These plants are traditionally considered to be - Allspice, Anise Seeds, Caraway Seeds, Cardamon, Celery Seeds, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Cumin, Ginger, Mace, Mustard, Nutmeg, Black and White Pepper, (Poppy Seeds), Saffron, Sesame Seeds, Tumeric and Vanilla. Whereas, kitchen herbs are considered to be Basil, Bay Leaves, Chervil, Chives, Dill, Fennel, Garlic/onions, Horseradish, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Sorrel, Tarragon and Thyme.

Now days, for many of these names, we think in terms of using "a pinch" from a small bottle or tin. Our ancestors thought more in terms of food preservation and medicinal uses. With regard to most spices, they also thought about expense and far-away places. My first knowledge of spices was, "You know your grandfather grew up in the Spice Islands", followed by a realization that that was a place of "war" rather than "peaceful trade and romance". In history, spices are more often really associated with greed, money and war, rather than what we are usually taught, namely, adventure, exploration and romance.

When Alexander the Great invaded India about 327BC, he and his troops discovered the delights of peppercorns (Piper nigrum) and the addiction began. Attila the Hun, held Rome hostage, demanding 3,000 lb of peppercorns in tribute, whereas in the year 1000, the then English King, Ethelred II, otherwise known as Ethelred the Unready, demanded of merchants wishing to trade in the City of London, pay a tax in peppercorns. Throughout medieval Europe pepper was often traded, ounce for ounce, for gold. Whereas "peppercorn" rent means a nominal rent, really just to show ownership, this term represents an inverted sense of humor!

The distillate of the leaves of its relative, Pimenta acris, which grows in the East Indies, is commonly called Oil of Bay or Oil of Myrica and is used in soaps and toilet waters (bay-rum).

Charlemagne cultivated it on his imperial farms. In Medieval Europe, anise seeds were as used as mouse enticement bait, but the oil of the seeds was considered to be a pigeon poison. However, humans used the seeds in cakes and breads and the leaves in salads, as garnishes and when cooked as a vegetable.

Today, anise seeds are used as flavoring in cough medicines, in baked goods, candies and liqueurs. Anise seeds have been found (together with caraway seeds) to promote iron absorption. Certain insecticidal properties have also been noted..

When walked on basil releases its scent, hence it was used to strew on floors to cover bad smells and repel flies and other insects.

Medicinally basil was used in wine for gastro- intestinal problems, nausea and dysentry and it was reputed to "soothe nerves". A tea made from basil and peppercorns is a folk remedy reputed to reduce fever. Crushed basil was used as a snuff to relieve headaches and colds. In actual fact, basil is effective for relieving gas and extracts of the plant can inhibit organisms that cause dysentry.

Basil is spicy when flesh and sweeter when dried. Fresh basil (or dried) is used to season sauces, soups and drinks. As the flavor of basil increases when cooked, thus it should be used sparingly. Basil is a very good additive to dishes using tomatoes and it is much used in Italy and elsewhere.

Oil of basil is used to make incense and perfumes.

In medieval times bay leaves were used as strewing herbs because they were insect repellants as well as for their smell.

Medicinally powdered berries were used to improve appetite and reduce fever and as a tonic after an attack of fever. The oil from bay leaves was used externally for bruises and rheumatism and the leaves themselves were added to bath-water to relieve aches and pains. Bay leaves were considered to be a powerful antiseptic.

Both fresh and dried bay leaves were used to flavour soups, stews and saurces. A traditional South African dish, puts bay leaves into a mixture of ground (or chopped) meat and fresh and dried fruits while it bakes. The leaves are removed before serving.

Has been used to replace epinephrine in weight-loss formulas due to its synephrine content, which is thought to increase the metabolic rate (or thermogenesis). This has not been proven clinically. However, synphrine may stimulate a rise in blood pressure through vasoconstriction and norepinephrine depletion.

Traditionally, borage was used to treat fevers, bronchial infections and dry skin. Borage oil was and still is used for arithritis due to its anti- inflammatory properties. Traditionally borage oil was also used for nervous disorders and kidney, bladder and bowel complaints. Externally, the herb was used as a poultice on inflammations and bruises and in a wash for sore eyes. Very large doses of borage may be toxic.

