Parsley is not just a Denny's decoration

When I say the word "Parsley", what comes to mind? Do you picture the curly dark green leaf that is featured on sub-par restaurant's fruit buffets? When you were younger, do you remember your mother telling you not to eat the curly leaf and that it was only "decoration for the food"?

If you do indeed recall these childhood memories about a dark green, curly, "non-edible" leaf then you do know what parsley is. Or rather, you know ONE TYPE of parsley.

The curly, bitter tasting offender

There is, however, another type of parsley- Italian Parsley. The Italian variety is a much better herb and we use a lot of it at Savory. It might just be one of our favorites. We use it with other herbs for an herb mixture, we chop it up and use it for garnishes, and we will flavor our food with it.

The superior form of parsley

Now, when picking up parsley at your local grocery store, it's easy to get it confused with Cilantro. Both have a similar leaf shape but cilantro has undertones of lime. Plus, it'll be labeled at the store. To mince, cut about halfway up the bundle and continue chopping until very small bits. You don't need to tear off each of the individual leaves, but don't include all of the stems, either. 

Use fresh Italian parsley in your cooking! It goes well with chicken, herbed bread, noodle soup, and many other dishes. Using fresh herbs will give off more flavor than dried herbs, and it will make your run-of-the-mill chicken dinner morph into a superb meal.

Fresh Herbs: Adding Flavor to your Dish

We believe in fresh herbs

Our goal at Savory is to have a depth of flavor to each dish; that's why we hand make 98% of all our food in addition to using fresh herbs.

To use an analogy...using dry herbs is like having only one sparkler lit during a 4th of July celebration whereas using fresh herbs is like having the best fireworks display in the world. It really makes a difference!

Here are some of our favorite herbs:

 

Thyme. We all joke that we can never get enough "time" but at Savory, we really can't ever get enough Thyme! It's our favorite herb because it's very universal and quite mild. When using, remember to get rid of most of the woody stalk, using only the leaves and pliable stems.

 

Italian parsley. This kind of parsley is much milder than the curly parsley you're probably more familiar with. It goes well in most dishes. Cut off most of the stem at the bottom and chop up the rest to use.

 

Oregano. Its most modern use is in Italian cooking but it is used in all kinds of ethnic dishes. Tear the leaves off the stem and use to add flavor to any dish.

 

Sage. Its leaves are very soft and it is great in chicken dishes. Pull the leaves off the stem and chop from there.

 

 Basil. This is a spice you might be familiar with. It has a wonderful distinct smell. Tear the leaves off the stem and chop till your heart's content!

  

Cilantro. One of my favorite herbs to use for Hispanic dishes. It has some citrus overtones which makes it go well with salsa and guacamole. Its aroma is one of my favorite smells. Cut off most of the stem and chop up the rest.

Taste the difference from ordinary to extraordinary by using Savory for your next party!