From the Jan/Feb
2015 issue of The Essential Herbal
The following article was written in response to the IHA Herb of the Year® as we try to do each year. For instance, we’re aiming to include something about yarrow in each issue this year for the same reason. We find that we learn so much about these herbs when we really look at them individually!
Right now, Herb Society of America is honoring Savory as their herb of the month, and so I pulled this article out to share!
Seasonal Savorys
Savory
Saturea ssp.
There
are two types of Savory, Winter (Satureia montana) and Summer
(Satureja hortensis). They are from the
Lamiaceae, or Mint family. Winter Savory
is a semi-evergreen perennial and blooms in winter. Summer Savory is an annual. Although Winter Savory has a sharp flavor and
Summer Savory is more sweet, they are used interchangeably as a seasoning. The
name itself has come to mean a specific type of food, full of flavor and
depth. The piney and peppery Winter
Savory is (in my mind) more responsible for that. Folklore has it that Winter Savory decreases
the sex drive, while Summer Savory enhances it, so you may want to keep that in mind
while flavoring those side dishes.
Savory
is known as “the bean herb.”
In fact the German word for the herb is Bohenkraut – which means bean
herb and that might be due to its ability to help with bloating, and
flatulence. It can be made into a tea as
well as used as a seasoning, and helps with colic, stomach upsets, diarrhea,
and indigestion, and because it contains tannins as well as possessing
antibiotic properties, it helps with sore throats. It is also mildly expectorant. It can help relieve abdominal cramping.
On
the west coast, varieties of Savory (as well as several other herbs) may go by
the nickname Yerba Buena. Satureja
douglasii and Satureja viminea are two of these that are made into
teas and sipped as “the good herb.”
However, depending on location, there are several mints and quite a few
other plants that also go by that moniker.
It
can be made into a mild salve to help with insect stings and rashes. To do that, one would simply steep the Savory
in a fat or oil, strain, and combine with enough beeswax to make it the proper
feel.
Winter
Savory was used in knot gardens during the Tudor era in England, and often
beehives were located near them so that the honey would be flavored with the
herb.
Both
Winter and Summer Savory grow easily and quickly from seed. They aren’t fussy, but Summer Savory might
grow so quickly that it falls over, so be sure to cut it often and use it!
If
you don’t get around to using it right away, Savory dries beautifully.
Savory
contains essential oil Commercially it
is used in soaps and toothpastes. As with all essential oils, this one will
cause skin irritation if used without proper dilution. It should not be taken internally.
All
in all, not a bad little herb to have around.
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