Sage

One of my favorite plants in my herb garden is sage.   I think of this herb most often in association with Thanksgiving since it is the main seasoning in my recipe for cornbread dressing.   Fresh sage leaves can also be laid on a pork roast before cooking to giving the roast a wonderful flavor.  And, they can be deep fried and used as a garnish for meat.  There are savory bread recipes that use sage as well.  It's culinary uses are many.

Sage is also treasured by many cultures for its healing properties.  The word "sage" derives from the Latin verb salvare, to save.  In the 10th century, the medical school at Salerno, Italy, coined the phrase, "Why should a man die, when he can go to his garden for sage?"

Native Americans mixed sage with bear grease for a salve they claimed would cure skin sores.  They also used it as an infusion for baths and as a sort of leafy, disposable toothbrush.

There are many different varieties of sage:  purple sage, clary sage and golden sage to name a few.  My sage is just the regular garden (common) sage.  It has light purple flowers and becomes somewhat woody after several years.  At that point, I will take cuttings or "layer" the branches to make new plants.  Here is a picture of my plant. 

I dug it up when we moved last year and it spent the winter in our hoop house.  It looked rather  ragged when I set it out in the garden this spring.  But, now it has perked up and is looking good.  And I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and using it in my cornbread dressing!