MYRTLE -- Do you use this as a herb in cooking?

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi there! I was passing my "myrtus communis" bush this morning (it is just about to burst into it's beautiful white starry flowers) & it came to me that I had never heard any of you talking about using it in recipes. I use it a lot but I have to admit that I had the shrub for years before I discovered it's culinary uses.

http://www.all-foods-natural.com/dossier/myrtle.html

I used to grow it because the flowers are so beautiful -- so delicate against the shiny green leaves. The berries are such a stunning colour once the flowers go. It seems to be very good in my hot & very sunny front garden & it survived our freezing weather last winter, only a few of the top evergreen leaves got a bit battered.

You can cut it back easily & it makes a good topiary plant. In fact if you look at this site making a few of these would solve a lot of gift problems in the future. I'm going to have a go at this as I need to cut mine back. I love topiary & I thought they would make great gifts for Christmas (probably 2010 rather than this year)! I will pot up a lot of cuttings & see what happens.
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karenleaf -- I thought this might be something for you to sell. I know you already take cuttings of rosemary to make into 'Christmas trees'. These might make another temptation for your customers!
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When I cook boiled ham I use the leaves in the cooking stock in the same way as you use bay leaves. I use them in duck dishes & sometimes chicken (especially chicken soup).

 

[davaroo]

Hi there! I was passing my "myrtus communis" bush this morning (it is just about to burst into it's beautiful white starry flowers) & it came to me that I had never heard any of you talking about using it in recipes. I use it a lot but I have to admit that I had the shrub for years before I discovered it's culinary uses.

http://www.all-foods-natural.com/dossier/myrtle.html

I used to grow it because the flowers are so beautiful -- so delicate against the shiny green leaves. The berries are such a stunning colour once the flowers go. It seems to be very good in my hot & very sunny front garden & it survived our freezing weather last winter, only a few of the top evergreen leaves got a bit battered.

You can cut it back easily & it makes a good topiary plant. In fact if you look at this site making a few of these would solve a lot of gift problems in the future. I'm going to have a go at this as I need to cut mine back. I love topiary & I thought they would make great gifts for Christmas (probably 2010 rather than this year)! I will pot up a lot of cuttings & see what happens.
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karenleaf -- I thought this might be something for you to sell. I know you already take cuttings of rosemary to make into 'Christmas trees'. These might make another temptation for your customers!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I cook boiled ham I use the leaves in the cooking stock in the same way as you use bay leaves. I use them in duck dishes & sometimes chicken (especially chicken soup).

Ive always thought of myrtle as akin to laurel. I believe it has been used in cooking in the same way as the noble bay.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

To me it is a beautiful plant full of uses & well worth it's place in the garden as well as the kichen. It has just been in bloom, the entire bush covered in starry white puffs. Now it is into it's growth spurt,later in the fall it will be covered in the amazing dark metallic looking little berries which fascinate me (the French make a liqueur out of them & I am going to try it out this year).

About 7 weeks ago I took a whole lot of cuttings from my bush & they all seem to have taken. Some are for friends & the others are for my topiary projects !

It is also wonderful for attracting bees, something we all need to do. It was just humming with them every day it was in bloom. I have been thinking of planting a hedge of it but it is a little slow growing in it's early years. I had mine in a large pot for years & only when I planted it out in the front garden did it start to show it's glory!

:rose Hattie :rose

 

[digitS']

Well, this is a little perplexing. i don't know anything about the myrtle bush but decided that I'd look it up along with information on the periwinkle vine. Periwinkle is sometimes called "myrtle" and I seemed to remember that it was toxic.

Well, periwinkle and myrtle are not really related. But, UCDavis have BOTH as toxic plants. Sure enough, periwinkle is of "Major Toxicity: These plants may cause serious illness or death." But, myrtle is listed as of "Minor Toxicity: Ingestion of these plants may cause minor illnesses such as vomiting or diarrhea."

Wikipedia tells us that myrtle is used as a flavoring for a drink in Sardinia. I don't suppose that it can be too much a cause of problems . . .

I also checked crape myrtle, another unrelated to either of the other plants. It is blooming around here right now altho' having a tough time of it this year with all the heat and dryness. Crape myrtle is not toxic.

This spice website says a little about myrtle and mentions its use to flavor barbecued foods by sprinkling myrtle leaves on the coals.

Toxic and Safe Plants, UCDavis


Steve

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Ah! digitS'

I'm still alive along with a lot of Australians & we all use Myrtle in cooking -- thats where I first had it. In my local supermarket they sell it in a little spice bottle as well as a marinade sauce !!!!

This is a quote from " the International dictionary of food & cooking " by
Charles Gordon Sinclair

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...esult&ct=result&resnum=9#v=onepage&q=&f=false
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http://homeideas.howstuffworks.com/tree/types-of-myrtle.htm
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http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...esult&ct=result&resnum=5#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Handbook of spices, seasonings, and flavorings
By Susheela Raghavan
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I think this is enough proof.........dearest digitS'........don't believe everything Wickipedia says......


:rose Hattie :rose

 

[Greensage45]

Oh my Hattie,

This is a wonderful discovery. I am only familiar with Crepe Myrtle. I recently got some seeds from Park called Crepe Myrtlettes ( I am assuming some mini version of the full crepe myrtle).

Do the seeds grow for you? Are you ready to make a list of the folks that would love to send you postage for some seed? LOL ...me me me me ! LOL

I cannot help but notice how similar the flower is to my Pineapple Guava, only the guava is in red. The flower petals are sweet and taste like the fruit and are often used in salads. This year is my first year with guava fruit on the bush.

Now I have to have a myrtle if to only compliment my red flowers on my Guava.

Let us know about seed and germination. This is a fabulous plant.

Ron

Oh shoot...i just saw your address in the UK. I highly doubt the Feds would appreciate us smuggling seeds across the planet. Oh well. I promise to look for some seeds on this side of the pond. Thank you for sharing this wonderful treasure.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi Ron!

I have propagated only from cuttings which were a doddle -- they all took! But this sit says plant the seed in spring:

http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week125.shtml

Chiltern Seeds in the UK seems to sell seeds to the US so I should check out your local laws. I think you have to have special papers:

http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/chilternseeds/211/moreinfo/d/myrtus+communis/pid/31511840

Try Dave's Garden in the US they will have someone who grows it, maybe they will send you some cuttings or seeds:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/54005/

Hope this helps-- I wish I was nearer as my bush needs trimming back.
Good luck with your search


:rose Hattie :rose