Pot-herbs. — One is inclined to infer from
the name pot-herbs that they play an impor-
tant part in cookery, and occupy the place of
leading articles of diet. It is not so, how-
over : pot-herbs are rather those which are of
secondary importance, and of value cliiefly
for flavouring, as parsley, horseradish, Indian
cress, &c.
Borage. — A native or naturalised in some
parts of this country. Its young leaves and
tender tops afford a boiled dish in summer and
autumn ; they are also sometimes used as salads.
Chervil. — An annual plant, a native of
varieus Continental regions, and sometimes met
■with naturahsed in English gardens. A variety
of chervil cultivated in Paris has beautiful
frizzed leaves. The tender leaves are made use
of in salads and soups ; those of the curled
variety are also used in garnishing.
Dill. — A hardy biennial plant, possessing
powerful aromatic properties. By means of its
leaves one may heighten the relish of some
vegetable pickles, particularly cucumbers. The
leaves are also employed in salads and soups.
Fennel. — A perennial plant, naturalised in
this country', and long an inmate of our
gardens. Its tender stalks are used in salads ;
the leaves boiled form an ingredient in fish
sauces ; they are used raw to garnish several
dishes. There is a variety of fennel called
finochio, the blanched stalks of which are eaten
with oil, vinegar, and pepper, as a cold salad ;
sometimes they are put into soup.
Horseradish. — A perennial plant found by the
side of ditches, and in marshy places in some
parts of England. Its cultivation in gardens
has long been attended to. The root of the
horseradish, when scraped into threads, is a
popular accompaniment to roast beef. It is
also employed in sauces, and in winter salads.
Indian Cress. — The Indian cress or nastur-
tium is a native of Peru, and a hardy annual.
In its native clime it stands several seasons,
but with us — our winter being too severe — it
has to be treated as an annual plant, and be
sown every year. Its flowers and young leaves
are often eaten in salads ; they have a warm
taste like the common cress. The flowers are
also used as a garnishing for dishes. Tbe
berries, when gathered green and pickled, form
an excellent substitute for capers.
Marigold. — The marigold, or pot marigold,
has been kno\vn in this country since 1573. It
is a native of France and Spain, and an annual
plant. In some districts of England the flowers
are employed in broths and soups.
Parsley. — A hardy biennial introduced into
this country in 1548. It is a native of Sar-
dinia. It is now so common with us as to be
naturalised in several districts both in England
and Scotland. " It may be right to notice,"
says Neill, "that the poisonous plant called
fool's parsley (iEthusa Cynassium), a common
weed in rich garden soils, has been sometimes
mistaken for common parsley. They are easily
distinguished : the leaves of fool's parsley are
of a darker green, of a different shape, and
instead of the peculiar parsley smell, have,
when bruised, a disagreeable odour. When
the flower-stem of the fool's parsley appears,
the plant is at once distinguished by what is
Page 1346
Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Pot-herbs. — One is inclined to infer from the name pot-herbs that they play an important part in cookery, and occupy the place of leading articles of diet. It is not so, however : pot-herbs are rather those which are of secondary importance, and of value chiefly for flavouring, as parsley, horseradish, Indian cress, &c.
Borage. — A native or naturalised in some parts of this country. Its young leaves and tender tops afford a boiled dish in summer and autumn ; they are also sometimes used as salads.
Chervil. — An annual plant, a native of various Continental regions, and sometimes met with naturalised in English gardens. A variety of chervil cultivated in Paris has beautiful frizzed leaves. The tender leaves are made use of in salads and soups ; those of the curled variety are also used in garnishing.
Dill. — A hardy biennial plant, possessing powerful aromatic properties. By means of its leaves one may heighten the relish of some vegetable pickles, particularly cucumbers. The leaves are also employed in salads and soups.
Fennel. — A perennial plant, naturalised in this country, and long an inmate of our gardens. Its tender stalks are used in salads ; the leaves boiled form an ingredient in fish sauces ; they are used raw to garnish several dishes. There is a variety of fennel called finochio, the blanched stalks of which are eaten with oil, vinegar, and pepper, as a cold salad ; sometimes they are put into soup.
Horseradish. — A perennial plant found by the side of ditches, and in marshy places in some parts of England. Its cultivation in gardens has long been attended to. The root of the horseradish, when scraped into threads, is a popular accompaniment to roast beef. It is also employed in sauces, and in winter salads.
Indian Cress. — The Indian cress or nasturtium is a native of Peru, and a hardy annual. In its native clime it stands several seasons, but with us — our winter being too severe — it has to be treated as an annual plant, and be sown every year. Its flowers and young leaves are often eaten in salads ; they have a warm taste like the common cress. The flowers are also used as a garnishing for dishes. Tbe berries, when gathered green and pickled, form an excellent substitute for capers.
Marigold. — The marigold, or pot marigold, has been known in this country since 1573. It is a native of France and Spain, and an annual plant. In some districts of England the flowers are employed in broths and soups.
Parsley. — A hardy biennial introduced into this country in 1548. It is a native of Sardinia. It is now so common with us as to be naturalised in several districts both in England and Scotland. " It may be right to notice," says Neill, "that the poisonous plant called fool's parsley (iEthusa Cynassium), a common weed in rich garden soils, has been sometimes mistaken for common parsley. They are easily distinguished : the leaves of fool's parsley are of a darker green, of a different shape, and instead of the peculiar parsley smell, have, when bruised, a disagreeable odour. When the flower-stem of the fool's parsley appears, the plant is at once distinguished by what is