Favorite Book 3: What Can I Do With My Herbs?

1-11-11 ... My Favorite Book List Returns

     Sorry, couldn’t help myself. I hit a brick wall trying to think of a clever way to use today’s auspicious date, so I popped it into my title! I've gotta hurry with this post because it’s a cold winter evening in Texas, Dear Heart has a fire going in the fire place, and our chicken tortilla soup is calling my name as it gently simmers.

     Guess what? I chose a book from the middle of my stack for a surprise read.Yes, it is cold out and some of my readers are barricaded under a BUNCH of snow and others of you haven’t seen sunshine in weeks. However, I’m not at all shy about promising you that SPRING WILL COME, so let’s get ready!

My Favorite Books – Entry Three

Category: Non Fiction; Gardening

How to Grow, Use & Enjoy These Versatile Plants
by Judy Barnett

(Texas A&M University Press 2009)

      Did you know that ROSES are HERBS? I did not know that until my granddaughter gave me a signed copy of Judy’s book. Our first granddaughter knows well my love for books (especially signed editions) and that I'm an herb freak so her family (which includes our first great grandsons) gifted me with a signed copy of this fun and informative book for Christmas, 2009—fresh off the press.

      I used this book of herbs last winter to plan my spring planting and I kept it at my fingertips through that spring, into summer, all fall, and have cooked by it since winter arrived. The author lives and writes from a small town in Central Texas near my own hometown (which makes her almost “family") and this useful dictionary of 39 herbs answers a multitude of my questions. In addition to explaining how to dry herbs, grow, soothe, deter, decorate, and experiment with these awesome plants, she provides recipes to brew herb teas and five flavors of lemonade plus a delightful recipe for Rosemary Fizz.

     What Can I Do With My Herbs? fulfills the sub-title and provides down-to-earth ways to plant and cook on a first-name basis with herbs.

      In her introduction, Ms Barrett writes, “…herbs do not come with any obligation. You can do things with them—cook, craft, comfort—or you can just look out the window at them and enjoy the view.”

       What Can I Do With My Herbs is a must-have volume for every gardener—even a wanna-be. However, HEED my advice: getting involved with herbs is ADDICTIVE!

I'm even growing my can't-live-without Basil indoors this winter!

Be brave, throw caution to the north winds, and on a cold January or February afternoon, curl up with this delightful book and dream sweetly-scented dreams of spring.

Order Judy Barrett’s books, visit her blog, or find her speaking schedule at http://homegrowntexas.com/  Ms. Barrett’s  brand-new, 2010 book is What Makes Heirloom Plants So Great?

Happy Reading and May your herbs bless your life!

Liz