Algy's Herb Page

http://www.algy.com/herb/index.html

Review by Debbie Mazo

Without a pinch of this and a sprinkling of that, food would be dull and boring. Often overlooked, herbs can heighten the flavor of your ingredients or provide specific foods with their own distinctive quality. Algy's Herb Page is a comprehensive resource of herb-related information, whether you want to learn how to grow herbs or decide on the perfect seasoning for your Spinach Pesto.

Hosted by Algy's Herbs, a cooperative enterprise involving a number of family-based businesses, this homegrown page is well-presented with Victorian-style illustrations and typography. Due to recent construction, some of the links are unavailable but the solid organization of this huge database of information on herbs still makes this site worth a visit.

Before planting any seeds, check out the Garden for cultivation and gardening tips. This section links rookie and veteran gardeners to all kinds of planting information guaranteed to have your seeds sprouting in no time. Growing Herbs in the Home Garden describes how to choose a site or grow herbs in a container while Suzy's Growing Tips offers suggestions for good germination.

There's also a herb database where you can plough through the site's herb files for helpful information on specific plants. For example, the herb sage can be used as an insect repellant or as a flavoring for vinegar, soups, or poultry stuffing.

In the Kitchen, you can explore links to culinary FAQs as well as articles about cooking with herbs. Find out the secrets of Provençal cooking which relies on the rosemary and thyme plants that grow in the remote areas of Provence. Or, create a bouquet garni (a mixture of herbs bound together in a mesh bag or tea ball) to flavor your favorite soup stock.

There's also an active recipe exchange where you can post your favorite herb recipes or share with other cooking enthusiasts. Here you'll find all kinds of unique herbal creations like Cinnamon Basil Cookies or Grilled Chicken with Minty Yogurt Sauce.

For the latest on botanical news, Algy's newsletter seeks to enlighten the herbally conscious with information on featured herbs, books reviews, and a mail bag. There's also a thriving bulletin board where you can post and reply to messages. Whether a year-round gardener or just someone who's curious about the powers of plants, you'll be impressed with the homegrown resources that are sprouting at Algy's Herb Page.

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