The most fragrant aromatic to be collected now are now a simple and immediate pleasure: basil, rosemary, mint and thyme, a few leaves in the morning and there is already a party air in the kitchen.
It is believed that the intense smell of fresh aromatic immediately turns on the culinary imagination, almost as if the brain woke up even before the body. Even the awakening seems sweeter if you already hear that alive perfume from the first gesture, which envelops and reassures. It is worth stopping a moment, going out on the balcony or garden and taking a sprig: a simple act, which slowly becomes a ritual, a habit that warms the day. Taking awareness of this pleasure – collecting and using herbs immediately – is not trivial as it might seem, because it transforms the routine into something more, almost poetic.
It is as if that silent invitation to grasp the moment was a small engine that circulates curiosity, attention to detail and … a subtle desire to kick off the day with more taste.
More fragrant aromatic to be collected immediately
It is interesting to note that the scent of basil At the touch you bring to mind, without any effort, vivid images of tomato sauce that clears, summer light filtered by the curtains and slow gestures that speak of the house. It is believed that the rosemary Just collected at dawn, balsamic notes so intense as to seem like a story of sunny fields and hot breezes. There Mentaon the other hand, with that impertinent freshness, it is enough to touch it and you immediately feel a light wave that also refreshes the thoughts. And then there is the timodiscreet but infallible, capable of giving a broth or roast an elegance that does not try to impose itself, but that is noticed.
There are those who intertwine these herbs in a rustic deck and leave it in the kitchen, letting their aroma become part of the house itself. Maybe it is not a revolutionary discovery, yet it has the charm of simple things, those that remain impressed in the olfactory memory for years.
What to do with the aromatic collections
There is a special pleasure in seeing how every grass can transform a dish, sometimes with a touch so light that it seems magic. It is an almost intimate moment, in which the perfume mixes with memories and home sensations. Sometimes an aroma is enough to bring to mind a set table or a sunny day in the kitchen. It is the kind of magic that does not need special effects, only of simple gestures and real ingredients. Often small additions are enough, carefully made, to create moments that remain impressed:
- A pinch of fresh basil In the sauce he gives a full and enveloping perfume, capable of making those who did not think they have them.
- A sprig of rosemary Stopping in hot bread slowly spreads a rustic aroma, almost country oven.
- Some leaf Menta In a lemonade or in an infusion lukewarm, immediate freshness, like a breath of clean air.
- Il timo As soon as it was collected, scattered on potatoes or grilled meat, it adds an elegant and discreet touch, like a silent signature.
No rigid rule, only the desire to try, mix, venture, transforming each dish into a small domestic alchemy that involves all the senses.
Store the perfume longer
It is not always possible to consume everything immediately, and when the harvest is abundant it is better to think about how to make him last without losing his soul. In these cases, you can opt for slow drying, preferably in a cool and shaded place: so the original perfume is preserved and the leaves are prevented from becoming anonymous. Another idea, practical and fast, is freezing the chopped herbs with a drizzle of oil in ice molds: at the right time, a cube will release a surprisingly alive aroma, perfect for flavoring sauces or soups. Then there are those who love to prepare oils or aromatic salts, real scent of perfume which, even in the cold months, bring to mind the memory of a summer in the kitchen. Storing the aromatics so it is like bottling the sun and keeping it at hand, transforming each dish into a small sensory journey.
It is a simple trick, but capable of making the difference in everyday cuisine.
Photo © Stock.adobe
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