96 3 1 6 1 4. 84 1 2 1 2zm-2 0s1. Little do they know savory baked goods there’s actually a famous plant called the savory herb!

In this article, we’ll share with you everything there is to know about savory. What it is, where it came from, where it was used, and what its two main kinds are. We’ll also tell you its many health benefits, how to use it in cooking, and which dishes its flavor best suit. Also, we’ve listed 4 amazing recipes that use the versatile herb in its ingredients. This is in case you want to personally experience how well it adds to a meal’s flavor. Savory is a herb that belongs to the mint family. Herbs, like savory, are the leafy parts of plants that are used to add flavor to all kinds of food.

This plant is small, with green leaves and blooming flowers. While it’s native to the Mediterranean region, this herb has also been naturalized in other places, like Great Britain. As such, it has been used to add flavor to countless cultures’ cuisines. Origins of Savory For thousands of years, people have used this herb to enhance the flavor of their dishes.

Ancient Romans and Greeks used the plant as far back as 2000 years ago, cultivating and using them in their cuisine. In fact, it was a very popular herb in Europe, acting as a sort of precursor for pepper due to its similar taste. Even Ancient Romans used it before the spice route from Asia could introduce the now universal black pepper. Aside from seasoning, this herb also had other notable uses. In more recent history, Germans also used savory as a pepper replacement when a shortage occurred in World War 2. Until now, some Germans continue this practice, using the herb instead of pepper for their traditional dishes. Needless to say, it’s an essential plant used in both the past and up until the present time.

The Two Main Kinds: Summer Savory vs. Winter Savory The savory plant has up to 30 different types! However, only two main varieties are used as spices for cooking: the summer savory and the winter savory. While the two share similarities, there are also notable differences. The summer savory, scientific name Satureja hortensis, is the most popular and commonly used type of savory plant. It’s an annual plant, which means that it completes its whole life cycle in just one growing season. The summer variety has bronze and green-colored leaves and, like its winter counterpart, flowers.

Its lilac tubular flowers bloom from the months of July to September. The summer type is used in all kinds of dishes and even mixed in with other dried herbs, like in herbes de Provence. It’s used in many traditional dishes in Bulgarian and Romanian cuisine, and is a popular herb in Atlantic Canada. Many prefer the summer savory because of its sweeter taste and smell.

While the two main types taste similar, the summer variety has a lighter, sweet, and spicy flavor and aroma. More specifically, it has that warm, peppery taste the herb is most known for. Because of the summer variety’s popularity, it’s more commonly cultivated, and can be bought all year-round in stores. The winter savory, also known as the mountain savory, is the other major kind of savory. It’s a perennial plant, meaning it grows and lives for many growing seasons.