cover image The Herbal Palate Cookbook

The Herbal Palate Cookbook

Maggie Oster. Storey Publishing, $29.95 (176pp) ISBN 978-0-88266-915-1

Fresh herbs enliven salads and soups, meats and breads, desserts and beverages, say herb supplier Gilbertie (Kitchen Herbs) and Oster (Herbal Vinegar), in this recipe collection jam-packed with interesting food facts and notes of caution. The useful sidebars and subtitles include the warning alongside Sorrel Vichyssoise, for example, that sorrel should be eaten sparingly because of its high oxalic content. We also learn that marjoram substitutes for oregano if a milder taste is preferred in Chicken Ragout with Olives, Oregano and Cilantro, and that the bittersweet flavor of lavender, ordinarily used as a scent, can enhance egg dishes, soups, salads and desserts. Recipes are an eclectic blend of current food interests--from updates on American classics like Arugula Burgers and Blueberry-Sage Muffins to such international-style offerings as Malaysian Rice, a Middle Eastern-inspired Grilled Salmon with Burnet-Yogurt Sauce and the tropical Mango/Papaya/Mint Mousse. Oster's photographs deliver visual inspiration, and a handy quick-reference guide advises on how to cultivate 60 herbs. The chapter on year-round container gardening is key to the enterprise, however, as many herbs showcased here have a limited availability. BOMC/The Good Cook selection. (Sept.)