Fresh Herbs Make It Better

lavender, onion chives, garlic chives, flat leaf Italian parsley, sage,
 thyme, rosemary, oregano, lovage, basil

Like I always say...after you master the art of cooking with FRESH herbs...the dried ones just don't cut it anymore.  And I hope my six students left my Kirkwood cooking class the other night feeling exactly the same way.  I introduced them to a variety of fresh herbs...just picked from my own herb garden.

Spinach salad with apples and toasted walnuts
with a basil and honey balsamic dressing

Herb roasted chicken and potatoes

I started the class by welcoming everyone with a glass of lemonade laced with a syrup infused with lemon balm and sliced fresh lemons.  I then spent a few minutes showing everyone how to make a compound butter which I applied under the skin of a chicken I then roasted.  I also made a side dish of julienned carrots warmed in butter with green onions and fresh parsley.

 



When it was time for dessert, I served a home made shortcake, made from a family recipe that is over 100 years old.  I topped it strawberries infused with basil and vanilla.  And I topped the dessert with whipped cream with a hint of lemon balm and basil.  A sweet ending to a fun filled evening!