Ger-Nis INTERNATIONAL, LLC

Ask Ger-Nis

What can you do with rosemary stems?
Jeremy Bendt, Queens, NY ?

Rosemary leaves are a good burning herb because of the high essential oil content.  Tie some Rosemary twigs together and brush your barbecue or marinade on and then throw the ‘brush into the fire’. Or, cut nice long stems and strip the leaves off and use the stems for shish kabob spears.  The spears must be presoaked for about 30 minutes so they don’t burn on the fire.  Click here for link to Rosemary Skewered Beef & Mushrooms

I love fresh herbs and am always wanting to cook with them, but I’m uncertain how much to use. Is there any rule of thumb to go by when using fresh herbs vs. dried?
Patrick Stewart, Marin Co., CA

As a general rule, we always use fresh herbs over dried, with the exception of oregano – we use both dried & fresh. A jar of dried oregano is a spice rack staple. It’s difficult to “over do it” with fresh herbs. When a recipe calls for a teaspoon, or tablespoon of dried herbs, a general rule of thumb is a handful or two of fresh herbs, washed and chopped. Fresh herbs add freshness and much fuller flavor than dried herbs. When fresh herbs aren’t available, our spice rack is stocked with dried oregano, sage, and dill. Be aware that dried herbs have a long shelf life, but more than a year and it’s time to replace them.

Why doesn’t my mint tea taste as strong and satisfying as Moroccan mint tea; is it a different kind of mint? If so, what kind and where can I get it?
Jenny Ruth, St. Paul, MN

Mint tea is an integral part of culinary culture in many parts of the Middle East and in Morocco. These regions use peppermint for their tea, versus spearmint which is more commonly found in US grocery stores. Peppermint is stronger than spearmint, which will account for the above quoted “strong and satisfying Moroccan mint tea”. Peppermint may be less commonly available than spearmint, but you can find it at your Farmers’ Market or higher-end grocery that has an extensive fresh herb selection. Traditionally, mint tea is served three times, and the amount of time the tea has been steeping gives each of the three glasses of tea a unique flavor, described in this famous proverb:

Le premier verre est aussi amer que la vie,
le deuxième est aussi fort que l'amour,
le troisième est aussi doux que la mort.

The first glass is as bitter as life,
the second glass is as strong as love,
the third glass is as gentle as death.

I love to use fresh herbs to infuse water. How long do you suggest tolet the herbs infuse in water? Do you have a favorite tea/herb infusion?
Shannon Thomas, San Francisco, CA

Mint is one of the most common, and well, pretty tasty, fresh herb to infuse in water. Several beverage companies even marketing mint infused water. But once you realize how easy it is to do yourself, purchasing mint infused water may seem a bit silly. Take your favorite herb like mint, or maybe basil with lemon slices, wash, remove any leaves that are breaking down and chop the bottom of the stems. Other delicious infusions are lemon thyme with lemon wedges, basil and lime, or even dill and cucumber. Place whole sprigs, leaves, what have you in a pitcher of filtered water for 1 hour. Strain, and voila...herbaliciously infused water!

How can I use fresh herbs in dessert?
Josh Skyer, Bell Harbor, NY

One of our favorite things to do! You can use fresh herbs in just about any type of dessert, whether it’s home made ice cream, syrups for drizzling fresh summer fruits, cakes and even pies. You’re in luck this month, we have an entire article dedicated to herbal deserts, titled “Fresh & Light Herbal Deserts”. Click here for recipes.

If you have a produce or herb question for Ger-Nis, please email us at and we will answer it in the next issue of Herb Blurbs. Thank You!