Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis
Family: Labiatae (Mint)
Genus: Rosmarinus
Species:

Picture courtesy of Oregon State University Landscape Plant Database

Ophelia reminded us that rosemary is for remembrance, in her case for her love. Unlike her violets, however, there is no subtlety to rosemary. It is a strong and pungent herb, ancient in both cultivation and use. As with many herbs, it is reputed to have medicinal as well as culinary benefits. It was deemed appropriate for use at both weddings and funerals, signifying love and fidelity as well as remembrance. In the more-than-you-probably-want-to-know department, an 18th century writer reported that when coffins were opened after several years, branches of rosemary that had been placed in the hands of the dead were found to have grown so that they covered the corpse. Contemplate that as you open this newsletter just before Halloween!

Commonly found growing wild on Mediterranean hillsides, rosemary is prominent in the cuisines of Greece, Italy and provincial France. The ancient Greeks used it, as did the Romans, who took it to England—although legend has it that the Normans had to re-introduce it after 1066. It evidently didn’t take hold in the repertoire of English cooks. I’ll make no further comment about that, except to say that a) I’m English and b) the food coming out of London today is more interesting than it used to be.

Rosemary’s origin on those dry hillsides tells us a lot about its proper cultivation: full sun, minimal water, poor soil. Doesn’t sound as if it would do very well here, does it? Ah, thanks to the British who appreciated it for its ornamental value if not its flavor, it has been bred to adapt to the English climate and hence to our own. Plus, it does very well in containers and can be successfully overwintered indoors. These are good things, since it is only marginally hardy here—some would even say capriciously hardy. I have had no success with it in my yard over any winter for the past ten. And yet, I can look out my window to my neighbor’s yard and see an upright rosemary that’s fully two feet high and smiles with aplomb through the dark days and nights from November to February. Go figure. One of the key terms there is “upright”—that form is more hardy than the prostrate version. On the taxonomic front: R. officinalis ‘Prostratus’ was formerly known as R. lavandulaceus. Robbed of its status as a separate species, it is now considered a named variety of the species Rosmarinus officinalis. Other named varieties include ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’, ‘Tuscan Blue’, ‘Alba’ (a white-flowered specimen), and ‘Lockwood de Forest’ (another prostrate variety). The unpleasantly named ‘Arp’ is an upright form that is reputed to be the most hardy of them all. Perhaps that’s the one my neighbor grows….

If you decide to try your rosemary outside, put it in a sheltered spot with full sun. Make sure you water it regularly while it gets established; after that, go easy on the water and skip the feeding entirely, lest grow wildly and become woody and leggy. Pinch it back while it’s young to encourage it to bush out and become full. And if it does sustain non-lethal frost damage, cut it back to healthy growth in the spring. Rosemary lends itself well to pruning and to shearing for shape. In many warmer areas, it is grown successfully as a low hedge, showing off its pretty little flowers in summer, played against its needle-like leaves. In containers, upright forms may be shaped to resemble very small trees; and prostrate forms can be trained to a topiary frame. These make lovely decorations and gifts for the holidays.

If you use rosemary leaves for cooking, appreciate their very heavy flavor and scent by pairing them with foods that are complementary: chicken, potatoes, hefty fish dishes. Sprigs of rosemary, soaked in water, can be put on your barbeque coals to add a distinctive aroma to what’s on the grill. The Portuguese and Italians have a fondness for using rosemary branches as a brush to baste meat, as it cooks, with an oil, garlic, and vinegar sauce. Rosemary can even play a role in sweets: an apple jelly infused with rosemary is a lovely thing, reminiscent of fine, rich honey. If you find that to your liking, try a wee bit of finely minced rosemary in your orange marmalade. Treats for the holidays, to be sure, but tasty any time of year.