Have you ever tried Cinnamon Basil? It's one of a hundred varieties of Basil and it's a favorite of ours.

Cinnamon Basil is also known as Vietnamese or Saigon Basil. Native to Southeast Asia. It has a fragrant, sweet basil aroma. It contains cinnamate, the same chemical that gives cinnamon its flavor, and has the strongest scent of cinnamon. The leaves are small to medium sized. The combination of basil and cinnamon, clove and anise flavors make Cinnamon Basil popular for use in hot drinks and with fruits. In Vietnamese cuisine, Cinnamon Basil is considered the finest and is used in soups, salads and stir fried dishes.

Cinnamon Basil is also known for actually enhancing the taste of tomatoes when planted near them. Not only that, but the basil has been proved to discourages bugs from damaging your tomato plants. Cinnamon Basil will also enhance the growth of asparagus and roses while protecting them from pests. It's a win-win!

Cinnamon basil is one the easiest basils to grow. It can be transplanted into gardens or container pots. Cinnamon basil can grow up to 3 feet tall and, if you pinch back the leaves, it can bush out to 3 feet. Stems are purple with small purple/white flowers. Leaves are green and top and purple spotted/streaked underneath. 

You can use Cinnamon Basil in drinks, fruit salads, in Vietnamese food, in salads and in desserts. It's nice dried and used in potpourri.

Here is a recipe for Cinnamon Basil Pumpkin Pie from blogger and Basil lover Ramona.

We have lots of Cinnamon Basil, along with other varieties like Lemon Basil, Purple Basil, Sweet Savory Basil and Bush Basil. Come by the Farmers Markets or the Farm this weekend and add some to your garden. It'll be tasty and help protect your roses and enhance your tomatoes!

Give Dad a  Father's Day gift he'll love! 

Three Bird Vinegar and Dressing is a unique and perfect marinade for all your summer grilling and you can save 20% off on Vinegars and 12 Herb French Dressing right now through June 26th!
 
12 Herb French dressing makes a super quick and easy marinade. I add about 2-3T to four chicken breast and leave in a sealed ziplock bag. Then grill them up! Fantastic adding to your veggies as you cook them on a wok or pan. 
 
My all time favorite is using 12 Herb French on salmon. I take a dollop of mayo, a couple teaspoons of dressing, mix it up so it's sorta runny then smear all over my salmon. Either wrap in tinfoil and roast, or lay it on some foil and grill. (Easier clean up!)  

For Father's Day we're offering 20% off on all Three Bird Herb Vinegar Marinades and Salad Dressings. Pair the vinegar up with some delicious Blue Heron Herbary Meat Rubs and you have a great gift for any grillin' Dad.  
 
Come by the Blue Heron Herbary Farm Wednesday through Sunday to shop! Make sure to bring the coupon below for your discount (or you can show it on your mobile device). We look forward to seeing you.

Blue Heron Herbary is making some big steps with social media, email and website development. I have always said Blue Heron does things in millipede steps. I finally gave in to my mothers nagging (teasing Mom!) and the subtle nag from my friend and long time customer Krissy Durden. Krissy is a rock star! She whipped up the new website and has been helping me with sending out emails and setting up our Etsy site. Heck she even has me blogging. Lucky us, huh?!?! 


Anyhow just wanted to give a big shout out to my gal Krissy! If you need help with your website, social media or ??? Check her out at Plain Language Marketing.

We have a good amount of beautiful Papalo in the herbary right now.

Papalo is also known as Bolivian Coriander or "Summer Cilantro," but it's really from the daisy family and originated in South America.

This herb has a strong smell and if you've spent time in Southern Mexico or South America you might recognize the scent. Some have said it smells like laundry detergent or skunk. 

Papalo is still kind of unknown in the states, although you can also find lots of it growing in the Southwest. The taste is kind of a mix of cilantro, cucumber, arugula and citrus. It's a delicious addition to any Mexican dish, salsas, guacamole and fish dishes. It's most often used raw and added at the last moment, like cilantro.

Papalo is also claimed to have a medicinal effect. Many people believe it helps lower blood pressure and help stomach problems.

Papalo does best in full sun with good drainage, with some space between plants. It works in containers, as well. The plants can get up to 4 to 5 feet high.  Come on by the nursery or visit us at a farmers market to get some Papalo for your garden. We think you'll love adding it to your summer meals.

Here's a simple recipe to get you started. From the Homesick Texan blog.

Salsa Verde with Papalo

Ingredients:
2 cups of chopped tomatillos
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
3 serrano peppers, stems removed and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
Juice from 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons of papao leaves, chopped
Salt to taste

Method:
Throw all ingredients in the blender and mix well.
Makes about 2 cups
Serve over pork, chicken, tacos, beans or with chips.
You can replace papalo with cilantro though I’d use about 1/2 a cup or more of that less-pungent herb instead.

Here is our first blog post!  On this blog you'll find news about Blue Heron Herbary, Blue Heron Herbs, Three Bird Vinegar and all kinds of recipes, pictures and who knows what else - anything unique to ordinary!

Facebook is making it harder for followers to see the posts, so this blog will be another place where you can keep in touch.

Right now, the farm is filled with lots of beautiful herbs ready to be replanted in your gardens. You can come on by or find us at a local Farmers Markets. 

I've been enjoying the nice weather grilling fresh fish with just-cut herbs and the Three Bird Vinegars. So easy and so good! 

This photo is of some cod I cooked up the other night using fresh herbs, some Three Bird Lavender Lemongrass White Balsamic Vinegar and awesome olive oil from the farmers market - BAM! It was de'lish! 

Super Easy Marinade

1/4 cup oil
2T vinegar (herb infused will add an extra oomph) or lemon juice
1/2 cup parsley ( I used flat leaf)
Garlic ( I also added some society garlic*) 
Salt and pepper to taste. 
Broil

*Society garlic is a type of garlic that we carry. It's native to South Africa and can grow up to 2 feet tall when you include the pretty pink or purple flowers.

Society garlic, also called pink agapanthus, gets its name from the belief that you won't get bad breath if you eat it. The leaves can be used in cooking like garlic chives and the bulbs can be used like garlic. 

Society garlic looks great in the garden when a few of them are bunched together and although not usually an issue in the Pacific Northwest - it's good to know that it's drought intolerant.

Society garlic is said to ward of animals, rodents and bugs, so it's a good thing to use as a border or anywhere you want to discourage neighborhood pets or wildlife.