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FrontRangeLiving.com -> Garden -> Karin Winans
An Interview With Culinary Herbalist Karin Winans
Karin
Winans is founder and past president of the Herb Society of America, Rocky
Mountain Unit. She also has served as the Herb Program Coordinator for the
Denver Botanic Gardens’ education program. An avid cook and gardener, Winans
spends her spare time nurturing a kitchen garden where herbs play a prominent
role.
FRL: How did you get interested in culinary herbs?
WINANS: When I was young in my early 20s I enjoyed cooking
and learning about spices. I got cookbooks and started making things and
noticed I was adding my own flavors rather than what was called for. Then I
started growing herbs and when I had more than I could use, I started learning
to make different kinds of pesto, health and beauty aids.
FRL: How did you learn to grow herbs in Colorado?
WINANS: I just picked up books, read about it, and tried
it. Almost every herb grows well here, although some are more tropical and
aren’t hardy. You can even create the right environment for watercress, which
needs a more humid climate. Because this is an arid climate, most things grow
well. We have less fungus problems: mints, oregano, rosemary -- those are
susceptible to mildew elsewhere.
We
don’t have the problems that the South has where the herbs die out from the
wetness. In fact, stressing herbs slightly by not watering too much will
concentrate the oils in the herbs.
FRL: What are your favorites?
WINANS: Basil is a favorite, my absolute favorite is
cinnamon basil. It has an additional spiciness and a pretty leaf that’s
variegated and smells heavenly. It’s especially wonderful with chocolate mint
in a shitaki mushroom dressing. To me, greens and a dressing is the ultimate
salad.
FRL: Are there any special recommendations from your years of
trial and error with herbs?
WINANS: Rosemary has a few challenges. It’s not hardy
through the winter. And it can have mildew, although that doesn’t happen much
outside, it usually happens inside. I’ve lost only one or so out of many. I
start putting my rosemary pots outside when we get nice spring days. Also, keep
any mints in a pot. They are invasive.
Cultivate
Greek oregano rather than Italian oregano, that’s got the stronger flavor.
Italian oregano is more of an ornamental plant. Lemon thyme is one of my
favorites.
Lavender
is also a favorite, I use it in my turkey stuffing with sage, which is
another wonderful herb. Lavender is good in savory foods. It has a powerful
taste; it can be too much. Be subtle. You need to work with it.
FRL: Salad greens grow well here, too. Do you grow any herbs
as greens?
WINANS: Arugula, which is a cross between herbs and greens,
also nasturtiums (edible flowers) and cress are delicious. The nasturtium seed
can be a poor man’s caper. Cilantro grows well. It’s more like a green.
Curly cress is the same way. Both can be grown in the early season, even with
snow cover. Dill also grows early in the spring and bolts in the heat. The whole
family of cress--water cress is the most difficult--but there is a dry land
cress, a curly cress and peppercress that’s wonderful. Plant it along with
your cilantro. If you grow on the east side of your house, herbs won’t bolt as
quickly.
FRL: What is your teaching philosophy in your classes?
WINANS: One of the things I try to do with students is to
get them to experiment. People are afraid to deviate from recipes. Buy a spice
that you don’t know and taste it, smell it, think about what it may go with.
Then you’re letting your senses guide you. Over the years I’ve come more to
a kitchen garden style of planting edible flowers, herbs and vegetables. It’s
more than just growing a plant, it’s a relaxation, a grounding and a spiritual
experience. My garden is my own sanctuary and an essential part of balance in my
life.
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