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Post by ahntjudy on Aug 16, 2016 14:54:21 GMT -5
I've never grown Sage. This year, in two large pots, I planted a package of Common Sage seeds my brother had from last year... Planted all seeds extremely closely...just to use them all up... One entire pot did not germinate at all... not one single seed... Second pot is doing very well... One of those gardening mysteries... I'm going to dry some and freeze some... Sometime soon, I want to get all the plants planted in the ground...one less flowerpot to tend to... Is it a root 'spreader'?...Or does it remain somewhat contained in ground? Does it like 'space' or can the individual plants be planted more closely together? And, does it spread a lot if it goes to seed? ~~~~~~ So now I have all this beautiful fresh Sage... {{Just picked leaves off stems...The house and my hands have a nice aroma...}}} I've searched for some use ideas... Herb butters...Sauted leaves in some butter/pasta/Butternut Squash gnocchi etc tossed in...With Pork/Poultry...Stuffings... What specific kinds of ways do you guys use fresh sage?
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Post by desertwoman on Aug 16, 2016 17:58:58 GMT -5
My sage started out tiny and has settled into a huge plant about 30" high with maybe a 3' spread. I don't know if it reseeded. But it has definitely stopped getting bigger at this point.
I like it as a sage butter over pumpkin stuffed ravioli and in bread stuffings. I've also used it in Tuscan white beans which is yummy.
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Post by restless on Aug 16, 2016 20:08:27 GMT -5
My old sage plant over wintered for me for 3 years and it did spread some, but not invasively. It never once flowered. The 4th winter it died. No idea why. I got some seeds and sowed 1 seed and now the sage plant is filling up a whole pot. I like the same things with sage as desertwoman mentioned. I also like the flavor of sage with anything smokey...chipotle in adobo, smoked chili powders, smoked paprika. And I like the flavor of sage with things made or thickened with cornmeal.
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Post by davidjp on Aug 16, 2016 22:24:48 GMT -5
Roasted butternut squash with sage leaves is pretty nice but I see you've already found out that one.
I make my own sausages and use fresh sage leaves for a standard Lincolnshire style sausage mix.
I've seen cooking programs where they fry the leaves and then use as a topping on veggies but I've not tried it myself.
It doesn't really spread much, just grows as a mounding bush. I also think its really pretty. Try mixing it with some purple sage and some tricolour looks really good.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 16, 2016 23:03:15 GMT -5
I've had a couple of sage plants live many years, coming back the following spring, with no protection. Both of those - a purple and broadleaf - finally succumbed to very cold winters. The ones I have now I started from seed from Renees seeds last year, and both - the one in the ground and the one in the windowsill box - came up with no problems. Both flowered early on, then took off growing.
Pork and sage have an affinity, and a favorite recipe of mine is a recipe of Julia Childs - a Pork Ragout, which originally had thyme as the herb, but my favorite was a combination with rosemary, 2:1 sage:rosemary, with garlic, wine, and fresh tomatoes, finished off with a little creme fraiche. And some home baked bread was something I always have with this dish.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 17, 2016 22:13:48 GMT -5
This evening I thought of a common flavor combo including sage - mushroom sage. I have seen and made many recipes through the years using these two.
Another thing about sage: while dry sage has a really good flavor, the flavor is considerably different from the fresh. This is due to the fact that there are two main flavor components, and one is much more volatile, so much more of it is lost in drying. So to save the fresh flavor of sage, I save some by salt layering, instead of drying.
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Post by desertwoman on Aug 17, 2016 23:20:06 GMT -5
Now that you write that pepperhead212, I realize I have never tasted my sage fresh! Why is that I ask? Now I will explore the differences in flavors. Thanks!
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Post by restless on Aug 18, 2016 5:07:07 GMT -5
Wow, I am surprised, DW. Like PH, I like it fresh a lot more than dried. Although I do dry some.
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Post by jobet on Aug 18, 2016 5:22:34 GMT -5
I've never tasted fresh sage either, only dried. I will definitely have to plant some so I can have the experience of tasting it fresh.
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Post by desertwoman on Aug 18, 2016 9:49:39 GMT -5
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Post by brownrexx on Aug 18, 2016 10:19:53 GMT -5
I grow sage too but don't use a lot of it. I think that the plant is pretty and a nice addition to my herb garden. The plant stays fairly small but becomes woody after 3-4 years so I usually cut it way back each year.
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Post by restless on Aug 18, 2016 11:13:10 GMT -5
It is a pretty plant, Brownrexx. I had it planted in my front yard beds previously. The silvery green color makes a pretty backdrop for colorful annuals.
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Post by ahntjudy on Aug 18, 2016 13:54:59 GMT -5
Thank you, my friends, for all the great use ideas! Besides the culinary use, it really is an attractive foliage plant... I have so many of them in that big pot, I think I'll plant some here and there just for their foliage display... Leaf reminds me some of Lamb's Ears... Bees are all over my Lamb's Ears... ~~~ So, I'm now anxious to try fresh sage in a recipe... And as soon as it cools down enough around here to want to cook anything and heat up the kitchen, I'll be experimenting with sage!
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Post by Mumsey on Nov 15, 2016 20:06:18 GMT -5
This reminds me to go out and get some of it for Thanksgiving stuffing!
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Post by binnylou on Apr 24, 2019 10:33:27 GMT -5
My old sage plant over wintered for me for 3 years and it did spread some, but not invasively. It never once flowered. The 4th winter it died. I fear I have lost my garden sage. Who in zone 5 is growing sage? Is it leafing out? My Russian Sage is showing growth and I would expect the two sages to be on the same "waking up" schedule
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