Suggested uses

Basic prep

Storage & handling

Store in a dry, cool place.

Ingredients

savory.

Our Ground Savory is a pulverized powder of the dried summer savory plant, or "Satureia hortensis." The very name of this herb bespeaks flavor, and in fact, summer savory imparts a deliciously peppery taste to almost any dish.

Italians are thought to have been the first to grow Savory as a culinary herb. It is still used throughout Italian cooking. Savory is often included in the classic fines herbes blend and in bouquet garni, used for flavoring stocks and sauces.

In medieval times Savory was added to pies and cakes for a touch of spiciness. Today it is primarily used in soups, stews and with meats and vegetables. It is especially good paired with beans, lentils and peas, and is often mixed with breadcrumbs for making stuffing. Savory adds a delicate peppery quality without overwhelming milder foods. Boiled with strong smelling foods like sauerkraut, it helps prevent cooking odors. People on low-sodium diets often find it an agreeable salt substitute.

Savory's uses aren't limited to the kitchen, however. Since the days of the ancient Egyptians, it has been praised as a remedy for sore throats, sciatica, intestinal disorders and the stings of wasps and bees.

Savory has long had a reputation as an aphrodisiac as well. The genus's Latin name, "Satureja," comes from the word for "satyr," the half-man, half-goat of Roman mythology who was said to have an insatiable sexual appetite. The satyrs were believed to live in fields of savory, and consuming it was believed to give them their sexual vigor. The herb was, for a long time, included in herbal love potions.