Young leaves were used in salads or cooked as a spinach. When added to wines or cold drinks, the taste imparted was cucumberlike. Borage flowers and leaves steeped in wine were a popular traditional remedy for melancholy, whereas borage tea was drunk at joust and other tournaments to give courage.

Bees love this plant. Candied flowers were popular sweets in the Middle Ages.

Cardamom belongs to the same family as ginger. Traditionally it is supposed to stimulated the heart and mind and produce "clarity of thinking". In Eastern medicine it is used to treat mucus congestion of the lungs and is stated to be the best and safest of the digestive stimulants. Cardamom is also claimed to "detoxify" the caffeine in coffee and perhaps even cure that addiction. The Bedouins often stick a cardamom pod in the spout of their coffee pots.

A traditional home tonic for lung congestion was to stuff a pear or other fruit with honey and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder and bake it. Supposed to be good for indigestion too.

One of the things you are probably noticing, is how spices not only can delight your taste buds, but can act as minor medicines for colds, nausea due to over eating etc. But please don't forget they were originally used as food preservatives too. Something to remember on camping and/or backpacking trips and heaven-help-us after an emergency such as flooding or earthquake.

Com E. notes that allergies can occur and since the effectiveness of celery against rheumatic and other complaints, were as yet, scientifically unproven, use of this herb was not approved by them. However, the retired top FDA herbalist, Dr. Jim Dukes (who is one of the few herbal experts in this country, whom I truly trust, particularly since he is not attempting to sell me something) takes 2-4 tablets of celery seed extracts or 4 celery stalks per day for keeping his own gout (uric acid critical levels) under control.

Traditionally celery has been used by the Chinese to lower blood pressure. There is also some evidence that celery juice may lower total cholesterol and LDL levels in animals. It may also be of use in cardiac arrhythmias, since celery contains some plant material calcium blockers and also magnesium and potassium.

Traditionally chervil was used as a "cleansing tonic" for liver, kidney and stomach problems. The juice was drunk to reduce fevers and for gout and jaundice. Because it was considered to be a bitter Lenten herb, it was credited with restorative properties and the leaves were eaten raw to stimulate digestion. Externally the juice of the leaves was used to treat sore eyes, particularly conjunctivitis.

In Eastern medicine cinnamon, is prescribed to raise vitality, stimulate the circulation and help clear all types of congestion. Cinnamon is in fact as a strong herbal antiseptic and in Europe, it was much used as an early stage treatment of colds and flu.

In the Far East cinnanon is used in curries and rice pilaf, whereas, in Europe, it is used in drinks, particularly mulled wines, in cookies, with fruits, such as apples and cinnamon plus sugar is finding many new uses.

I have used cinnamon powder to stop ant invasions. It does not look pretty on bench tops, but it does not show, too much, on window ledges and other entry points.

Cloves were always considered to be a "powerful" medicine. In the Han dynasty in China, court visitors were required to hold a clove in their mouths so as not "to pass on germs" to the Emperor, as well as "overcoming" bad breathe. Cloves were also used in the treatment of diarrhea, nausea and intestinal gas. Later in Europe, cloves were supposed to guard against plague and other diseases. They were also used in court rooms to "ensure the health" of the judges!

Hildegarde of Bingen recommended cloves for headaches, migraines and sinus congestion. Cloves are good for the digestion and can help counter nausea. Cloves are also powerful herbal antiseptics (think gargles and mouth-washes). This sounds strange, but is true, a 1% emulsion of cloves has an antiseptic strength 2 to 3 times greater than that of the carbolic acid, the great physician-surgeon Lister used in surgery. Clove oil is effective against some fungi, such as that responsible for athlete's foot.

Many of you will remember the old cold-flu tonic of rum-lemon-honey, try ground cloves-lemon-honey, with rum or wine optional.

We are inclined to think of cloves as adjuncts to deserts, fruits, drinks, cookies, etc, however, try adding them to stuffings and bread sources, for a change.

The young leaves from this plant, are a *very rich* source of Vitamin C and carotene and can be used in soups and salads. However, it is the seeds that are the most used in flavorings, confectionery and by distillers.

