Continuing our series on magical herbs, today we’ll tell you all about dill.
Originally from the Mediterranean, dill has become so popular in cooking that it’s hard to imagine it was once considered a witch’s herb, thrown into all sorts of magical potions. There’s no exact date for when dill first appeared in human life. Ancient Greeks mentioned it in their old manuscripts, noting that dill was already a common and widely used herb in their time.
Dill, with its essential oil, has a pleasant, slightly sweet aroma and a refreshing, herbaceous flavour. It’s one of the oldest aromatic plants known to humankind. In the early Middle Ages, dill held a firm place in the arsenal of herbalists and wise women, as it was used in all sorts of magical potions and remedies.
In England, dill became widely known in the tenth century and started being used as both a medicinal herb and a flavourful addition to food. The great medieval medical scholar Avicenna acknowledged dill’s ability to be beneficial for various ailments. Dill essential oil is known to reduce stress and emotional tension.
Fresh and dried dill, when added to cooked dishes, enriches them with health-boosting bioactive substances. Dill enhances the taste of food and stimulates appetite. Traditionally, it’s used in a wide range of salads, soups, sauces, gravies, and in various meat, fish, vegetable, and mushroom dishes. It pairs wonderfully with dairy soups and cottage cheese. Dishes made from beans, peas, and lentils gain a unique flavour with dill. Dill is also used in making mayonnaise and various marinades. It can be dried and kept all year round, and it’s included in many spice mixes traditionally used for preparing vegetable dishes.
Dill is one of the few herbs that actually increases its nutritional value when dried, making it quite unique. It’s also rich in Vitamin C, rivaling many fruits and vegetables in this regard. Dill infusions and decoctions are very beneficial. Dill should become an integral part of your diet, as this magical herb has proven itself to be one of the most beneficial and safest herbs for most people over the centuries.
You can buy dried dill in our shop!
I first came across IVA Plants and Alex their founder at my local monthly Artisan market and decided to try the Sleep Well tea and the Rose Garden Tea. I was very impressed with the lovely aroma and the quality of the ingredients. There is an online shop but I thought I would head down to the market again to stock up. This time I bought dried Chamomile flowers, Rose buds and a Houjicha roasted greentea that she suggested for me as it is lower in caffeine. I would highly recommend all of the purchases I have made.