Rosemary - rosmarinus officinalis

The name, Rosemary, is derived from the Latin and means "dew of the sea". Rosemary is indigenous to the Mediterranean area where it grows well in the salty sea air. Rosemary brings the sea air to your cooking. It is available in whole leaves or ground.

Distinctive, fresh, sweet, pine-like

Lamb dishes, liver pate, soups, stews, marinades, poached fish, seafood, in the preparation of various meats (veal, beef, pork, wild fowl and venison), tomato sauce, pizza, potatoes, cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, turnip, fruits, fruit juices, apple jelly and breads.

Savoury biscuits 1 teaspoon in 2 cups of mix

Muffins/corn bread 1 teaspoon in a mix to make 12 muffins

Fruit juice 1/4 teaspoon in 2 cups

Fruit salad 1/4 teaspoon in 4 cups of mixed fruit

Vegetables 1/2 teaspoon in 2 cups

Barbecue sauce 1 tablespoon in 6 cups of sauce

Lamb roast 1 teaspoon, crushed and rubbed on a 3 to 4 pound roast

For a touch of flavour to barbecued meats, sprinkle rosemary over coals while cooking.

Crushing the needle-like rosemary leaves into your cooking releases the full flavour.

Rosemary is rich in carnosol, another phytochemical that's said to help guard against breast cancer by detoxifying chemicals that can trigger cancer development. Carnosol may protect against skin and lung cancer as well. Rosemary also seems to work against the formation of carcinogens during the cooking process, according to cancer researchers.