Wafting fragrance emitted from Rosemary on a hot sultry day can cool and refresh.   The sound of the bees busily working the flowers is music to our motorway tired ears.   Snapping a few branches and winding them into a loose wreath, we take the herb into the kitchen to contemplate the possibilities.  No matter how much we enjoy Rosemary in the garden, Rosemary in the kitchen is what it is all about.  Cooking with Rosemary is a true delight.   As it flavours our food, it perfumes our home. 

Any Rosemary can be used for cooking but we prefer our Upright Rosemary for both fresh and dried use.   Cooking with Rosemary can be as simple as chopping a few leaves to add to a leftover turkey sandwich or as elegant as mixing a bit of chopped fresh Rosemary with salt, pepper, and flour to rub on Chickens for roasting.   Because the leaves are thick, always chop them as finely as possible.   Go cautiously at first because a little Rosemary goes a long way.  Or, use whole stems by adding them near the end of cooking and then remove as you would a bay leaf.  Try using 10 inch stems for barbecue skewers.   There is no need to remove the leaves unless the Rosemary might overpower the food.

Rosemary is winter hardy in Britain.   It requires excellent drainage and full sun.  In colder areas, It can be grown in a container throughout the summer and brought in for the winter.  Give it a sunny spot and or 16 hours of  artificial lighting.  Be careful not to over water.   It is not necessary for the health of the plant to prune, but Rosemary can be pruned for shape after flowering has occurred, usually about mid spring.  Pruning later will remove next year's flowers.

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