A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Monday, February 16, 2009

I'm Back to the Herb Garden...Sage




I'm back to the herb garden. Another favorite of mine is sage. I use it a lot in cooking. One of my favorite things was shown on the Martha Stewart Show years ago. She was preparing a turkey and after washing it she pulled the skin away from the body and just laid the sage leaves on the body of the turkey...making a beautiful design under the skin. She kept the turkey basted with butter and olive oil and it turned out to be the most beautiful turkey I have ever seen. All golden brown with a wonderful design on top. I hated to see her cut into it. I had several sage plants growing in my garden that year and of course I did the same. It was really pretty and a surprise to my family when the turkey came out of the oven. I have done the same with chicken. I usually make a sage dressing for turkey and also use it in stuffed pork chops. I use it in sausage dishes and meat loaf too. One way I use sage leaves is in my artwork. The leaves hold up well and are kind of fuzzy, so when I dip them into paint, they hold the paint and make perfect leave stamps to put on paper. I have used it in wreath making and also in making small bouquets...or tussie mussies.I have grown sage for years, but not at this home. I want to plant some this year. Actually one plant would be enough for us. Sage quickly becomes a small woody shrub that can need replacing every 3-4 years. Frequent harvesting and pruning helps to reinvigorate sage plants. Sage plants can be started from seed, root cuttings or transplants. I like the flowers that come later too.
Sage prefers a warm, sunny location, although it does not enjoy extreme heat. It was grown in partial shade at my old house. It is not particular about soil, except that it be well-drained. My little garden on the side of the house should be a perfect spot for a plant or two.


Balisha

5 comments:

Judy said...

Hi Balisha, This truly sounds wonderful. I shall have to try it. I love cooking with it and always put it in dressing. I may try to grown some this year as well. I am ready to grown anything right now!

OhioMom said...

Oh I was thinking of my herb garden yesterday, I am now adding sage .. I too use it in my dressing. Thanks for all the info :)

Elenka said...

Thanks for the tip on printing with sage leaves. In my list of things to do, I want to print leaves on a t shirt using fabric paint. The sage leaves might be the ones I use !

Balisha said...

Hi judy,
Isn't that the truth...I think we all feel that way. Hurry up spring.

Ohiomom,
these are not only useful but pretty in the garden. I love the gray green leaves.

Elenka,
I haven't tried using them on fabric. I love the way lamb's ears print on paper too. I think they may work on fabric. You gave me a good idea for some white T shirts that I just bought.I might even try them on those gourds that I am painting.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Balisha I always have sage in my herb garden. Love the aroma. Like Judy put it in my dressing.