J: Jellies the Herbal Way

J: Jellies the Herbal Way

What do herbs have to do with jellies and jams? Surprisingly, many herbs make delicious jelly. I doubted it too, until I met Joyce Ellenbecker many years ago when she had a small business called Lavender Variations. I was at an herb fair in Orange County (California) and she had samples of her lavender jelly out, along with her lavender lemonade.

I was hooked.

While I love growing lavender, and using it in sachets, it’s not my favorite flavor. But the lavender jelly was sweet (and mild) enough, that I really enjoyed it. Especially when it topped a dollop of cream cheese on top of a cracker.

Many people enjoy jellies made of basil. I haven’t tried that one myself. But I’m thinking…maybe some pineapple sage, or lemon verbena?

Come on plants. Hurry and grow. Now I’m in the mood to play around.

Here’s a few sites with instructions and recipes that you can use in your own herbal jelly experiments.

Renee’s Garden

Learn 2 Grow

Farm Bell Recipes at Chickens in the Road

 

This one isn’t about herb jellies, but as it deals with jellies and jams – leftover jellies and jams that is – I have to include it. I’ve followed Teresa Loe for many years, since around 1995 or so, and she is one of my herbal/gardening idols. Her site, Living Homegrown, is chockful of helpful tips, how-to’s, and recipes. One of her posts deals with a common problem – what to do with all those leftover bits of jelly in the jar? Check out 8 Delicious Ways To Use Up Leftover Preserves for some unusual and innovative ways to create something special out of the bits from the bottom of the jar.