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COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sweet rosemary with its evergreen needles and pungent piney aroma.
The herb of remembrance.
Perfect for the holidays.
For decorating, for giving away, for cooking.
“It’s incredible with potatoes, with pork, with chicken,” said Yvonne Russell, a Spring Valley, S.C., gardener known for her affection for the herb.
Rosemary often is found in garden shops and specialty groceries this time of year, shaped into whimsical trees, bundled in burlap or colorful foil.
For Russell, the plant’s spicy aroma evokes memories of her mother’s and grandmother’s kitchens. She recalls her grandmother’s instructions to use the kitchen scissors to snip the plant’s tender tops.
“The whole house smells heavenly” as the herb simmers, Russell said.
She recommends placing an ample bunch inside a turkey when roasting a holiday bird or dropping a stem in a tomato sauce to add a flavorful punch.
If you leave the herb on the stem, rather than stripping its needles and using them individually, it is much easier to remove from the sauce before serving. Otherwise, you’ll find guests sputtering over needles toughened by cooking instead of savoring the sauce.
Robin Thomas, another Spring Valley gardener who adores rosemary, confesses that cooking with the herb is not her preference.
“Personally, I don’t like the way it tastes, but I love the way it smells,” she said.
Her small children are huge fans of the plant’s aroma, too.
She has overheard them talking about the plant’s lingering scent after brushing up against rosemary bushes in the yard.
Thomas shares the plant’s beauty and aroma by giving it away — a perfect idea for the holidays, as rosemary has an ancient history of symbolizing remembrance and friendship.
MASHED POTATOES WITH ROSEMARY AND LEEKS

6 servings

2 pounds potatoes, cleaned, unpeeled and cubed

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 small leek, white part only, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons white wine or chicken broth

4 tablespoons non-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons non-fat milk

Cook cubed potatoes in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.

Drain and place in an oven at 300 degrees to lightly dry them out.

Spray a 2-quart saucepan with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray, and lightly brown the leeks and garlic.

Add fresh rosemary and continue to cook two more minutes.

Add wine or chicken broth.

Using electric mixer, mix in tender potatoes. Slowly add sour cream and milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

—From “Cooking with Rosemary” by Misty Hills Nursery, mistyhills.com

ROSEMARY CHICKEN STRIPS AND FETTUCCINE WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND GARLIC CREAM

4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 boneless chicken breast halves, skinned and cut into half-inch strips

4 to 5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin or minced

10 sun-dried tomatoes, plumped in water and sliced thin

1 quart half-and-half

1 chicken bouillon cube

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 pound dried fettuccine or other shape-dried pasta

1 heaping tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Boil salted water for pasta.

In large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute quickly to sear.

When chicken is lightly browned, reduce heat and add garlic and reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes. Saute for a moment, until garlic is beginning to color. Add half-and-half, bouillon cube and rosemary.

Scrape bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon, stirring well. Simmer until sauce has thickened to heavy cream consistency and no more, about five minutes.

Do not let sauce become too thick, and note, it will thicken as you eat.

Add salt and pepper. Cover, and turn off heat.

Cook pasta as directed. Drain and add to sauce.

Turn heat to low and move fettuccine around in sauce, taking care not to tangle noodles.

Heat for a minute or two until pasta absorbs some of the sauce and the sauce thickens slightly.

If it becomes too thick, thin with additional milk. Keep on the thin side.

Add Parmesan while stirring. Serve immediately.

—From “Cooking with Rosemary” by Misty Hills Nursery, mistyhills.com

Rosemary’s History Of Remembrance, Friendship Makes It Ideal For The Holidays