GOURMET SALAD HERBSCAPE

Living foods such as fresh raw salads when consumed on a daily basis encourage detoxification, heighten enzyme activity, improve cellular metabolism and encourage fat burning fostering a high level of health. 

 

Salad gardens are easy to grow and take care of and may be direct seeded in a rich, loamy soil.  Don’t crowd them – they shouldn’t touch their neighbor so thin seedlings when they have their first true leaves.  Remember to plant in succession every 10 days with the herbs first and then the faster growing mix of lettuces so that you can harvest them all together every 6-8 weeks.  Don’t forget to give them adequate water too and harvest with scissors for “cut-and-come” again greens when the leaves fit in the palm of your hand.  Bring a bowl of ice water to the garden to place the snipped leaves in to stay cool, fresh and delectable.

 

 

Lettuces come in a myriad of textures, shapes and tastes, so grow several varieties to mix in fresh salads, plus endive and spinach.  Mesclun, named from the word mescal meaning “to mix”, is historically a salad of wild greens and herbs along with young tender lettuces enjoyed as a “tonic” after a long winter.  Traditional mixtures include mild & sweet flavors from lettuces, bitter flavors from radicchios, peppery flavor from arugula and cresses plus rich and hearty flavors from spinach and chard to stimulate the palate.

 

Adding any of the following herbs will add additional diversity to your salad herbscape:

Amaranth - variegated leaf with hearty spinach flavor that is sweet and
          slightly tart
Italian Large Leaf Basil - sweet basil flavor in lettuce sized leaves  
Borage - cucumber flavored leaves and blue or white  edible flowers             
Salad Burnett - refreshing, light cucumber flavored  leaves                           
Chives/Garlic Chives - mild onion or garlic flavor  leaves and flowers         
Mache Corn Salad - sweet flavor and tender “melt in  your mouth” leaves 
Dandelion - earthy, bitter, hot flavored leaves plus  edible flower petals    
Bloody Dock - tart flavor, colorful leaves
Good King Henry - mild, spinach-like flavor
Mizuna Mustard - mild, sweet, earthy, mustardy flavor
Nasturtium - peppery leaves and colorful edible flowers
Shiso (Perilla) - curry-like flavor combination of  cumin, cilantro and parsley
          with a hint of cinnamon
Sorrel - lemony, tart flavor

 

“Let us not become weary in doing good,
 for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,
especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Galatians 6:9-10