Organic sage

Seeds:  60  / Botanical name:  Salvia officinalis

Gnocchi in sage butter and saltimbocca - The most delicious dishes of Italian cuisine

Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is one of the oldest known medicinal plants. In Germany, it was primarily cultivated in monastery gardens. The plant is a perennial subshrub with oval to narrow, pointed leaves that are downy. It can reach a height of 40 to 60 centimeters.

Natural habitat:  Sage is originally found throughout the Mediterranean region.

In the kitchen:  The flavor of sage is as intense as its fragrance – pleasantly bitter and aromatic. Not only the leaves are edible, but also the sage flowers. You can harvest leaves continuously from spring onwards. You can also pick entire shoots. After flowering, you should no longer harvest sage, as the growth of new leaves and shoots ceases after flowering. However, if you regularly remove new flower heads, the plant will continue to produce its aromatic leaves. Using it fresh, of course, always provides the best flavor. But sage, compared to other herbs, stores and preserves very well. Wrapped in a damp kitchen towel, it will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Drying is not recommended, as the flavor suffers considerably. Freezing is the best preservation method. Gnocchi in sage butter with roasted hazelnuts and grated Pecorino cheese, or saltimbocca—veal cutlets with Parma ham and sage—are probably among the most famous Italian dishes where sage provides a dominant aroma and flavor. But tomato salads, dishes with fish, chicken, and pork, soups, and cheese sauces also benefit from the distinctive flavor of sage.