NICK HARDCASTLE:
(Mumbles with French accent) Herb. It's not just an old man's name. No! These plants are all herbs. As you can see, they're all different. Some are bushy. Some spread like ground cover. Some have flowers. And some grow tall like trees. But one characteristic that unites them all is that they're amongst the most useful plants in our garden. This is pineapple-scented salvia. But, strangely enough, it smells a bit like… Well… pineapples. Throughout history, we've used herbs for their wonderful scents, to flavour food, to repel unwanted pests and to create our first medicines. In medieval times, some herbs, like the bay tree, were suspected to ward off evil spirits. These days, you're more likely to find them in your mum's soup. Rosemary's a really tough plant. It can grow anywhere. Take the time to feel and smell it. It's quite oily, and the smell is incredible. Rosemary's always been associated with the mind and was even used to stop people's nightmares. Today we use it as a symbol of remembrance, wearing it on ANZAC Day. But it really shines with roast lamb and potatoes. Sweet marjoram. It was believed heat accumulated in the leaves could cure the common cold. But now I just tend to use it in cooking. Garlic has many properties that are great for your general health, and historically were used to repel vampires. It's used in cooking a lot because of its strong and wonderful smell, but don't eat too much, or you'll be repelling your friends with your garlic breath. Oh, come on. I'm not that bad. Am I? Here are a few of my favourite herbs. Parsley is a very versatile herb. Aside from being great for cooking, it's also useful for keeping your breath fresh. Thyme has a strong flavour and a sweet scent, and it's great for cooking. Oregano also has a wonderful flavour, especially on pizzas, and it's pretty easy to maintain. Mint comes in a whole stack of varieties, but it's a bully, so confine it to a pot or make sure you've got plenty of space for it. (Snores) Ah, lavender. Nothing like it to soothe and calm. You could put a bit under your pillow for a good night's sleep. Perhaps not a whole bush. Now rack off, hairy legs. I'm trying to get some shut-eye. Herbs are best picked, and used fresh, but you can hang them up, dry them out, store them and use them all year round. Even if you don't have a garden, you can plant in pots. So you've got no excuses. Herbs are great for cooking, and not just for their flavours, but also… their aromas. You don't need to be a proper chef to do it. My mates Gab and Louis will show me how to. What are we making, guys?
LOUIS:
Cheese and herb bread.
NICK HARDCASTLE:
OK. That's really easy.
GAB:
Yep. So easy even you can make it.
NICK HARDCASTLE:
(Laughs sarcastically) Funny. OK, well, how do I get started?
GAB:
Just read the recipe.
LOUIS:
Leave it to us.
NICK HARDCASTLE:
OK, then. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Grease your loaf tin using some paper towel and margarine. Sieve 200g of self-raising flour into your bowl. We're using wholemeal. Add a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of mustard powder, mix in 80g of grated cheese and your herbs. We're using one tablespoon each of marjoram, oregano, parsley, thyme and rosemary, because that's what we had in the garden. Add one well-beaten egg, half a cup of water, 30g of melted butter or margarine to the dry ingredients and stir it up.
LOUIS:
Easy!
NICK HARDCASTLE:
Now I get to do something. Get an adult to put it in the oven, which should be nice and warm, and leave it for 35 minutes. That looks and smells delicious, doesn't it? Alright, guys. Hook in. Go on. Hmm. Not bad. Good herbs. Herbs are great plants. They're fun to grow, and it's more fun finding different ways to enjoy them.
