Sage Advice

By: Backyard Living

Think outside the recipe box. Savory sage can add spice to your cooking in ways that just might surprise you.

Fried Sage Leaves

Harvest a dozen large sage leaves; wash and pat dry. In a small skillet, heat about 1/4 inch olive oil over medium high heat. Fry leaves one at a time until crisp but not brown. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Delicious over pasta, polenta, or risotto, or eaten as a savory snack.

Choosing and Storing

Choose sage that has a fresh aroma and color.
Sage can be stored for up to four days in the refrigerator, wrapped in a paper towel, in a resealable bag.

Did You Know?

In Europe and the Mediterranean, sage turns up in everything from pizza and pasta to cheese, meat, breads--even desserts!
Of the hundreds of sage species, only a few are used for cooking. The tastiest and most widely used, common sage (Salvia officinalis), thrives in almost any soil.
The name comes from the Latin word salvus, which means "safe"--a nod to this herb's believed medicinal powers.

Quick Tip

Stop harvesting in early fall so the plant can recover before winter. Store leaves in a resealable bag in the fridge for up to two weeks, in the freezer for up to two months. Dried leaves can be stored for up to a year.

For many cooks, sage is the stuff of ... well, stuffing, and not much else. But this fragrant herb has many more uses than spicing up a Thanksgiving turkey.

How to Grow Sage

If you're familiar only with the slightly bitter taste of dried or rubbed sage, fresh sage is a delightful surprise. This herb is at its aromatic best immediately after picking, with a sweeter, more subtle flavor than you may be used to. To grow:

Start sage by seed indoors or out, or buy nursery plants.
Choose a sunny, well-drained location, and space the plants 3 feet apart. (A single plant provides plenty of leaves for cooking.)
Keep soil moist until the plant is established, then back off.
After the plant blooms, cut it back to encourage more leaves.
Harvest leaves when the plant is 8 inches tall.

Contact your local garden center or horticulture extension office to find out what grows best in your own backyard.