What's Fresh - Sage

Common Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a perennial shrubby herb widely used in Mediterranean and British cuisine. A member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, it is native to the Mediterranean but has been grown in Britain since Medieval times. With the characteristic woody square stem and velvety grayish green leaves, it is commonly grown as a kitchen and medicinal herb or as an ornamental garden plant.

So, why sage for December? Well, in cooking, sage really comes into its own as a traditional ingredient in the ever popular sage and onion stuffing that accompanies the Christmas turkey. It seems only right that it features as our herb of the month.

Fresh sage has an unusual, highly aromatic slightly bitter, almost ‘meaty’ flavour that can be lost when the herb is dried. One of the most fragrant herbs, sage is often combined with other members of the same family, like thyme, rosemary and basil. The strong essential oils cut through the richness of fatty foods such as pork, goose and oily fish. It is also widely drunk as an after dinner tea in many parts of the Middle East, like mint tea, to aid digestion after a meal.

In Britain, sage is traditionally used as the dominant flavour in Lincolnshire sausages and also as an ingredient in sage Derby Cheese. A herb used in abundance in Italian cuisine, chopped leaves add flavour to brown butter (beurre noisette) to serve with pasta, gnocchi or ravioli. Whole sage leaves are layered between veal and prosciutto in the classic dish, saltimbocca alla Romana

The botanical name, salvia, is from the Latin Salvere meaning “to be well”, as sage is renowned for its antispasmodic and astringent properties. It’s great for counteracting excessive perspiration, including night sweats, and is also widely used to combat a host of other ailments from sinus congestion to inflammations and colds and flu, making it an ideal ingredient to have on hand in the winter months.

For further information on how to make the most of sage at this time of year, please explore our site and discover lots of hints and tips on how to care and prepare the herb, as well as some useful facts and recipe ideas to choose from.