Essayer OR - Gratuit

Swanky Or Simple...

The Gardener

|

December 2018

Seven Herbs For Holiday Entertaining

- Alice Spencer-Higgs

Swanky Or Simple...

Whether your holiday season entertaining is going to be gourmet or casual, here are seven quite ordinary herbs that can help you to produce extraordinary results.

Sweet basil, dill, parsley, mint, chives, thyme and origanum are not generally associated with festive fare, but with food trends favouring gourmet burgers, artisanal popsicles and rainbow food, there is a shift away from the traditional sage-stuffed chicken or lamb with mint sauce.

Instead we are talking fresh, fruity and plenty of green stuff(which includes herbs) for summer eating.

Gourmet burgers and beer? Who would have thought!

Burgers are popular again, but with a difference. They have gone gourmet, to be enjoyed with friends and loads of craft beer. Chop fresh thyme, dill, parsley and chives into the meat for an extra-tasty patty, or stuff a nugget of herb butter into the patty before cooking. Top with a tomato salsa (including chives, origanum and basil) or serve it on a bun spread with fresh tomato and sweet basil.

To make four large patties mix 540g beef mince with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, a bunch of chopped spring onions, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 beaten egg, and season with salt and pepper. Cook the burgers for three minutes on either side on a grill pan or pan with oil.

Cool for the pool

Artisanal food is a term that we hear a lot, and now it has been extended to popsicles (fruit ices). On hot days, especially at the beach or around the pool, there is nothing better. Artisanal popsicles are homemade ices combining fruit and herbs, like mint with watermelon or strawberry, basil with peach or mango, lemon thyme with grape, orange or pineapple, and dill with kiwi fruit. By using fresh fruit and natural sweeteners (honey) children can enjoy sweet treats without refined sugar.

The Gardener

Cette histoire est tirée de l'édition December 2018 de The Gardener.

Abonnez-vous à Magzter GOLD pour accéder à des milliers d'histoires premium sélectionnées et à plus de 9 000 magazines et journaux.

Déjà abonné ?

PLUS D'HISTOIRES DE The Gardener

The Gardener

The Gardener

Preserving apples

The end of the apple season means that apples need to be preserved for the next six months until the next harvest is ready.

time to read

3 mins

July/August 2025

The Gardener

The Gardener

Golden Oregano

Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’, as its name suggests, is golden yellow in full sun and cool weather. These bright herbs are highly fragrant, with a classic oregano taste and aroma, and are often used in the kitchen for pasta and pizza. In summer, the yellow leaves will be covered with small pink and purple flowers.

time to read

1 min

July/August 2025

The Gardener

The Gardener

Potting up a conifer

Conifers generally are well-behaved plants with interesting, evergreen foliage and mostly formal and neat growth habits. This makes them stately candidates for roomy containers.

time to read

1 mins

July/August 2025

The Gardener

The Gardener

Enduring and venerable trees

There cannot ever be a good reason not to plant a tree, and somewhere there is just the right tree for you...

time to read

3 mins

July/August 2025

The Gardener

The Gardener

Daylilies make a comeback

Daylilies are making a comeback in 2025 with even more shapes, twists, ruffles, pleats, picotees, curves, and stunning colours and colour combinations. There are singles and doubles, big and small flowers, each unique, and yes, they only last a day! They do, however, have another flower bud just behind that one, ready to show off the next day.

time to read

1 min

July/August 2025

The Gardener

The Gardener

How to make a fat ball

Some birds love a fat ball in winter to boost their energy levels. These are easy to make and a fun project to do with the kids.

time to read

1 min

July/August 2025

The Gardener

The Gardener

The Princess and Obsession

It only takes two wonderful modern hybrids of old garden favourites to prepare a garden and containers for an unforgettable spring performance.

time to read

1 mins

July/August 2025

The Gardener

The Gardener

Pink and pretty

Pink colour shifters with hot appeal...

time to read

2 mins

July/August 2025

The Gardener

The Gardener

GROW the WALL

If you want lots of flowers in plantable concrete retaining wall blocks or lush stems and foliage cascading over dry stone walls, we have good plant suggestions for you!

time to read

5 mins

July/August 2025

The Gardener

The Gardener

Winter indoor plant care

Winter can be a tough time for your houseplants; a drop in natural light, drier air, and cold drafts can all influence their lush appeal. As plant lovers, spending more time indoors in winter creates opportunities to keep a close eye on your leafy companions and make some changes to avoid these common winter blues.

time to read

1 min

July/August 2025