Herb Collection
Take a walk somewhere in Provence and your body will be filled with the scent
of the herbs that grow wild on the hills and in the valleys. As you explore the
countryside, every step will deliver the smell of the land and its richness will
penetrate your every pore to intoxicate your senses.
Even a leisurely drive can provide an astonishing sensory medley for any
traveler; the beauty of landscapes can be strikingly similar to parts of
Sonoma county, but one is struck by the addition of a new dimension: smell.
When one thinks of the scents of Provence, lavender is usually the first thing that comes to mind; and truly, one is more likely to spot lavender than any other herb, both because of its distinctive color and because it is cultivated. However, the range of fragrant herbs one will encounter in the wild is simply staggering: thyme, sage, marjoram, savory, basil, rosemary... Yet, not all of those have a vocation to end up on a plate! Ask a native Provençal about eating lavender, and he will look at you quizzically, and perhaps scratch his chin when pondering the wild ways in which the world is changing...
At local
markets, merchants throw handfuls of herbs on their grills: their irresistible
scent attracts passersby to the roasted chickens and lamb skewers; jokes and
loud talk conclude the transaction. By tossing a few pinches of herbs directly
over the coals, you will entertain like a Provençal and set your barbecues
apart from all others. One whiff, and your guests will be transported to
Provence.
Herbs are a key to Provençal cuisine's casual refinement. A sprinkle of thyme can be all the difference between "having lamb chops for dinner" and "having a feast with friends". Herbs are an essential element of being Provençal: they circulate through the veins with every heartbeat. Every mouthful of a meal flavored with the local herbs celebrates a communion of the body and the land.
Our "herb collection" is an introduction to that celebration, and a ticket to the Provençal lifestyle...
Provençal Herbs/Herbes de Provence