In Europe coriander seeds are officially approved for use in "dyspeptic complaints and for the loss of appetite".

Cumin seeds, which contain high amounts of carotene and iron, were traditionally used to help the digestive processes and be a tonic for the heart and nervous system. On a more practical note, the seeds appear to be useful for chronic diarrhea (probably because they have anthelmintic properties) and hoarseness of voice (probably becausethe seeds are mildly antiseptic).

Medicinally dill seeds were used to make drinks to relieve, particularly colic in babies, but also stomach aches and cramps, digestive problems, (these uses have been validated), headaches and insomnia. The ancient Greeks, boiled dill seeds in wine for curing hiccoughs. In medieval times dill seeds were used as a breathe sweetener and to allay hunger pains. (I wonder if they might help dieters). Dill was supposed to help promote flow of milk in nursing mothers. (We forget how may infants starved to death through lack of mother's milk. My great, grandmother had 12 kids and 6 died in early infancy due, she wrote to her sister, lack of milk on her part).

Dill leaves and dried seeds are used particularly in fish dishes, but also in salads and sauces. The seeds are also used in breads, potato dishes, for flavoring vinegars and as a pickling spice for gherkins and cucumbers. The leaves are less pungent than the seeds.

Medicinally oil from the crushed roots of fennel was thought to relieve flatulence, stomach aches, constipation and act as a general aid to digestion. Oil of fennel has in fact been found to be a soothing agent for gastrointestinal upsets. Traditionally fennel was also used as a gargle and mouth wash for sore throats. Fennel has now been shown to have some antifungal and antibacterial activity, as well as anti-inflammatory, some arterial blood pressure reductive properties.

In medieval times fennel seeds were chewed to alleviate hunger on fast days. Traditionally fennel was also supposed to stimulate both the memory and also the milk flow in lactating mothers.

Fennel has been used in herbal teas, in salads, soups, sauces, meat and fish stews. The anise-like tasting seeds have been used in breads, pastries and liqueurs. Fennel is a good "bee honey plant".

Traditionally, fenugreek tea was used for bronchitis, sore throats, tuberculosis, as a general tonic and for "flagging sexual desire". Poultices made from pulverized fenugreek seeds were used for swollen glands, skin irritations and gout. In the Middle East fenugreek was used to treat diabetes and there is some evidence that seed extracts do lower blood sugar and also significantly reduce cholesterol levels.

Fenugreek is often used as one of the spices in curries. It is sometimes also eaten as a salad green or its seeds sprouted and then eaten. The seeds were also sometimes used as a coffee substitute.

The plant is also used as animal fodder. A yellow dye can be produced from fenugreek.

Used in cookery as a seasoner in stews and soups, being milder than other alliums in flavor. Makes as excellent pickle.

ONIONS - Allium cepa One of the earliest plants in cultivation, valued by the Indians, Chinese, Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Mentioned in the Bible and on inscriptions in the Great Pyramid. There is a legend that when Satan stepped out of the Garden of Eden after the fall of man, onions sprang up from the spot where he placed his right foot and garlic from where his left foot touched. The onion was known in the New World prior to 1492.

In medieval times, onions were reputed to ward off snakes and witches, as well as the plague. Today there are many types of onions differing not only in size and coloring, but also in smell and pungency.

The onion was traditionally used for its antibacterial properties and was eaten to ward off coughs, colds and respiratory infections. The onion was also used for lethargy and was supposed to restore sexual potency. A fresh sliced onion was prescribed to relieve insect stings.

Currently in Europe it is used to help prevent atherosclerosis, as an antibacterial, lipid and blood pressure lowering agent and for the prevention of platelet clumping.

In cookery, onions are not only eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable, but also in soups, salads, stews, sauces and many other dishes. The bulbs were also dried or pickled.

LEEKS - Allium porrum
Extremely popular vegetable with the Celts, Anglo-Saxons and Normans. It is found wild in North Africa and was known in the Bible and to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. From time immemorial (at least the sixth century) it was considered a helmet badge for the Welsh and all true Welshmen traditionally wear a leek on St. David's Day (Patron Saint of Wales) - 1 March.

