Parsley, King of Herbs

In this house we could do without every herb except parsley.  Sage? Rather a stuffy old person smell. Basil, a bit too pungent for me though fine with tomatoes and mozzarella, making them look quite glamorous.  Thyme? OK, but I’ve never been good at overwintering it, and am not wild about the smell.. Bay, yes, very good indeed and living in Bay Tree Yard we have a bay bush either side the cottage, ideal for stocks and the like.  Rosemary? Yes, good with roast lamb. Lemon balm? It’s here – I ought to dry or freeze it for drinks.  Rue? don’t know what one does with rue in the kitchen.  Coriander, ok but a bit loud. But parsley!  We cannot have enough.

A sprig or two boosts anything looking dreary, like pate at a supper party.  Ditto chopped, on any dull looking soup, like celeriac.  And on kedgeree or anything looking too bland and quiet.  Bob showers it on the mussels he loves.  The taste is quiet, companiable, never intrusive.  But it has character.  Like me, it’s polite.  Fresh parsley sauce lifts ham to another level.

Last year we didn’t have enough, we never have enough parsley.  So this year I sowed two varieties from Mr Fothergill – a moss called Aphrodite, and a flat leaf called Giant of Italy which apparently has a  stronger taste.  I sowed them in cells, in little pots, and in rows in the vegetable garden. All germinated, and the pots and cells are now planted out.  The 2015 parsley forest is on its way!  Pictures: in due course.

So fas far as we’ve concerned it’s King of Herbs.  The Greeks and Romans knew all about it.

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