How can I reuse or recycle … dried branches of rosemary?
John’s Grandma grows all sorts of fruits and vegetables in her garden and has a number of huge herb plants and a few weeks ago, John came home from there with a number of branches hacked off from one of the rosemary bushes.
The branches had actually been cut off for someone else to replant in their own garden but nothing had come of it and by the time we got hold of them, the branches and attached “leaves” dried out.
We have far more than we could ever use for culinary purposes (particularly since we don’t often use rosemary in our cooking) so are looking for other ideas for using it up. Any suggestions?
(Photo by kris_b)
You could crush the leaves (or just separate them) and make little muslin ‘teabag’ sachets for drawer scents to keep your clothes smelling nice. Rosemary and Lavender are both used for this purpose.
The sachets can also be used like standard pot pourri.
Heat them with a flame it will smell Very good.
you can infuse olive oil quite easily with fresh (and semi-fresh) herbs. You fill a wine bottle (or bottle of your choice) with your rosemary and any other complimentary herbs and such and then fill with olive oil, seal and leave in a warm place for a few weeks, actually – the longer the better, as this will bring the flavors out naturally. fun and easy!
Here are a list of uses, storage…etc. regarding rosemary. It may give you some other ideas….go to: http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/rosemary.html
Rosemary is lovely in pot pourri.
Keep the extra rosemary for the grill; soak it water before using it then throw it on the charcoal for perfumed smoke while barbecueing.
You can actually use the stems as skewers on the barbeque – strip the leaves off, soak the twigs in water as above, and thread stuff on them like a kebab, then barbeque.
topiary
Rosemary is associated with memory. If they are good looking, perhaps use them in a dried (or mixed dried and fresh) floral arrangement at a gravesite or the like.
rosemary helps circulation, powdered rosemary would be good added to a hot soaking bath. And it is good to promote hair growth added to shampoo.
Some places in Southern Europe it’s used for spiritual cleansing like white sage overseas and juniper in Scandinavia. Burned as incense it inhibits mould growth. In the bath it helps against cold and stiff muscles. Put under the doormat it emits a nice smell when guests arrive and wipe their feet. The hubby cuts several deep slits in the Sunday steak and stuff them with whole sprigs of rosemary before tying it and chucking it into the oven – how I wish I had known about that excellent trick earlier!
Keep dry twig in your purse for fresh aroma.