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2 comments about The Macmillan Treasury of Herbs: A Complete Guide to the Cultivation and Use of Wild and Domesticated Herbs.

1. The Macmillan Treasury of Herbs was published in 1985, over twenty years ago. Is it obsolete? Is Shakespeare obsolete? In fact, recorded herbal use dates back 5000 years in China. On papyrus in Egypt over 2800 years ago are recorded medicinal uses of marjarom, mint, and juniper. Dioscorides, a Greek physician in the army of Nero in first century AD, wrote a manual for the use of 400 herbs which was standard reference for the next 1500 years in Europe. During the Medieval Period monasteries maintained a physic garden. Herbs came over to America during the colonial settlement and so on.
   
   In addition to the history of medical use, the book contains information about herbs used in the household (lavender cachets, cooking), beauty (lavender bath products, henna, chamomile), dyeing (elder, blackberry, dandelion), and perfumes (rose, rosemary). There is a chapter on cultivating herbs, herbs in the garden with sections listing annuals, perennials, shrubs, border plants, container herbs. A chapter for designing a garden helps the reader set realistic goals, another chapter for the care of herbs.
   
   Beginning on page 47 for the rest of the book (142 pages, excluding index) is my well-paged, well-read section. Pages 47-50 show, all crammed up together, lovely illustrations of numerous herbs, then on page 51 through 113 the individual herb. But here is the incredible part--and the part that makes THIS herb book so indispensible--a full page devoted to each herb. Each page contains the name, a short history, identification information such as comes on seed packets, photos of the herb in its entirety: root, stem, plant, flowers, seeds, dried product, and recipe product. Yes--my favorite part--a recipe for each herb, plus uses--culinary, medicinal, cosmetic, domestic, and fragrance.
   
   Here are some recipe examples: lemon balm in Mushroom Salad, sweet bay in Soused Herrings (that's what it says), comfrey in Comfrey Cleansing Oil (used in reducing puffiness in skin and in cleansing), feverfew in a salad or sandwich to reduce migraine pain, garlic in aioli and garlic butter, marjarom in Provencal Sausages, mint in mint jelly, pennyroyal in Pennyroyal Dumplings, sorrel in Sorrel and Tomato Soup, and yarrow in Yarrow Infusion used on cuts and burns.
   
   Finally, more chapters on cultivation and storing, including charts, and creating potpourris and fragrant gifts, as well as more recipes.
   
   As a gardener, I have many books and magazines about various aspects of gardening and product uses, but the herbal book I go back to time and time again is this one. Everyone has a favorite--this one is mine. Highly recommended! Now for a nice cup of herbal tea and a lavender bath. Divine!



2. After one of my Amazon friends reviewed this book, I simply had to get a copy. Now, Amazon has filled my order for this book. Wow! The last paragraph of the review mentioned above: "As a gardener, I have many books and magazines about various aspects of gardening and product uses, but the herbal book I go back to time and time again is this one. Everyone has a favorite--this one is mine. Highly recommended! Now for a nice cup of herbal tea and a lavender bath. Divine!"
   
   To which I can only say, "Amen." This is a wonderful resource. There are all sorts of sections that those wanting to grow their own herbs or create herb gardens would enjoy (I'm probably too lazy for these activities!). First, a definition. The book described herbs as (page 16): ". . .any plant , generally aromatic or fragrant, whose parts, whether leaf, flower, seed, or root, are of use in food flavouring, medicine, household, and cosmetics." There are some very nice discussions of different aspects of herbs at the front end of this book: herbs in history (including medicinal use and as perfume), cultivating herbs, working on development of a herb garden, nurturance and care of herbs, and so on.
   
   Then, for me anyhow, the high point of the book is a herb by herb discussion. For instance, one of my favorites--basil. The book astonishes me by saying that people either love or hate basil. I am incredulous that anyone could find this NOT one of the most enchanting of the herbs! The encyclopedia treatment: a description of basil, with pictures, and a discussion of cultivation. Then, its uses (as a tool in cooking, as medicine [mild sedative and stomach soother], as a fly repellant [Who knew?]). There is also a nice little recipe featuring basil (each herb features a recipe), in this instance a pesto.
   
   And on it goes. Some of my favorite herbs include chives, coriander, fennel, garlic (Do you notice how Emeril's audience's on his "Food Channel" show cheer when he puts extra garlic into his recipes? I'm with the audience!), marjoram, rosemary, thyme (another of my favorites), and so on.
   
   The final segment of the book introduces readers to an additional set of information about herbs, including harvesting and storing, wild herbs, and so on.
   
   So, I'm a happy customer of Amazon, with this new toy now in my cooking library. To repeat from my first few comments, this is a nice resources for those interested in herbs.

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