It is widely used as a vegetable. The stems and leaves are used extensively in soups and stews.

GARLIC - Allium sativum (Clown's Treacle) Used for culinary and medicinal purposes since ancient times by the Egyptians (mentioned on the walls of the Great Pyramid), the Israelites, Greeks, Romans and Chinese.

Widely used for flavoring foods, meats, sausages. In Southern Europe no meal seems complete without garlic being used in its preparation.

Garlic is a bacteriocide, an antimycotic and an antiseptic. Traditionally it was used for coughs, colds and respiratory infections. Current properties attributed to garlic, include: lowering of LDL and raising of HDL cholesterol, reducing the clumping of platelets and by its anti-oxidant properties protecting the liver against damage. It is also used to help prevent age-dependent vascular changes. There is some indication that it is helpful with intermittent claudication.

CHIVES - Allium schoenoprasum
Used in England and Europe to soothe inflammations and insect bites.

Used in cookery as a flavoring, particularly in Scotland and the Catholic Countries of Europe.

It is not known if the Hyssop of the Bible is this particular herb, since the name was given to several different plants in ancient times. Hyssop is one of the bitter herbs ritually eaten at the Jewish Passover Feast. Traditionally hyssop was strewn on the floors of courts, churches and infirmaries to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Elderly women in Europe pressed hyssop flowers in their psalm books, hoping that the strong smell would keep them awake, as well as protecting them from germs. (I will write another herb, which is thought to be the Hyssop of the Bible in a future vignette).

Bees and butterflies are greatly attracted to hyssop flowers and if grown near cabbages, it is said to lure away whiteflies.

Medicinally hyssop was used to treat coughs and respiratory complaints. Extremely large doses were given to caused abortion.

The flowers of hyssop can be added to salads and the leaves to soups, stews, meat dishes, stuffings and some fruit pies. The distilled oil is used in the flavoring of liqueurs and perfumes. Hyssop is used in pot-pourri.

Traditionally a medicinal tea was made from the fresh or dried leaves to soothe menstrual cramps, relieve insomnia by acting as a mild sedative (hence also useful during flu, colds or headaches) and to relieve flatulence. Research has proven the second and third traditional uses accurate. In Europe Lemon Balm is used medicinally on its own as a tea OR with Valerian Root and Passionflower Herb OR with Valerian Root and Hops.

There is some indication that this herb may have some anti- viral properties too. Lemon Balm ointments have been used successfully for herpes sores.

The leaves of this plant contain a volatile oil that is used in perfumes and cosmetics.

In the kitchen, lemon balm is used in teas, cool drinks and as a flavoring agent in salads, soups and egg dishes.

Two other herbs that have culinary uses similar to Lemon Balm, are Lemon or Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). In Brazil, Lemongrass is also used in a tea as a mild sedative and it has be reported to have antibacterial and cholesterol lowering properties.

Loverage was a medieval pot-herb used much the way celery was. Now it is mainly used in the manufacture of confectionery.

The name "Origanum" is from the Greek meaning "joy of the mountain".

Sweet Marjoram (O. marjorana/ M. hortensis) is an annual or biennial herb. In Bombay it is considered sacred to Shiva and Vishnu. The fresh and te dried herb and its oil were all used both in the Old and New Worlds to flavor meats, soups, stews and sausages. The dried leaves and flowering tops were used medicinally as a digestive aid. An infusion of marjoram with honey was a favorite drink for singers when hoarseness threatened. Red wine to which the fresh herb had been added and allowed to stand for 2 weeks was considered an excellent sleep-inducer or after diner drink. Marjoram was valued as a sweet smelling, disinfecting herb, and was much used as a "strewing herb", in pot-pourri, cosmetics, perfumes and the leaves were even used to polish furniture. The plant is much visited by bees.

