Dill: AKA Spearsleymeg

Dill, or Anethum graveolens, has two different word origins. It's botanical name anethum comes from Dioscorides (a very well-known Greek herbalist) in his pharmacopoeias, he refers to a plant which he calls anethon. Many believe that dill was what he was referring to based on his in-depth description of the plant. The common name comes from the Norse word "dilla" which meant to soothe.

Dill is a very tough annual herb from the Umbelliferacae family, which can be almost stubborn at times. I know personally trying to uproot a dead dill at the end of the season was one of my toughest battles in the garden this past season. It originated in the Mediterranean region of Europe and in the southern Russian region and made its way around the world from there. It is well-known for its wispy leaves, dominant flavor and umbels of bright yellow blooms. It is a wonderful companion plant with onions, cabbage, lettuce, and cucumbers, and is well-known for attracting beneficial insects with its alluring blooms. Dill is not recommended as a companion for carrots and tomatoes. A very happy dill plant can reach heights of almost five feet within a season! The herb prefers well-drained soil in full sun and is prone to tipping over once it gets taller, so staking may be needed.

Dill has had many uses throughout history (what herb hasn't?): In Egypt, according to records, it was used in a pain-killing medicine by doctors. Romans would adorn returning war heroes with a crown of dill, since dill was considered an herb of luck. It was a sign of wealth to the Greeks. The Norse warriors would drink dill tea before battle to ensure their luck in battle. A reading from the Gospel of Matthew tells us that the Jews of biblical times used dill along with mint as a payment of tithes (taxes): "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hyprocites! You tithe with mint, dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law..." In the medieval times, mystics would wear a satchel of dried dill over their heart to ward off the "evil eye" or bad magick. It was thought that if you served a witch dill tea, she would be robbed of her powers. In puritan times of the North American settlers, the dill seed was chewed on during long sermons to stave off hunger and came to be known as the "Meeting House Seed". Dill infusions or "gripe water" became a treatment for colicky children because of its abilities to help with indigestion. Remember the discussion of the language of flowers in Japan and in the Victorian era? Well, these "tussie-mussies" (as they were called in the Victorian era) included dill, which was an herb meant to convey the sentiment of good cheer.

Tussie-mussies: the Victorian precursor to modern-day texting.

Dill has its place in witchcraft as well, thought to be an herb of the god Mercury/Hermes, the speedy messenger god. As such, the herb is thought to be infused with the element of air and is thought to help speed up your thinking. Remember the famous lines of Macbeth?

"Double, double toil and trouble;
    Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
    Fillet of a fenny snake,
    In the caldron boil and bake;
    Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
    Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
    Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
    Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,—
    For a charm of powerful trouble,
    Like a hell-broth boil and bubble." 

...well, they don't mention dill in there. BUT, Shakespeare WAS mentioning many other different types of herbs! This language that he used is what is known as the herbal code. Herbalists/magicians would use coded phrases to discuss their recipes rather than plainly state what they used. For example, "tounge of dog" was code for hounds tounge and "adder's fork" was a plantain (the plant, NOT the fruit). Dill was very important in this herbal code, having many different codes such as "Seed of Hermes" for dill and "Hair of a Hamadryas Baboon" for dill seed.

^Not this^                                                            ^THIS^

I would be remiss if I did not mention the most common area of dill use: the kitchen! Dill and its seed are used thoroughly in the kitchen, though not just with fish as most people would think of immediately. Dill is suggested as a wonderful compliment to: eggs, pork, lamb, chicken, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes....AND THE LIST GOES ON! Dill leaves, seeds and flowers are vital in the flavoring of pickles. For those looking at decreasing their salt intake, crush some dill seed on your next meal instead of sprinkling some salt! In Lao cuisine, dill is known as Laotian coriander and is used in different curried dishes. Dill is also an herb used in the following cuisines: Arabian, Indian, Vietnamese, Iranian, Thai.

Medicinally, dill has a variety of uses: making an infusion of dill seeds is great for indigestion, the hiccups, for insomnia, or even as a nail-strengthener. What makes dill oil good for indigestion is its antispasmodic qualities, which calm the muscles of the digestive system. The essential oil of dill contains four different compounds: carvone, myristicin, and dillapiole. Carvone, as discussed in my post about mint, smells strongly of spearmint. Myristicin is a compound found in parsley, dill and in larger quantities in nutmeg. Dillapiole is a compound that has the flavor similar to parsley.

I know that the last chemical discussion was a bit silly to mention, but I thought it was quite interesting to see that essentially, dill is nutmeg, parsley and mint mixed together! So next time that you taste some "Hair of the Hamadryas Baboon", see if your finely-tuned palette can detect those three distinct flavors!

The Life and History of Mint

I always seem to enjoy starting these posts with a disclaimer along the lines of:

Now when I speak of mint, I speak of the popular mints such as peppermint, spearmint, pennyroyal. If I were to get into everything under the MINT family, the list would just go on and on. Just to give you an idea, the Lamiacae family includes basil, thyme, mint, rosemary, lavender, sage, savory, oregano, and the well-known teak trees. That is just a SMALL number of the Mint relatives.

