Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Herbes de Provence

I try to visit one of our local Farmer’s Markets every week. My favorite is the Tuesday morning Market in Roseville. It is held in the parking lot of the Whole Foods Market, which is located at the edge of our newest, VERY upscale shopping “village”, across the boulevard from our large, newly renovated mall. I can get a lot of shopping done all in one place!

One vendor I always shop with is “Two Spicy Ladies”. The array of herbs, spices, blends & rubs is amazing. The prices are reasonable too! I purchased a 2 oz. bottle of Herbs Provence (rosemary, thyme, savory, fennel seed, basil, lavender, and marjoram) for $4.50. That is about half the price of a .62 oz bottle in the grocery store! I know it is fresh and it really does taste better! I took the photo below to give you an idea of the size of the bottle. The Herbs Provence is on the left; the Himalayan Pink Salt on the right is in a standard spice bottle. Great deal, huh?


Last night my husband grilled a couple of boneless pork chops. We used Two Spicy Ladies Coffee BBQ Rub. Yes, coffee, and it is yummy too! I added a nice green salad, but decided we needed something else. Since one of my favorite ways to use Herbs Provence is in sautéed or grilled vegetables, I checked my FridgeSmart containers and found a few fresh green beans, and two yellow zucchini squash. Looked like the makings for a great sauté to me! I cut up the veggies and added a little thinly sliced onion and garlic, salt & pepper, and about ½ tbsp. of the herbs. Tossed it all in a pan with extra virgin olive oil and quickly sautéed it. May I say it was delish? It was pretty to look at too. Here’s a photo.



Do you have a favorite herb or spice? Or maybe there’s one you’ve always wanted to try. How about creative ideas for all that summer produce? I’d love to hear from you!

Gastronomically, Chris

4 comments:

  1. Hi Chris, I really don't have a favorite. Well I take that back. I like basil. I usually plant some but I didn't this year.I need a guide to tell me how to cook with them.I don't know what to put with certain things.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm trying to be a better cook, but I'm not there yet. My favorite spice is still good ol' black pepper.

    I just wanted you to know that I am unashamedly jealous of your Whole Foods Market.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Believe me Bee, I feel sooo blessed to have a Whole Foods Market nearby. It is like the Disneyland of food for me!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Chris! I just clicked on your blog, at Great Impressions. Welcome!

    Thanks so much for the comment on the "window".

    Pat aka XantisGma/aka Pat@Back Porch Musings

    ReplyDelete

I'd love to hear your thoughts...