes. The leaves are dark green with reddish veins, pointed with rough, toothed edges. The mauve/pink f |
£2.49
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| ORIGANO |
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The dried leaves are indispensable on Pizza's and Breads. Harvest all year round. 1g. Sow Mar-end Aug. |
£1.85
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| PARSLEY COMUNE |
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Flat leafed parsley 'Comune'. National variety used all over Italy. Sow Mar-Sep. @6000 |
£1.85
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| PARSLEY GIGANTE DI NAPOLI 50g RESTAURATEURS PACK |
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Giant of Naples. Big leaves which grow back again stronger after cutting. An absolute must in the restaurant kitchen and a 'superior' gastronomic variety which is typical of the Naples region. Sow Mar-Sep. Will withstand some cold, unlike basil which is t |
£4.99
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| PARSLEY GIGANTE NAPOLETANO |
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A large flat leaf variety from Naples. Really tasty. Will grow again after cutting. 6600 seeds. Sow Mar-end Sep. |
£1.85
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| PARSLEY RICCIO 2 |
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Classic moss curled parsley for eating or garnishing. Sow from Mar - Sep. |
£1.85
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| PEPPERMINT |
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Loads of uses for Peppermint, not least in drinks, icecream, with lamb, as a garnish or to make mint tea. Grows to 30-40cms tall. Best suited to pots as it spreads quickly in the soil. Sow Mar-May. |
£1.85
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| ROSEMARY |
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Real Italian Rosemary. Ideal to flavour roasts. Tollerates poor soil and most extreme weathers. Sow Apr-mid Jul. |
£1.85
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| RUE (SAVE 36p) |
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Rue is Perennial and is used in Italy to infuse with Grappa and other spirits. 1g. Sow Feb-end Aug. |
£1.49
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| SAGE |
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Can be chopped fresh and is a great companion to pork, or add to pasta with a knob of butter and fresh parmesan cheese. 3g. Sow mid Mar-end Sep. |
£1.85
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| SCUPLIT |
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As far as we know, Scuplit is only found in Italy. Annual which is used for flavouring salads, adding to omlettes and risotto. 0.2g. Sow Mar-end Jun |
£1.85
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| SENAPE |
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Use the small leaves for their mustard flavour. Especially good with a cream sauce for pasta. Sow Mar - Jun. |
£1.85
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| SORREL |
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Can be used in salads, omlettes, with beef and lamb, cooked like spinach but makes for a really good soup. Sow Mar-end Jun. |
£1.85
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| SUMMER SAVORY |
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Annual which is used for flavouring dishes. 2g. Use with Chicken dishes. Used commercially to flavour Salame. Sow mid Mar-end Jun. |
£1.85
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| SWEET MARJORAM |
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Perrenial. Leaves can be used both fresh or dried. Ideal for use in fruit salads, to garnish drinks and for making tea. 1g. Sow mid Mar-mid Oct. |
£1.85
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| TARAGON |
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Tarragon has an aniseedy flavour and goes well with some meats. Quite hard to find tarragon seed generally. From Russia. Sow Mar-end Jun. |
£1.85
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| THYME OF PROVENCE |
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'Thyme of Provence'. Introduced to France by the Romans and then onto the UK, thyme from Provence is one of the most renowned. Prefers light, cold soils, in partial shade. 1g. Sow Mar-end Aug. |
£1.85
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