Oregano (O. vulgare and O. heracleoticum) is a perennial herb. The Greeks believed that if this herb grew on a grave, the decease was happy in the afterlife. Both Greece and Roman wedding couples wore wreaths of this herb to symbolize the joyous event. It has been used as a herbal tea and to flavor salads, soups, stuffings, as a condiment and above all in pizzas. In some parts of Sweden, the peasantry put the leaves of this plant into their beers and ales to keep them from turning sour and also increasing their intoxicating power. In traditional remedies, this herb was used for respiratory disorders, intestinal pains, as a diuretic and for toothache. It was used externally to relieve itching bites. The plant was also considered to be an ant repellant. It was used as a "strewing" herb and in various pot-pourri, cosmetics and perfumes. This plant is much like by bees.

Origanum maru, if it was the Biblical hyssop, was used in Jewish purification rites and during the Roman Catholic Mass ("Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, O Lord and I shall be cleansed" etc).

MINTS - Mentha species
These herbs were used in very ancient times. In the Bible the Pharisees collected tithes in mint, dill and cumin. The name mint comes from the nymph, Minthe, who was changed into this herb by Persephone, the jealous wife of Hades.

The mint species were much used as strewing herbs in houses, inns, courts and in other public places.

PEPPERMINT - Mentha piperita
Peppermint (and its constituent, menthol) is added to various medications for it taste and it property of easing the discomfort of intestinal gas (indigestion and heartburn). This herb and its oil are often used in Europe for the above purposes.

In the home it is found in liqueurs, candies and other products, such as toothpastes.

SPEARMINT - Mentha spicata
Medicinally it is used as an aid for intestinal gas. It is also used in many toiletry items, including toothpastes.

In cooking it is widely in many meat (particularly lamb) and vegetable dishes and it is also used in jellies. mint juleps, punches and iced teas.

BERGOT MINT or WATERMINT - Mentha aquatica
Source of the lemon scented essential oil used in perfumes. Considered one of the three most sacred herbs of the Druids. Why this mint rather than others, I do not know. The other two sacred herbs were Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), used for flavoring meads and beers and as a strewing herb and Vervain (Verbena officinalis), used for jaudice, sore throats and headaches, as poultices on wounds and to protect against the plague and ward off evil, it was also added to love potions and aphrodisiacs

PENNYROYAL - Mentha pulegium
Penntroyal oil is used in soaps and as a vermin repellant, particularly for fleas. This oil, but not the herb, is toxic if taken in quantity orally. Thus 1/2 an ounce can cause severe liver damage.

Traditionally the herb Pennyroyal was used as an aid in promoting menstruation, but was also used/misused to promote abortions.

Mugwort was known to the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese, Japanese and many others in ancient times. It was used by wayfarers to put in their shoes to help footsores. Today, footbaths with steeping mugwort can still help tired, sore feet.

Old herbals and some Asian herbalists use mugwort as a sedative in cases of palsy and certain types of epilepsy. It was also most often used as an aid in menstruation problems and in childbirth.

Mugwort was used to flavor home-made beers before the introduction of hops. It is also a natural insect repellent and was hence used as a strewing herb.

Mugwort is used in poultry stuffing in Eastern European cuisine and as an aromatic herb.

The early accounts of nutmeg are to be found in the writings of Arabian physicians, who called it "karua aromatika". Traditionally, nutmeg was supposed to calm the nerves, but an overdose can cause giddiness and stupefaction. The Eastern medicinal uses of many parts of this plant, including the roots, cover many pages of fine type, but in the West medicinal use confirmation is scant. But nutmeg is heavily used all over the world, as a key spice.

Mace is derived from the arillus surrounding the nutmeg seeds and is used widely in savory dishes, sauces, ketchup and in also in beverages.

Nutmeg and also mace "butter" (both from second grade nuts and seeds) is used for ointments and in candles.

The essential nutmeg oil is used for mouth-washes, in perfumes and in the tobacco industry.

The name Petroselium, is the Greek for rock-celery. If parsley grew well in a garden, the woman was stated to be the dominant partner. To give parsley plants away, was like giving knives away - wishing that person "bad luck".

Traditionally it was used for menstrual problems, urinary and gastric infections (particularly in children), and for asthma and coughs. It was used during lactation, but not during pregnancy. It was also used as a poultice for cuts. wounds and sprains. Chewed raw, the leaves were used as a breath-freshener, particularly after eating onions or garlic.

