Synopsis
A Garden of Herbs by Eleanour Sinclair Rohde. This book is primarily intended for those who are going to create an old fashioned herb garden, and who want to know how to use these herbs as our great grandmothers did: but even if you buy your herbs at the store, this practical handbook will show you how to make hundreds of teas, syrups, conserves, pies, candied flowers and leaves, wines, sweet waters and perfumes from well known wild and garden herbs that are readily available. Most of the recipes are taken from old English herbals (Gerard's herbal, John Evelyn's Acetaria, Coles Art of Simpling and many others) and the author one of the two or three most outstanding herbalists of this century adds many more of her own. Miss Rohde first provides a brief historical description of the herb garden, discussing some of the major books on herbs that have been written in England since the Anglo-Saxon Bald's leech book. Then in a long chapter entitled "Sundry of herbs" she lists the common herbs in alphabetical order, giving descriptions, recipes, hints on preservation, etc, for each one. There are recipes in this chapter for such dishes as artichoke pie, chervil broth, pickled cow slips, dill pickles, marigold pudding, nettle spinach, sauce eglantine (from roses), tarragon vinegar, violet cakes and wormwood brandy. There is an entire chapter on salads made with all kinds of herbs, which includes recipes for vinegar and mustard. ther chapters cover herb pottages and puddings, drinks and homemade wines (from mint, currants, lemons, dandelions, blackberries, sage, apples, gooseberries, apricots, turnips, etc) and some additional recipes- almond milk, beet-root biscuits, parsnip cakes, potato pie, and many more unusual herb foods. A practical chapter on the picking and drying of herbs and a final chapter on the use of herbs for scents (in pomanders, ointments, bath waters, eau de cologne and other perfumes) complete the volume. Miss Rohde's charming presentation and the ease with which her herbal lends itself to hours of browsing, will make this book a source of delight for anyone interested in plants or their lore.
Présentation de l'éditeur
Were it not for the sake of Custom, which has made it as unfashionable for a Book to come abroad without an introduction as for a Man to appear at Church without a Neckcloth or a Lady without a Hoop-petticoat, I should not have troubled you with this. E. SMITH, The Compleat Housewife, 1736. NOWADAYS every one who writes a book, especially a small book, offers an apology for doing so. But this book is so unpretentious that an apology for writing it would be absurd. There is an immense wealth of literature, both learned and charming, on the subject of herbs, but there is no small practical handbook for those who are going to create an old-fashioned herb garden, and who want to know how to use these herbs as our great-grandmothers did. The fashion for blue, grey, white or Japanese gardens has died out; the rock garden still fascinates, but, unless made and maintained by skilful hands, it is apt to look ridiculous, so let us hope that the herb garden is to be restored to its former pride of place. Even those of us with the smallest suburban plots can make a delightful herb garden, and no matter how tiny it is a perpetual joy. Herbs ask so little and they give so much. All that the majority of our common herbs want is a fairly poor soil (the poorer the better for the aromatic herbs) and plenty of sunlight. People who know nothing of herbs imagine that it might be a dull garden consisting of only foliage plants. But there is no blue more beautiful than that of borage, whilst valerian, mallows, marigold and the stately mullein (to mention only a few examples) make lovely splashes of colour.
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.
Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest tec
Les informations fournies dans la section « A propos du livre » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.