Mmmm...I'm in the mood for some ice cream now!

True mints have the genus name Mentha. This name comes from a story in Greek mythology about a naiad (a nymph associated with a river) named Minthe who kept guard over the Cocytus river in the underworld. The story goes that one time Minthe caught the eye of Hades, and he proceeded to seduce her. But his wife, Persephone, found them out and promptly turned her into a lowly shrub to be trampled underfoot by all that passed by. Hades could not undo the spell and took pity on Minthe's situation by adding fragrance to her so that she would smell all the sweeter when trod upon.

It's not hard to see that Hades and his wife Persephone have some issues at home.

Mints are mostly perennial herbs, well-known for their low growth, spreading tendencies, and highly aromatic quality. Most mints prefer full sun to partial shade, though they are more susceptible to rust fungi in the shade. They have thin, serrated, pointed leaves that can dry out easily, so most mints prefer to have frequent watering, though they don't like to sit in water. Anyone who has had a mint in their garden can probably tell you that once a mint gets established, your other plants had better watch out, since mint can be pretty invasive.

Another story about mint shows how it became popular as the herb of hospitality: In Ovid's Metamorphoses, he tells the moral of Baucis and Philemon. It is said that Zeus and Hermes (Jupiter and Mercury, for those Romans out there) came down from Mt. Olympus disguised as regular peasants and visited a town, asking if anyone knew of a place that they could rest and have some food for the night. All of the people in the town closed their doors to the gods in disguise save for the old married couple, Baucis and Philemon. Upon inviting their guests in, Baucis and Philemon proceeded to crush mint and rub it all over their house to get rid of the earthy smell of their common home. Then, they fed their guests and allowed them to rest for the night. After their meal, Zeus and Hermes showed their true identities to Baucis and Philemon and warned them to leave the town as a flood was coming. Everyone from the town other than the old couple perished in the flood and all houses were washed away except the old couple's, which was turned into a temple. From then on, mint was seen as a great sign of hospitality.

"Jupiter and Mercurius in the house of Philemon and Baucis" by Peter Paul Rubens

Mint at one point was used by the Pharisees to pay their tithes. The Romans would crown themselves in peppermint to invigorate and refresh the mind. The Greeks believed that mint could clear the throat and cure the hiccups. In the middle ages it kept the fleas at bay, was used in baths and was strewn about on the floors for scent. In Central and South America, mint is known as hierbabuena or "good herb". Japanese mint was thought to be a type of birth control. In magic, mint is used in spells to ensure safe travel, to invite good spirits, and to bring money.

In the kitchen, most people probably think of mint jellies and sauces to go with lamb or in candies, the most common place for mint use. But, there are many other uses for mint: Welsh cooks often add mint to their boiling water before preparing cabbage. Dried mint is sometimes used in split pea soup instead of salt. Mint is used in compliment to veal, lamb, eggplant, many different beans, and fruit. It is a popular herb in Greek, Indian, Middle Eastern, North African, and Arabic cuisine.

A perfect flavor: lamb chops and mint sauce.

Mint is great medicinally as well, one of the true home remedies out there. Cosmetically, mint stimulates the skin. Steeping a cup of fresh peppermint or spearmint in a quart of cool water makes mint water, which is great for washing the face and keeping it cool. Mint steeped with rosemary in vinegar is said to be a home remedy for dandruff. Medically, mint has been used to cure almost anything you could think such as dog bites, colic, digestive issues, headaches, heartburn, and insomnia. Here are just a few remedies still used today: peppermint steeped in warm milk is said to be good for the stomach and for menstrual cramps, peppermint tea is good for flatulence, fresh peppermint leaves applied to the forehead help with headaches and help with joint pain, gargling with spearmint tea helps with a sore throat.

Refreshing and delicious while still warming!

It is important to know which mints are good medicinally and which are more aromatic! The reason peppermint is so good for medicine is that it produces MENTHOL. Menthol is great at its job because it is considered an antispasmodic (it calms muscles) and it helps to stimulate the flow of bile to the stomach, promoting digestion. Spearmint is less effective and is usually used more for flavor than for medicine, though the U.S. EPA has been reviewing the potential of using R-carvone (chemical from the oil of spearmint) as a mosquito repellent.

Another quick note before I end this post, since I could go on all day about mint (seriously, there are too many remedies and uses for mint! :D). Never should anyone EVER buy peppermint seeds! If you want PURE peppermint, you will not get it from seed. Peppermint is a sterile hybrid between Spearmint and water mint, so you will never get seeds from it. 

And so as my post comes to an end, I say bring mint into your life! Give it to a neighbor as a housewarming gift, make yourself some tea (for those where it is getting colder), make yourself some mint water (for those where its is still warm out), or just have some nice mint chocolate chip ice cream and think back to how much history is behind that simple minty leaf!

Enjoy!