Introducing a New Seasoning Blend: Italian Herb

This seasoning blend is close to my heart. Like all of our Farm Grown Goods, this blend first came to be in my personal kitchen. Bundles of dried rosemary, sage, oregano and thyme were ground into an easy-to-sprinkle powder to elevate meals, and I never looked back. I kept this blend close, seasoning family recipes and creating new dishes of my own, and it worked its way into my daily rotation. One day, I looked at the Italian Blend and had the same realization at the heart of all of our products - "this is too good to keep secret!"

Farm Grown Seasoning Blends in process in the on farm workshop.

When I decided to put this blend into production, I ran the composition and ratios by my Nana, who helped me to clarify the vision. 

I wasn't sure if I wanted to go with a finely ground powder, or keep more structure to the leaves like a traditional 'flaked', loose leaf Italian seasoning sold in most stores. Personally, I preferred to cook with the powder - the super concentrated dose was easy to integrate and sprinkle, the flavors were evenly saturated, an there were no large flakes of herbs to get stuck in your teeth. But when I produced my first batch of this seasoning blend, aka the 12 jars that my herb grinder can fill at a time, I realized why most Italian blends are loose leaf. It takes a TON of dried herbs to produce a powder!

Garlic and oregano hanging to dry traditionally in small batches inside the drying room - a dark, ventilated space in the workshop.

Instead of 12 jars, my herb grinder only filled 5. The absurd amount of herbs I ran through to complete my typical batch size depleted my dried inventory way faster than expected, and because I also use all of these farm grown herbs in our Finishing Salt and Infused Olive Oil, I worried that my plants would not be able to keep up with the harvests required. A quick check of my perennial Italian herb bed dispelled my fears. Growing among the dahlias of the steep hill overlooking the farm, at year 3 these perennial shrubs are hitting their stride, producing an abundance of fragrant herbs that perfume the air and buzz with pollinators. 

So while this blend, when ground into a powder, requires a metric ton of herbs, I chose to stick with the fine blend rather than switch to a more conservative loose leaf blend. After all, i'm not a potato chip company that sells a bag that's 3/4ths air and 1/4th chip! Why sell a jar that's half air when I could make a super concentrated, more effective seasoning for y'all? 

Sage flowering in the perennial Italian herb bed.

The other night, on a  rainy evening in June, I sliced up a few of the season's first tomatoes to marinade in Infused Olive Oil and Italian herb Seasoning Blend. Some burrata, prosciutto, and eggplant roasted slowly with garlic rounded out my dinner with a glass of wine. As I pulled ingredients from the fridge, as dishes came off the burner and Farm Grown Goods sat among the seasonal produce, an impromptu photo shoot came about. It was the perfect opportunity to introduce y'all to our new Seasoning Blend, and my favorite way to use it...

Marinated Tomatoes with Italian Herb:

1. Roughly cut a tomato - any kind, slicers or cherries both work. I like to slice inside my bowl so that I don't loose any juices.

2. Salt the tomatoes with Finishing Salt

3. Sprinkle a pinch or two of Italian Herb to taste. Remember, a little goes a long way with this concentrated blend!

4. Pour a generous amount of Infused Olive Oil over the dish, and let it sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes. Don't forget to re-infuse your oil after!

5. From here, you can adapt how to enjoy your marinated tomatoes - poured over pasta with parmesan, as an appetizer to wow guests eaten straight up with crusty bread to soak up the magical juices. OR my favorite, as Bruschetta: toasted bread with tomatoes and toppings.

I mixed Burrata cheese into my marinated tomatoes so that the soft mozzarella could combine with the decadent marinade, and topped my toasts with roasted eggplant slices, prosciutto and the marinated tomatoes. I'd be lying if I said I didn't smash this whole bowl myself...

 

I hope that you enjoy our Farm Grown Goods - each one is a bottled up taste of the season here on the farm, influenced by my family's traditions, each one grown and handmade by me, Farmer Vannah. Check out the Recipe Archive for more easy, farm fresh meal ideas made with Encompass Farm produce and Farm Grown Goods!

 - Farmer Vannah

Plus, my mom and nana helping to fulfill holiday orders! Three generations in the on-farm workshop <3