Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 09:02 pm
The use of sage is by no means limited to seasoning dishes. We have looked around and collected the best ideas for using the Mediterranean aromatic wonder.
Use fresh sage imaginatively – creative tips.
In the proper care of sage, harvesting and regular pruning go hand in hand. Thus, during the season, the question of the best possible use of surplus harvest and cuttings arises repeatedly. Thanks to its intense aroma, fresh sage can only be used sparingly as a food seasoning. Be inspired by the following suggestions for imaginative uses:
- Homemade throat lozenges made with 8 grams of sage, 100 grams of sugar and 35 milliliters of water.
- Soothing sage syrup made from 80 grams of leaves, 1 liter of water and 500 grams of sugar
- Refreshing sage jelly made from 10 fresh leaves, 1 liter of apple juice and 1 kilogram of preserving sugar
- Spicy sage vinegar made from 5 sage sprigs, 300 milliliters of rosé wine, 100 milliliters each of water and vinegar essence
Try sage liqueur, because here you use 2 handfuls of fresh sage leaves in a spiritual way. Simply add to 750 milliliters of raspberry brandy and let steep for 1 week. Boil the sugar with water and let it cool down. Now drizzle the sage-raspberry brandy mix through a fine sieve into the sugar-water and stir well.
Make good use of dried sage – this is how it works
Once sage is dried, you can take your time to think about the ideal use for it. Compared to freshly harvested leaves, dried products can be kept for 12 months or longer. Help yourself to the rich supply of herbs and use them in this way:
To relieve coughs and colds in the inhaler.
Laid out in the house, bunches of sage drive away pesky insects
To smoke fragrantly on the glowing coals of a fire bowl
Long before sage was used as a culinary herb, it was considered a natural remedy for a wide variety of ailments. For example, the dried leaves, soaked in warm water, serve as an invigorating foot bath. If fresh sage leaves are not available in winter, the dried herbs make a warming cup of tea. On the other hand, continuous use in high doses is not advisable due to the toxic thujone it contains.
Tips & Tricks
Essential oils tend to migrate into certain synthetics. Storing fresh or dried sage leaves in containers made of PVC or polyethylene is therefore not recommended. Screw jars or jute bags are more suitable for this purpose.