Published: May 10, 2008 05:36 pm            

Vendors pack Fairbanks Park for the Spring Thyme Plant and Herb Faire

Annual event provides educational setting

TERRE HAUTE — Valley moms may open more organic or home-made gifts today thanks to the Spring Thyme Plant and Herb Faire.

Among the hundreds walking around the fair, one could hear “I’m looking for my Mother’s Day present,” or “Look what I got my mom.”

More than 70 vendors ran booths Saturday at Fairbanks Park selling various plants, candles, jewelry and other crafts or gardening accessories. The Wabash Valley Herbal Society and the Terre Haute Parks and Recreation Department hosts the event.

Helen Sapp, 77, was looking for perennials so that she wouldn’t have to re-plant things year after year, she said. Sapp, of Terre Haute, makes an effort to attend the fair every year.

“It’s a place to learn about herbs too,” she said. “There are more things going on this year and probably more herbs.”

Nancy Erly and Pam Heber were able to learn a thing or two about herbs when they attended the Herbal Taste Testing.

Members of the Herbal Society presented various foods, all containing herbs, such as herb blend bread, dill butter, dilly-bacon corn bread and basil-lime cookies.

“I was surprised [herbs] were in the punch,” Erly, 58, said about the rosemary punch, which was one of her favorites. “There wasn’t anything I didn’t like, which was surprising.”

Though Heber’s favorite was the lemon thyme poppy muffins, she said she could also see herself making the dilly-bacon corn bread because it would feed a lot of people. Heber, 55, said she may also try to make the herb bread.

“It had a really good taste,” the Clinton resident said about the bread. “It might take all day to make, but it would be worth it.”

Erly was in town from California to visit Heber. She said she plans to send the recipes she got to her daughter back in California, who is a chef.

When it comes to cooking with herbs, dill and garlic are among the top ones used, though basil is popular because people are into pesto, said Herbal Society member Lee Harder, who was answering cooking questions about herbs. Rosemary is also gaining popularity, she added, because it goes well with different kinds of meat.

A benefit to cooking with herbs is that it “enhances flavors that are already there,” Harder said. “A lot of herbs can give zing to something that’s pretty dull.”

Herbs can also be used as a salt substitute for those who are trying to cook healthier. Also, be sure to add herbs to sauces last because the heat can take the flavor from herbs, Harder said.

Still, Harder cautioned first time herb cookers to be careful and not to put too many herbs in their food.

“You’ll learn what tastes good to you,” she said, “but don’t start out dumping a lot in.”

Herbal Society members attributed the large fair turnout to the nice weather.

“We had a great turnout last year, but it was better this year,” said Julie Agee, who co-chairs special events with her husband.

The Wabash Valley Herbal Society is a non-profit corporation dedicated to educating the public about herbs and their many uses. Money from the herbs sold at the fair will be used for special events, field trips, 10 college scholarships for $500 and donations of herb books, videotapes and periodicals to Wabash Valley libraries.

Anyone is welcome to attend Herbal Society meetings, which are at 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Girl Scout headquarters.

“Everybody starts from knowing zero [about herbs],” said society secretary Marcia Grissen, adding the organization also learns and talks about gardening-related things, home-made crafts and water plants.

For more information, contact Julie Agee at (812) 299-9533, or visit www.vigo.lib.in.us/herbsociety.

Crystal Garcia can be reached at (812) 231-4271 or crystal.garcia@tribstar.com.



Check it out

• The Wabash Valley Herbal Society is a non-profit corporation dedicated to educating the public about herbs and their many uses. Money from the herbs sold at the fair will be used for special events, field trips, 10 college scholarships for $500 and donations of herb books, videotapes and periodicals to Wabash Valley libraries.

• Anyone is welcome to attend Herbal Society meetings, which are at 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Girl Scout headquarters.

• For more information, contact Julie Agee at (812) 299-9533, or visit www.vigo.lib.in.us/

herbsociety.



Rosemary Punch

20 oz. can pineapple juice

6 sprigs fresh rosemary

1⁄2 cup sugar

1 cup lemon juice

6 oz. can frozen lemonade

2 cups water

1 liter ginger ale

Boil one cup pineapple juice, add rosemary. Reduce heat and steep five minutes. Strain and add remaining ingredients.



Herb Blend Bread

Bread machine, 11⁄2 loaf

1 cup & 2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon dry milk

31⁄4 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon herbal seasonings (equal parts oregano, basil, rosemary and thyme)

11⁄2 teaspoon dry yeast

Set bread machine to basic light crust.

        

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