"Getting To Know Herb"
taken from a "Taste of Home Collectors Edition"
unsure of date

You'll find fascinating facts, practical tips and delicious recipes in this
feature, which focuses on a different herb each issue.  This issue it's
marjoram.

 A gentle, calming herb, marjoram was called "joy of the
mountains" by the ancient Greeks.  Believed to be a favorite herb of
Aphrodite, the goddess of love, marjoram was formed into the crowns Greek
brides and grooms wore.
 Legend also held that you'd dream of your future spouse if you annoited
yourself with marjoram before going to sleep.
 Marjoram is a perennial member of the mint family, often grown as an
annual.  With dense, shallow roots, the plant can get bushy.  It has square
stems covered with tiny hairs.
 The two most popular varieties are sweet marjoram and wild marjoram (more
commonly known as oregano).
 Sweet marjoram is native to southern Europe, northern Africa, and
southwest Asia.  It grows 1 to 2 feet tall and has white, purplish, or pink
flowers.
 Once used to fight asthma, indigestion and even toothaches, marjoram has
no proven medicinal value except for minor antifungal properties.
 Marjoram was once hung around homes to freshen the air.  In France, people
still put it in chests and closets.  A fragrant additin to potpourri or
sachets, marjoram is also used as a scent for soap and perfume.


Adds Much to Meals
 Though marjoram has a strong scent, it's flavor is fairly delicate.  Avoid
losing its flavor by adding marjoram to your dishes toward the end of
cooking.  When dried, the flavor becomes stronger, so use dried more
sparingly than fresh.
 Especially popular in French cooking, marjoram enhances the flavor of many
foods, including fish, poultry, lamb, beef, sausage, green vegetables,
carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, potatoes, parsnips, mushrooms, eggs and
tomatoes.  Include a fresh sprig of marjoram in salads.
 It also goes well in stews, soups, cheese spreads, stuffings and salad
dressings.  Marjoram complements other herbs such as bay leaf, thyme,
basil, garlic, and onion.
 Marjoram seeds are small and slow to germinate.  They're usually started
indoors in early spring and tramsplanted outdoors after the danger of frost
has passed.
 Plant groups of three seedlings in a well-drained sunny location.  Make
sure weeds don't crowd them.  When the plants are ready to bloom a second
time, cut them to 1 inch tall.  In fall, divide the roots and bring some
inside for winter use and replanting next spring.
 When drying marjoram leaves, avoid sunlight to preserve the color and
flavor.  Store your dried leaves in an airtight container.
 Field editor Marge Clark of West Lebanon, Indiana is an avid herb grower
and frequently uses herbs in cooking.  Marge shares these marjoram tips
with us:
 For a beautiful summer table setting, tie small bunches of fresh marjoram
(or other small-leaved herbs) into bouquets.  Use a ribbon that matches
your table setting.  Lay a bouquet on the top of each plate - then invite
your guests to take the bouquet home after the meal!  Make your
bouquetsahead and put them in open plastic bags, sprinkle with a bit of
water and store in the refrigerator.
 It's important to snip off marjoram blossoms to keep the stems from
getting leggy and woody.  This also encourages side growth.  The blossoms
are tiny knot-like clusters.
 One tablespoon of fresh marjoram equals one teaspoon dried marjoram. 
That's the basic rule for most herbs.
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