In the kitchen, parley leaves are eaten fresh in salads or added fresh or dried to saurces, soups, pickles or other dishes. The roots can be grated and used raw or boiled as a vegetable.

In ancient times carried by wedding couples as a sign of love and fidelity. The Greeks considered it a memory aid and students stuck sprigs of it in their hair. Placed under a pillow at night it was supposed to ward off bad spirits and nightmares. The dead were buried with it to show that they would not be forgotten. It was strewn on floors to mask bad smells and discourage moths and insects. It was also burnt as an incense. Its wood was used to make lutes and similar musical instruments.

Medicinally rosemary tea was used for digestive complaints and it was made into a cough syrup. Externally it was used as a hair tonic and antiseptic shampoo, in cosmetics, perfumes and disinfectants.

As a strong aromatic herb, rosemary, is used in soups, stews and vegetable dishes. The flowers and leaves can be added to salads. This herb is also used in vinegars, cooking wines, jams, jellies and in breads.

The name rue comes from the Greek word "to set free", being a reference to the claim that rue was an antidote for all poisons. The Romans believed that rue not only improved eyesight, but bestowed the power of second sight too. Rue was eaten with cress and bread from Roman times on, by painters and engravers to improve their sight. Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo both claimed to consume rue regularly to improve their sight.

For Muslims, rue has the special significance that it is the only herb said to have been blessed by Mohammed. Early Christians used brushes of rue to sprinkle holy water in exorcisms and before celebrating Mass. Likewise, rue was considered to protect against the "evil eye" and other forms of witchcraft and hence bring good luck. The phrase "rue the day" comes from the custom of throwing rue at an enemy and cursing them.

Rue was considered a protection against plague and was carried by magistrates and spread on the floors of courts against gaol fever, lice and vermin. It was also used inside houses as an insect repellant and in oils for altar lamps.

Medicinally rue was traditionally used to treat headaches, eyestrain, coughs and indigestion. A rue tea was given to expell intestinal worms. Externally, rue was applied to bruises, chilblains and some skin diseases.

Rue can be used in salads and to give a bitter taste to foods and alcoholic drinks, such as grappa. Rue is also used in perfumes and cosmetics.

Saffron is a nerve sedative, mild narcotic and diuretic. In small doses it is a mild stimulant and in large doses an aphrodisiac and narcotic. Traditionally it was a menstruation promoter and it was used in fevers. A paste of saffron was applied to bruises, and for rheumatic pains and for chest congestion.

The Greeks and Romans held special ceremonies while gathering this herb. Whereas, in China the belief in its tonic and antiseptic powers was so great, that they traded between 1 to 3 cases of China tea for 1 case of sage. There is an Arabic saying, "How can a man die, who has sage in his garden", while the English equivalent is, "He that would live for aye, must eat sage in May". Folklore also maintains that when sage flourishes in a garden, the owner's business will prosper, but when it withers, the business will fail. (Do I see a rush in Barron Park to buy and plant sage plants!!!!).

Medicinally sage tea was traditionally used to treat sore throats and soothe nerves. Sage possesses antiseptic, antiviral and astringent properties. In medieval times, sage was chewed to whiten teeth. It was also used in perfumed oil for altar lamps and is still used in soaps, perfumes, cosmetics and pot-pourri.

In cookery, sage is used in soups, salads, stuffings, pickles, cheeses, jellies and vinegars. The French make an excellent pickle from the young leaves. Sage is also used in cooking wines and in liqueurs and ales. It is used to make "fatty" meats, like duck, more "digestible".

The seeds were used in breads in Sicily and in cakes in Greece. In India the seeds were parched and ground into a meal for cookery. In South Carolina the parched seeds were used in broths and puddings.

Today sesame is used in the manufacture of soaps, cosmetics, liniments, ointments and as a solvent of medicinal agents. The seed oil cake is used as a cattle feed and as a fertilizer.

Rumex acetosa - Garden Sorrel, Meadow Sorrel, English Sorrel, Sour Dock or Cuckoo's meat
It is cultivated as spinach and for salads, in Britain, Ireland the Hebrides, France, Scandinavia, Lapland and China. Folklore claimed that cuckoos ate the plant to lubricate their vocal cords. The plant was used to remove stains from linen. It was also used as a substitute for rennet in curdling milk.

