Sage: Not Just for Flavoring
Sage is mint-related. Sage can be ground, whole, or rubbed, but it’s usually coarser. Sage grows in the US, Albania, and Dalmatia. American sausage, pork, lamb, salads, pickles, cheese, and stuffing are often flavored with sage. Sage has a strong scent.
Sage, thyme, rosemary, and basil are cooking buddies. They function well. Sage is a common herb in bird stuffing and lamb and pork recipes. Sage should be used cautiously because it’s potent. Sage, like many herbs, develops its full flavor and withstands long cooking times, which may explain why it tastes so excellent in Thanksgiving turkey stuffing, which cooks for around five hours.
If you produce your sage, all you need to do is cut the plant’s tops off with scissors and add them directly to your preferred recipe. Although dried sage is still the best option, you may also freeze fresh sage leaves in a baggie and remove them as needed.
Today, Sage has no medicinal purposes to speak of, but back in a different time, Sage was used regularly to cure snake bites and was also used to invigorate the body and cleanse the mind. In the Middle Ages, it was quite common for people to make sage tea and drink it for ailments such as colds, fever, liver trouble, and epilepsy.
A chewed sage leaf applied to a sting or bug bite reduces the sting and swelling, however, there is no proof. Sage tea reduces blood clots, soothes sore throats, and dries breast milk. It also soothes itchy skin in hot baths. Sage is mostly used by Native Americans nowadays.
In Latin, “sage” denotes salvation, immortality, and intelligence. Sage adds scent to potpourri, soaps, and perfumes even after drying off. It preserves meats, fish, and sauces because of its insect-repellant and antimicrobial characteristics. Sage’s musky, smokey flavor cuts through rich foods. It complements most vegetables. Almost everyone who cooks has sage in their pantry.