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Basils - ocimum species - sweet basil, cinnamon, purple, and lemon (annual) – robust and aromatic, cooking mutes the flavor. Use in pizza, salads, soups, sauces, tomatoes and tomato dishes.

Bay leaf - laurus nobilis – used fresh or dried  - used in pickling herb mix. Use in soups, stews, crab boil.

Caraway Seeds – carum carvi – a biennial plant – caraway seeds are the brown ribbed dried fruits of this plant but are called caraway seeds. It is said that caraway seeds have been used since the Stone Age. Caraway seeds' taste is warm, sharp and slightly bitter. A light toasting in a dry skillet will improve its flavor and is necessary to do with the caraway seeds because they are hard and unpleasant to bite down on. They are softened by cooking.  The seeds are sold whole but can be toasted and ground for immediate use.

Chervil - anthriscus cerefolium - fern-like leaves with a mild parsley flavor and hint of anise. Add at end of cooking to retain flavor.  Add to poultry stuffing, add to salads, sprinkle on melons, and add to sauces for fish.

Chives - allium schoenoprasum - (perennial) – delicate onion flavor with hint of garlic. Add to egg dishes, baked potato topper, biscuit dough, salads and butter.

Cilantro - coriandrum sativum - leaf of the coriander plant is used in salsas, chutneys. The leaves do not dry well and best used fresh.

Coriander - coriandrum sativum - small round fruit (seed) - and its leaf - cilantro. Toast seeds quickly and use in spice cakes, sausages, beans, pea soup, crab boil, pickling spices.

Dill - anethum graveolens - seeds and leaves (annual) – feathery leaves best used fresh and at end of cooking.  Use fresh leaves for fish, pickles, sour cream, cucumbers. Use in dips, some fish recipes, salads, soups, dressings for salad.

Fennel - foeniculum vulgare - seeds and leaves are used and the bulb of one variety- used in breads, pastry, fish dishes.

Garlic - allium sativum - (perennial) - used in Italian dishes and many other cuisines.

Ginger - zingiber officinalis (rhizome) - used in baked goods, Asian cooking, cookies, soups, sauces. Buy fresh & freeze for later use.

Lavender - lavandula species (perennial) - baked goods, cookies, lemonade, tea.

Lemon Balm - melissa officinalis (perennial) - use in teas, fruit dishes.

Lovage - levisticum officinale - fruit of the lovage plant - Used in Southern European cuisines for flavoring. Similar to celery in appearance and flavor.  Some celery seed sold is actually partially or all ground lovage seed.

Mints - mentha species - chocolate, spearmint, peppermint (perennials) – make tea, add to green peas when cooking, stir into fruit salads, add to sorbets.

Oregano, Greek - origanum vulgare (perennial) – similar to marjoram but more robust and aromatic. Use sparingly or it will overtake other flavors. Use in Italian dishes, on tomatoes, pot roasts, meatballs, salad dressing, cheese spreads.

Parsley - petroselinum crispum, Italian, regular, curly (biennial)- use in many cuisines, in salads.

Pepper, black - piper nigrum - part used is small berries that are picked just before they ripen an then are dried in the sun until black and shriveled. After the pepper corn is ground, it retains its biting taste but the aroma fades away in time.

Pepper, white - piper nigrum - comes from the same plant as black pepper but is processed differently as they are picked at a later state when they are riper. They are then soaked in water until the dark outer skins can be rubbed off. They are slightly milder and have a little different taste.

Rosemary - rosmarinus officinalis - (tender perennial) - strong and distinctive with a piney flavor – potato dishes, biscuit dough flavoring, stuffing, pizza.

Sage - salvia officinalis (perennials and annual) - aromatic, use sparingly - add to soups, poultry dishes, beans, stuffing.

Savory, Summer - satureja hortensis - an annual plant with tender lighter scent and milder taste than winter savory. Both have a balsamic, peppery flavor like thyme.

Sweet Marjoram - origanum marjoram - resembles oregano but more subtle and slightly sweeter. Add to olive oil and use to marinate meat, salads, chowders, chili, tomato soup, pasta sauces.

Tarragon, French - artemisia draclunculus - has a sweet herbal flavor with anise overtones. Used in béarnaise sauces, poultry, seafood, eggs, turkey, lentils, brown rice. Best used fresh if you use dried. Rehydrate in water.

Thyme(s) - thymus vulgaris - English, lemon, common (perennial) - intense flavor, use in stews, meat mixtures.

Turmeric - curcuma longa - mild but rich, musky fragrance. A relative of ginger, used in pickling spices. An ingredient in curry powder, color in prepared mustards, margarine, cheeses and beverages. Also a dye plant. Turmeric can be cooked by sizzling briefly in oil.