Too much rosemary? Is there such a thing?

When we moved into our home, eight years ago, I started a little herb garden under the lilac in the corner of the back yard. One of the plants I added was a four inch tall rosemary, nestled next to a Spanish lavender and a few other herbs. Today, the rosemary is the queen of that garden. She has bullied out the other plants, and has to be beaten back regularly from taking over the path next to the garden. Still, she grows and grows, stretching her limbs toward the lilac branches in a manner that suggests it should watch out, or it'll be the next one to go.

So around this time of year, I mercilessly cut back Ms. Rosemary, to keep her from eventually taking over the neighborhood. Fortunately, it's a pleasant-smelling job, and there are dozens of uses for the removed branches. 

The first thing that comes to mind is cooking with rosemary, of course! I often snip off a few fresh leaves to add to sauces or when sauteeing chicken. Chopped fine, a little rosemary and some parmesan add a wonderful flavor to garlic bread. Rosemary, some fresh sage and thyme, and a little drizzled olive oil make wonderful roasted potatoes.

And since it's barbeque season, keep the rosemary branches, once you've denuded them for your other meals, and use them as skewers. Soak the stems in water for a while first, cut one end to a sharpt point, and slide on shrimp, beef chunks, veggies, or whatever you enjoy grilling. The enticing smell will bring the neighbors around, salivating like Pavlov's dogs.

Rosemary cordial is a lovely ingredient in drinks, or to sip chilled: buy a bottle of inexpensive vodka (you can run it through a Brita filter a few times to improve the flavor) and add in several rosemary branches to steep in a cool, dark corner for a couple of weeks. After it's been sitting a while, add in a cup or two of sugar and let it steep another week. You can leave the branches in or strain the liquid into a new container. Chill and serve in tiny glasses; you'll be enchanted by the flavor.

But the enthusiastic Ms. R is good for more than just culinary pleasure! One of my favorite uses is to create an infusion of rosemary, by boiling the leaves in equal parts water and white wine (I know, it's hard to imagine using wine for something other than drinking, but if you pick up a fairly cheap bottle on sale - not that horrible stuff in the big jugs, though! - you'll appreciate this recipe, and you can use half and drink the rest). Cool the infusion, and strain it into a clean bottle or jar with a lid. Leave it in the shower, and use it as a refreshing hair rinse after shampooing! It leaves your hair feeling soft and clean, and people who get close enough to detect the subtle aroma will wonder why you remind them of summer.

There are many more uses for this versatile plant, and I'll leave it between you and Google to find them. But please, do give it a try! Rosemary is easy to grow - yes, sometimes a little too easy! - and it's one of the most fragrant and tasty herbs in the garden. Find a little sunny corner and plant a little rosemary plant...and you'll enjoy it in dozens of ways every year.

"Take the leaves and put them into wine and it shall keep the wine from all sourness and evill savours, and if thou wilt sell thy wine thou shalt have goode speede. ... Also if thou be feeble boyle the leaves in cleane water and washe thyself and thou shalt wax shiny."
Bankes' Herbal on the uses of rosemary, 1525