Rumex alphinus - Mountain Rhubarb
This is grown in France, Europe and China and eaten as a salad or as spinach. Employed as a preservative of unsalted butter in the summer months.

Rumex crispus - Curled Dock or Yellow Dock
The leaves of this potherb weed are highly esteemed by some. Its roots were used medically as a tonic and a laxative.

Rumex montanus - French Sorrel
It is cultivated in France as a salad. In Norway the leaves are eaten with milk or mixed with meal and baked. Whereas, in India sorrel is used in soups and omlettes.

Rumex patientia or Rumex sativus - Herb or Garden Patience or Monk's Rhubarb
This plant has been known in Europe and the Orient since early times as a potherb.

Rumex sanguinea - Bloodwort
Bloodwort has also been used in Europe as a potherb

Rumex scutatus - Garden Sorrel
This plant has been used in Europe, the Orient and in America as a spinach. Medicinally it was called "Herba acetosa romana".

The ancients used this plant for embalming corpses. Tansy was popular as an insect repellant, particularly for moths, lice and fleas and was used as a "strewing herb" on the floors of houses, churches and court-rooms. Its leaves were also wrapped around meat to act as a preservative and fly and insect repellant. Tansy is still added to pot-pourri and can be used as a yellow-orange dye.

Medicinally tansy tea was taken for cold and as a general tonic, although a large overdose can be toxic.

As a rembrance of the Passover bitter herbs, this herb featured in the medieval tansy pancakes, which were eaten to mark the end of Lenten fasting. Because tansy is bitter, it should be used sparingly, but it certainly can be used in sauces, salads, custards, omelettes and cakes. Tansy has also been used as a substitute for spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg.

Charlemagne liked this herb so much that he planted it on all his estates, This is a very popular herb in French kitchens. They use it's licorice taste as a complementary seasoning in fish, meat and poultry dishes and in salads, dressings and sauce bearnaise. It makes a very good vinegar.

Modern folk herbalists advocate the use of tarragon for alleviating rheumatism and arthritis. It can act as a diuretic.

However, there was at least 3 distinct traditions linked with thyme:

1. The ancient Egyptians and Etruscans used thyme for embalming their dead and the thyme flowers were supposed to provide resting-places for the dead. Then the scent of thyme was supposed to linger where a murder had been committed.
2. As an emblem of courage, the medieval ladies presented their chosen knights with sprigs of thyme and embroidered their "favors" with the same. They also added thyme to ales, beers and soups to cure shyness and induce bravery and courage.
3. Thyme was a favorite flower of the fairies and was reputed to possess the power to make them visible to humans.

Thyme was traditionally used as a fumigant and to repel moths and insects. It was used as an incense for this purpose in ancient Greek temples. It was carried by judges and strewn in front of them and on the floors of the courts to ward off goal fever. Rosemary was also burnt to fumigate houses. Today rosemary is used in soaps, cosmetics, perfumes and in pot- pourri.

Medicinally thyme has antiseptic and disinfectant qualities. Thyme tea has been used for throat infections, coughs and colds. Thyme honey tastes exceptionally good. Pillows stuffed with thyme were traditionally recommended to dispel nightmares and melancholy. The plant's essential oil, thymol, is in fact a powerful disinfectant against bacteria and fungi and has been used, externally, for athlete's foot infections.

It has been claimed that thyme can stimulate a person's appetite. In cookery, it is used in salads, stews, soups, stuffings, cheeses, omelettes, vegetable dishes and in pickles and sauces. It is also used to flavor liqueurs.

TURMERIC (Curcuma longa)

In Indian traditional medicine, turmeric is valued as a blood purifier and as a metabolic tonic. It was also used to regulate the menstrual cycle, relieve cramps, reduce fevers, help in skin disorders and in cases of poor circulation and in the treatment of arithritis. It was, in addition, used for boils, burns, sprains and swellings. Mixed with milk it was used for colds.

Com E. found that the fresh herb or freshly pressed juice was of use "during inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract."