PRODUCT INFO Garden peas have a large bright green pod which encases plump, round peas or berries. The pods grow on vines and unlike snow and sugar snap peas are too fibrous to be edible. Pods must be shelled first by snapping off the end and pulling the fibrous string along the length of the pod. Each pod contains five to eight emerald hued peas. Peas have a tender yet slightly crunchy texture and a sweet pea flavor. For best flavor prepare or freeze peas soon after they are harvested, the high sugar content of the peas begin to convert to starch as soon as the peas are picked from the vine.Fresh garden peas are rich in vitamin A and vitamin B (particularly folic acid), calcium, iron, zinc, and potassium. In addition they contain protein and fiber as well as lutein which has been shown to promote healthy vision. They also contain phytonutrients which have anti-inflammatory properties and can aid in the prevention of diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. To best preserve nutrients use peas raw or prepare steamed or stir-fried. USES A versatile vegetable, fresh garden peas are sweet and tender enough to be eaten raw but may also be prepared cooked. Shelled peas can be blanched and pureed to make a spread or dip. Add raw peas to green and grain salads. Their sweet, fresh flavor will complement rich pasta and risotto as well as spicy curries and soups. The shells of garden peas can be used to add flavor to vegetable stock. For best flavor and texture wait to shell peas till you are ready to use them. Peas can also be shelled and frozen, dried or canned for future use. Season A peak season in spring through early summer, garden pea are available year-round with sporadic gaps in availability throughout the year.
PRODUCT INFO Winter melon are large fruits, averaging 15 to 80 centimeters in length, and have a bulbous, round to oblong shape with blunt, curved ends. The melons are covered in a thin but tough, light to dark green skin, often enveloped in a textured, chalky layer of wax, depending on the variety. Young Winter melons also bear a pale, fuzzy coating of hair that disappears as the fruit matures. Underneath the hard surface, the flesh is thick, firm, aqueous, and white, encasing a large central cavity filled with pithy membranes and cream-colored oval seeds. The seeds are edible once cooked and have a nutty, neutral taste. Winter melons are not typically consumed raw and contain a mild, vegetal, and subtly grassy flavor reminiscent of a watermelon rind or cucumber. When cooked, the flesh becomes transparent and softens, absorbing accompanying flavors. USES Winter melons are an excellent source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system and fiber to stimulate and regulate the digestive tract. The fruits also provide antioxidants to protect the body against environmental aggressors, magnesium to maintain healthy nerve functioning, phosphorus and calcium to promote strong bones and teeth, and contain lower amounts of folate, zinc, and iron. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Winter melons are viewed as a cooling or yin ingredient and are used to reduce inflammation and balance the body through their alkaline properties. SEASON Winter melons are available year-round, with a peak harvest in the late summer through fall.
PRODUCT INFO Wing beans are lime green and elongated with a square shape and four feathery, winged accents running from tip to end like the tail of an arrow. The pods are straight or curved with a smooth and waxy surface. They can grow up to 30 centimeters long but are usually harvested at 10 and 15 centimeters, before the peas have fully developed. Wing beans are sweet, like many pea varieties, and offer an asparagus-like flavor and crunchy texture. Wing beans are an excellent source of copper, iron, manganese, tryptophan, and the essential amino acid isoleucine. They are also rich in protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, all of the essential B-complex vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. The pods, leaves and roots all contain a similar nutrient makeup. USES Wing beans are most often cooked. Young pods can be eaten raw in salads, sliced very thinly, or lightly blanched. They are prepared like French beans or snap peas by pinching off the ends and cutting into bite-sized sections. Use in stir-frys, sautes or add to soups and stews towards the end of the cooking process. The delicate pods pick up the bold flavors of chiles, garlic and spices. Young pods can be pickled. Mature beans are halved, and their seeds prepared and eaten like soybeans. Dried seeds can be ground and used as a flour substitute. Store Wing beans in a bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. SEASON Wing beans are available in the late spring and through the fall months.
PRODUCT INFO Water Mimosa is a wetland plant which has a taproot that attaches to edges of water bodies, such as rivers and banks. The plant produces long, woody, brown-purple stems which can grow to 1.5 meters in length. They have a spongy, fibrous white covering at the nodes. This covering, called an aerenchyma, is an air-conducting tissue. It allows the stems, which grow in a dense, interwoven manner, to be bouyant and float on the top of the water. From the stems grow branches, which bear small, olive green leaves that grow separately, in opposite pairs. The leaves are oblong in shape, and measure arond 4 to 14 millimeters in length, to 1 to 3 millimeters in breadth. Stems have of 8 to 40 pairs of leaves, which grow to create an attractive feathery effect. They are slightly toothsome, and have a texture akin to kangkong. They have a strong mushroom-like umami taste with a hint of cabbage flavor. Water Mimosa is considered to be a nutritious vegetable which is high in calcium and iron. It also contains vitamin A, vitamin C, protein and riboflavin. USES The young stems, shoots and leaves of Water Mimosa can be cooked and eaten in stir fries. Water Mimosa is most often cooked like kangkong, along with soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chiles and garlic. It can also be found in recipes with noodles, minced chicken or fried fish. Store Water Mimosa in a loose bag in the refrigerator, where it will last for up to a week. SEASON Water Mimosa is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO White Turmeric resembles ginger in its shape and size. Each rhizome, or underground stem, is multi-branched with nearly transparent, pale-brown skin that will darken with maturity. Each rhizome and off-shoot can measure anywhere from 5 to 12 centimeters long. The flesh is a pale ivory to light yellow and has an aroma that combines unripe, green mangos and ginger with the earthiness of a carrot. White Turmeric has a bitter flavor and has a mild pungency very similar to ginger. White Turmeric is a good source of starch and therefore energy.The oils contain curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory, and other compounds that provide antimicrobial, antifungal, antiulcer, antivenom and anticancer benefits. USES White Turmeric is used in its raw form as well as in powdered form. In India, fresh 'Mango ginger' is washed and peeled and then cut or sliced into strips and pickled or sliced into thin rounds and served atop green salads. In Indonesia, White Turmeric is cut into pieces and dehydrated, oven or air-dried and powdered for use as a dried spice. In larger quantities, the powder is used as a substitute for arrowroot or barley. In Thailand, young roots are used as a vegetable and in curry pastes. Fresh White Turmeric can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The peeled root can be frozen for up to 6 months. SEASON White Turmeric is available in the spring and through the fall months.
PRODUCT INFO Baby corn (also known as young corn, cornlets or baby sweetcorn) is a cereal grain taken from corn (maize) harvested early while the stalks are still small and immature. It typically is eaten whole - cob included - in contrast to mature corn, whose cob is too tough for human consumption. It is eaten both raw and cooked. Baby corn is common in stir fry dishes. SEASON Baby corn can be produced all year round.
PRODUCT INFO Bitter melons are small to medium gourds, averaging 6 to 30 centimeters in length, and have a long and slender, oblong shape with slightly tapered ends. The gourd's surface will vary depending on the specific type, ranging from deeply creased, smooth, pale green, and ridged to rough, dark green, and heavily textured with warts and bumps. The gourd's skin may also exhibit a waxy layer, and some rarer types of Bitter melon showcase a white hue. Underneath the thin skin, the flesh is crisp, watery, and pale green, encasing a central cavity filled with spongy pith and large, cream-colored seeds. Bitter melons are harvested when they are young and green, containing a sharp, astringent, and vegetal flavor. The gourds are also selected when they display a green coloring with a faint yellow hue, an indication of further maturity, rumored to contain a slightly milder, bitter, and acidic flavor. USES Bitter melons have an astringent, bitter flavor well suited for cooked preparations, including stir-frying, baking, saut�©ing, steaming, boiling, braising, and stewing. The melon's sharp flavor complements rich, fatty, and spicy ingredients and is often utilized in different culinary styles found within Asian cuisine. Bitter melons can be consumed raw, but the gourds should be deseeded, salted, and left for approximately 30 to 45 minutes to draw excess moisture and bitterness. Once the bitter flavor is lessened, the melons can be sliced for salads, chopped into dips and spreads, or blended into juices. Bitter melons are also traditionally blanched before use or salted to tame the astringent notes before cooking. The melons can be stirred into soups and curries, stuffed and baked as a main dish, stir-fried with vegetables and meat, or cooked and coated in rich sauces. Bitter melons can also be sliced and roasted as a simple side dish, cut and fried as a rice accompaniment, or pieces of the flesh can be dried and steeped as a healing and cleansing tea. In addition to the melons, the young leaves and shoots of the plants are edible and share the characteristic bitter flavor, used as an accent in salads and soups. Bitter melon pairs well with coconut milk, aromatics including lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and onions, chile peppers, tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, black beans, yogurt, pork, beef, and poultry, and seafood including fish, shrimp, crab, and scallops. Whole, unwashed Bitter melons will keep 3 to 5 days when wrapped in plastic or placed in a sealed container in the refrigerator's crisper drawer. SEASONS Bitter melons are available year-round, with a peak season in the summer.
PRODUCT INFO Bolo Maka (Ma-Uek) is small and round, approximately 1-2 centimeters in diameter. The tiny outer skin is initially green when immature, but then ripens to a yellow or orange and is covered in a fine layer of prickly hair. The inner pulp has many edible seeds and is also yellow or orange. Bolo maka is tangy and have a tropical, floral taste with a crunchy bite. Bolo maka grow in small clusters on a stout, vining perennial bush that reaches heights of just over one meter. The stems, leaves, and branches are also hairy, much like the fruit's outer skin. Bolo maka can be consumed in both raw and cooked applications. The thin exterior skin is edible once the hairy layer is shaved off and they are popularly eaten raw as an appetizer or snack. Many recipes may call just for the juicy, seedy pulp to add a touch of piquant sweet and sourness in sauces and curries. The fruit can be sliced in half and squeezed to release the inner pulp. Bolo maka is often used as a finishing condiment and paired with nam prik kapi, which is a Thai chili sauce made with shrimp paste and lime. Its sweet and sour flavor profile also compliments curries rich in coconut milk or a simple plate of rice. Bolo maka will keep up to a week when stored in the refrigerator. USES Bolo maka can be consumed in both raw and cooked applications. The thin exterior skin is edible once the hairy layer is shaved off and they are popularly eaten raw as an appetizer or snack. Many recipes may call just for the juicy, seedy pulp to add a touch of piquant sweet and sourness in sauces and curries. The fruit can be sliced in half and squeezed to release the inner pulp. Bolo maka is often used as a finishing condiment and paired with nam prik kapi, which is a Thai chili sauce made with shrimp paste and lime. Its sweet and sour flavor profile also compliments curries rich in coconut milk or a simple plate of rice.Bolo maka will keep up to a week when stored in the refrigerator. SEASONS Bolo maka is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Chinese chives flower (Dok-Kui-Chai) is a biennial plant. in the same circle as the onion There is a rhizome underground. The rhizome is small and clumping, looks round, the stem is wrapped. With the surrounding leaf sheaths are green, the leaves are single, arranged alternately, the leaves look like garlic leaves. long flat leaves with parallel edges The base of the leaves is covered with interlacing interlaces. At the base of the stem, it is green with a spicy taste. strong odor bouquet looks like an umbrella round and then bloom There are small flowers on the stem. The flower stalks are long, round and stump. The petals are white, fragrant, the stem is green. has a sweet, crispy taste bring to cook There are many different menus. Thailand has many varieties planted. USES Help nourish milk Helps to treat gonorrhea, helps to nourish sex, helps to nourish the kidneys, helps to treat hives helps maintain bones help prevent cancer Help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. help prevent diabetes help treat diabetes Help cure tuberculosis, cure colds, help cure otitis media. Helps to cure nosebleeds, cure vomiting, cure diarrhea, cure flatulence, cure indigestion, help drive parasites, help heal hemorrhoids, cure gallstones, help cure urinary congestion, help disinfect, cure poisonous insect bites. help heal purulent wounds Helps heal black and green bruises, relieve pain, heal inflamed wounds, help build red blood cells Helps reduce intestinal inflammation Help prevent colon cancer. SEASONS Chinese chives flower is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Yellow chinese chive Leaves grow in clumps of slender, elongated leaves averaging 15 to 20 centimeters in length and have a cylindrical appearance ending in a curved tip. The leaves are thin, delicate, and flat, notably solid and not hollow. Yellow chinese chive Leaves are wider than common garden chives and showcase pale shades of yellow and white, the coloring dependent on the growing conditions. Each leaf has a crisp, succulent, and tender consistency and is easily damaged as they are fragile in nature. Yellow chinese chive Leaves are known for their robust, garlic-like aroma and have a clean, vegetal flavor mixed with mildly sweet nuances of garlic and onions. USES Yellow chinese chive leaves and peppery, Chinese celery tastes similar to regular celery, only much stronger - it is rarely eaten raw. Toss in stir-fries, fried rice dishes or vegetable sautes. Pair with ham, lamb, chicken, turkey or game entrees. To store, place in a perforated plastic bag refrigerate. Do not wash until ready to use. To clean, rinse quickly under water. Gently shake off excess water pat dry. SEASONS Yellow chinese chive leaves are available year-round, with peak seasons in the spring and summer.
PRODUCT INFO Bottle Gourds are creeping vines. The dried mature fruit is used to make shake instruments. Young gourds have light green rinds, white flesh, soft, because they contain up to 96.8 percent of water. Young gourds can be eaten with the peel. If it's a bit older, it needs to be peeled off before cooking. and if you don't want the cut gourds to be dark Soak in salt water Young gourds are usually blanched to eat with chili paste. Add to kaeng liang, som kang, or stir-fry with meat. But should not be boiled or fried for a long time because the meat will be messy. USES The old gourds have a thick peel. The outer bark turns creamy white and hard. The flesh is dry until hollow, light weight, cut off the pole and remove the seeds for planting. The hard bark also has many uses, including: The Chinese use it as a portable water container. It is also considered as a symbol of auspiciousness. It is believed that it will help money grow, have good fortune, and that the gourd is shaped like the number eight. Therefore used to solve feng shui as well. Some African tribes cut it in half and use it as a food container. SEASONS Bottle Gourd is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Cowslip Creeper flowers grow on long and slender, vining plants that bear dark green, heart-shaped leaves averaging 4 to 8 centimeters in diameter. The vines are tough, maturing from green to brown, and alongside each leaf node, a cluster of 10 to 20 flowers appear seasonally. Each flower averages 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter and bears five angular petals, forming a star shape. When young, the flowers are green, eventually developing a yellow-green hue at the base with solid yellow petals once the bud opens. The flowers also emit a strong and pleasant, citrus-like fragrance that is especially pungent in the evening when in bloom. Cowslip Creeper flowers are crisp, succulent, and tender with a mild, vegetal, subtly sweet, and earthy flavor. USES Cowslip Creeper flowers are a seasonal ingredient used in Filipino, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, and Indian cuisine. The flowers can be consumed raw, incorporated into salads for added texture, or utilized as an edible garnish to decorate cakes, desserts, and main dishes. In addition to fresh preparations, Cowslip Creeper flowers can withstand cooking and readily absorb accompanying flavors, providing a mild earthiness and subtle crisp consistency to dishes. The flowers can be battered and fried, tossed into soups and curries, or stir-fried with oyster sauce. In Thailand, Cowslip Creeper flowers are popularly boiled and dipped in chile paste. In the Philippines, the flowers are cooked into a vegetable dish known as pinakbet and frequently mixed into omelets. Cowslip Creeper flowers pair well with noodles, rice, meats such as pork, beef, and fish, shrimp, eggs, tofu, aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and holy basil, pandan juice, coconut, and vegetables such as mushrooms, long beans, squash, eggplant, and mung beans. The flowers should be immediately consumed for the best quality and flavor. SEASONS Cowslip Creeper flowers are available in the late spring through early fall.
PRODUCT INFO Pea eggplant are small and round, about the size of a pea and one centimeter in diameter. These tiny fruits are arranged in clusters of ten to fifteen bunched together in a fashion similar to grapes and as the fruits ripen their thin skin will turn from light green to yellow. The fruits grow on shrubs that can reach up to sixteen feet in height. The stems and leaves of the pea eggplant are covered in fine hairs, and small hooked thorns and the flowers of the plant are most often white. Each fruit can contain up to two hundred tiny, flat, brown, and edible seeds. pea eggplant range in flavor from bitter to tart when raw, and their texture is exceptionally crunchy. Once cooked they will take on a soft quality and the bitter flavor is minimized. USES Pea eggplant are used in both raw and cooked preparations. When fresh they are popularly used in nam prik kapee, a chili and shrimp paste blend commonly made in Thailand. They can also be pickled, dried, or served raw with dipping sauces. Pea eggplant can be grilled, braised, added to curries, soups, and stews, or tossed whole or chopped into stir-fries. To cut the bitterness, Pea eggplant can be boiled briefly before use. Pea eggplant pair well with mint, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, curry paste, rice, yams, and meats such as poultry and beef. Pea eggplant will keep up to three days when stored in a cool and dry place. SEASONS Pea eggplants are available year-round with peak season during the summer months.
PRODUCT INFO White eggplants are slightly curved and oblong, averaging 10-17 centimeters in length. The outer skin is smooth and bright white with one bulbous end that tapers slightly to a green calyx. The cream-colored inner flesh is dense with many, edible white seeds. When cooked, White eggplants are creamy and mild with a light sweet flavor. USES White eggplants are best suited for cooked applications such as sauteing pan-frying, deep-frying, grilling, and baking. Their skins are firmer than purple varieties and should be peeled before cooking. They can be sliced and grilled, used in stir-fries, or sauteing with other vegetables as a side dish. They can also be sliced and used as a substitute for meat in pasta dishes such as parmigiana bianca. White eggplants pair well with chilies, tomatoes, squash, stewed meats, grilled and baked fish, chicken, chickpeas, lentils, herbs such as basil, mint, cilantro, and parsley, cheeses such as fresh cow's milk, parmesan, and aged sheep's cheese, miso, ginger, yuzu, garlic, and allspice. White eggplants will keep up to three days when stored in a cool and dry place. SEASONS White eggplants are available during the summer months.
PRODUCT INFO Coconut shoots are one of the most useful things. They also contain less fat and energy. Therefore, it is popular to make a menu of coconut shoots for weight loss. Because it has a sweet, crispy, delicious taste, plus it helps to lose weight well, not allergic to spinach for weight loss. USES If eating in each meal will have a special to eat deliciously, we would like to suggest a menu that includes coconut shoots with a delicious taste when used as an ingredient in curry, and then adds more crunch to the crunch. excellent food The more you chew, the more crunchy it becomes, and the more it makes people eat it without getting bored. The menu that we will recommend is a variety of styles of coconut shoots that are put into each menu. Because the taste is different, but even if it's different, there is a perfect balance that is not normal at all. The young coconut shoots are stir-fried with spicy flavor, adding more flavor to the coconut shoots that are so delicious that you can't stop eating them. With the colorful curry paste and the spicy flavor of the curry paste, when the coconut shoots are mixed together, it's perfect. SEASONS Coconut shoot is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Spinach is a leafy green producing succulent, dark green, spoon-shaped leaves. It offers a subtle, yet assertive vegetal flavor often with iron or metallic notes. Depending upon variety and maturity, Spinach can be sweet, earthy, nutty and even tangy. USES Spinach can be eaten fresh or cook and stands up well to heat, baking and sauteing. Use as in a salad mix or as a dark, leafy green. It is highly versatile and pairs well with spring vegetables, citrus, berries, eggs, nuts, bacon, pasta, cream and fresh cheeses. Flavor with Indian or Middle Eastern spices, creams, ginger, garlic, shallots, chiles and soy. Spinach will keep, dry and refrigerated, for one to two weeks. SEASONS Crayon Spinach is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Banana flowers have a starchy, fibrous consistency and a neutral, subtly bitter, and fruity flavor well suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The outer, dark-hued bracts should not be consumed, but they can be used as a decorative serving vessel. As each bract is removed, the small florets can be separated from their tough stamens and set aside for use with the flower's heart. Once the bracts have been peeled away to reveal a yellow-white hue, the heart can be sliced into pieces and incorporated into recipes. It is recommended to immerse slices of the Banana flower in salted lemon water or vinegar water for at least 20 to 30 minutes to extract some of the bitterness. Banana flowers can be added to fresh fruit and green salads, and younger flowers will have a sweeter flavor for raw preparations. They can also be minced into dips, dumplings, and pastes. USES Beyond fresh preparations, Banana flowers can be lightly steamed and served with dips, similar to an artichoke, boiled in coconut water and stir-fried, or incorporated into curries and soups. The flowers can also be fried into patties, soaked in flavoring, cooked like fish fillets, or sauteed into vegetable, rice, and noodle dishes. In Thailand, young Banana flowers are commonly served raw on the side with pad Thai. In Indonesian cuisine, Banana flowers are mixed with pork and hot sambal, cooked in a section of bamboo, and served as a festival or wake appetizer. In Brazil, Banana flowers are incorporated into pies, quiches, and cooked into various sweet and savory goods. There is also a famous pastry in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais known as pastel de agnu that has its own festival. The festival annually occurs in the city of Itabirito and features food vendors, local growers, restaurants, and arts and crafts vendors, all centered around the famous pastry of the region. Pastel de agnu is comprised of Banana flowers stewed with meat and then fried into a dough-like puff. Banana flowers pair well with spices such as turmeric, curry powder, mustard seeds, cumin, and chile powder, aromatics including garlic, shallots, onions, lemongrass, and galangal, coconut milk, macadamia nuts, lime leaves, papaya, and carrots. Whole, raw Banana flowers should be immediately consumed for the best quality and flavor. The flowers can also be wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator, or cut pieces can be placed in a sealed container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. In addition to fresh Banana flowers, the buds can also be found canned or frozen for extended use. SEASONS Banana flowers are found year-round, varying in availability depending on climate, region, and hemisphere.
PRODUCT INFO Young pepper (Prik Thai On) (scientific name: Piper nigrum) is a plant recognized as the king of pungent spices. and is a spice that gives it a spicy flavor Can be used to make dried pepper as a condiment. If the whole husk is dried, black pepper will be obtained because the rind will be black when dried. The white pepper is obtained by peeling off the bark first. It was found that both dried and fresh fruits were used for cooking. or dried and ground into a powder called ground pepper which pepper is a different plant species from chili (Chilli). USES In Asia, we use pepper in all its stages of development. Sprigs of very aromatic, young green berries appear in stir-fried dishes, curries, soups and dipping sauces. As pepper berries mature, they change from light green to dark green and then begin to turn red. Picked before fully matured, the peppercorns are dried, the outer peel turning black and shriveled, and this is the form most popular in the west. Fully ripened red berries are allowed to ferment briefly in a warm place, then their peel is rubbed off, revealing irregularly white seeds. For a refreshingly aromatic peppery taste, grind your own pepper when you need it. Use a pepper mill, mortar and pestle, or if you are grinding a large amount, a clean coffee grinder designated solely for grinding dry spices. Pre-ground pepper loses aroma and flavor over time. SEASONS Young peppercorn will bloom in May during the harvest season. will be around January.
Turmeric is the rhizome, or root stem, of a tropical blade-leafed plant. The rhizome has an abstract finger-like shape with a rough skin marked with knobs and rings. Turmeric rhizomes often grow up to 3-4 inches long and one-half to one inch in diameter. Its skin's color is a combination of pale earth and orange. The flesh is a vibrant carrot orange color and its flavor warm and peppery with very distinct bitter undertones. It is most often boiled and then dried for powdered form, in which it turns its trademark color. PRODUCT INFO Turmeric, scientifically known as Curcuma longa, is a tropical flowering perennial that falls within the same family as ginger and is one of two rhizomes with an appearance similar to the spicy root. It's cultivated and harvested for its roots, though its leaves are also used in some cultures. USES Fresh Turmeric's gentle carrot/ginger-like flavor lends itself well to both sweet and savory applications. It adds freshness to curries and soups, and can be pickled or fried. Its vibrant color is a wonderful addition to any dish, but can also stain clothing and porous surfaces. SEASON Turmeric is available year-round
PRODUCT INFO The most popular and widely used culinary herb. It is a tender annual, aromatic plant with a spicy odor and flavor. It grows 12-18 inches tall and foliage color can range from green to purple. Foliage size can vary from large lettuce-like leaves to very small leaves, half inch in size. USES Sweet Basil picked for use in the kitchen is best held in a glass of water at room temperature. Putting basil in the refrigerator results in discolored and unattractive leaves. Basil is easily dried for storing and future use. It is used to flavor soups, stews, tomato dishes, meat, game, fish, egg dishes, herb butters and herb vinegars. SEASON Sweet Basil is available year-round.