Exotic Herbs

I was looking for Za'atar - an herb used in the Middle East. This book explained it so well that I was even able to find the plants online. They are growing in my yard at this moment. The book has beautiful pictures and the unusual recipes are easy and delicious. The Miami Beach and the Broward Herb Societies both recommend this book.

This is an excellently presented book, covering not just unusual herbs, but also different varieties of some old favorites like basil, rosemary, and thyme. The information is impecable, with some great new to me information on purslane, which is one of the unusual herbs I eat now. Carole Saville also explores some of the other oregano types, like Cuban oregano and Mexican oregano, with great pictures of these very decorative plants. There are recipes throughout, and I have tried some, with a little substitution, since I do not have every ingredient. Imagine "Roasted Pumpking Seed Dip with Mexican Oregano." Carole Saville has presented and excellent book with a lot of new information for gardeners, cooks, and herb lovers.

If you're passionate about herbs and have grown and used all of the common varieties this book will introduce you to some of the lesser known -Papaloquelite, Culantro, Houttuynia, and my new favorite Smallage, also known as leaf celery.The author supplies specific growing information and recipes for each herb. -Linda Fry Kenzle, author of Gathering:Using Simple Materials from the Garden and Nature