Hyssop
A culinary and medicinal herb
Hyssop originated in the Mediterranean area, like so many of the herbs we use today, and can now be found growing wild elsewhere in Europe where it has 'escaped' from gardens.
It is a slightly bitter, minty herb which can be used in many dishes. The leaves make a good addition to salads, and as they help the digestion of fatty foods they make a good marinade or coating for roast or grilled meat, or in a stew.
The sharp pungency of the herb makes it a good match for richer meats such as game.
The herb can also be used in sweet dishes - it is often added to fruit pies in American recipes, for example, or can be added to fruit syrups and conserves for an interesting flavour variation.
It is also used in a typical bouquet garni of the Basque region.
Medicinally, it has had a long history of use as an antisceptic and a treatment for burns. It is now known that the mould responsible for penecillin grows on its leaves. It is still prescribed by herbalists today for chest complaints, a practice that goes right back to Hippocrates.
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