Cracked Rosemary

The leaf of an evergreen that grows along the rocky shores of the Mediterranean, Cracked Rosemary has playful top notes that are a little bit cool and minty with teasing hints of lemon. Its deeper notes are woodsy and warm, and somewhat balsamic. Rosemary’s assertive fragrance crosses between pine and eucalyptus with floral characteristics that nod to its familial relationship with lavender and mint. The volatile oil content in our Cracked Rosemary ranges between 1.5% to 2.5% by weight and impart its signature eucalyptus aroma. We have found Cracked Rosemary to be more user-friendly as a dried herb; whole dried needles are about an inch long and can be tough to work with. They don’t necessarily soften (particularly with short cooking times), so they can create an unpleasant texture, get caught in teeth, or stick at the back of the throat.

In Latin, rosemary is called Rosmarinus, derived from ‘ros' meaning "dew" and ‘marinus' meaning "belonging to the sea". Rosemary grows at lower elevations and often near the coast, where it is unaffected by the mist of sea water. Rosemary was known as Rosmarinus until the Middle Ages, when the name shifted to Rosa Maria in honor of the Virgin Mary. Legend claimed that rosemary used to put out white flowers, until the Virgin Mary took shelter from Herod’s soldiers under a rosemary bush. The next morning she hung her blue cloak on the bushes so it could dry. The sanctity of the Holy Family had permeated the bushes and turned the flowers blue; the shrub was afterward known as the "Rose of Mary".

Tips From Our Kitchen

Rosemary has a distinctive, almost muscular flavor and can stand up to hearty meats like lamb, beef, or wild game, though it goes wonderfully with chicken, fish, and pork. It can also withstand long cooking times, so use it as an aromatic base for venison stew or braised short ribs. Rosemary adds a bold depth to tomato sauce and eggplant, so layer some rosemary into ratatouille. Rosemary has a natural affinity for potatoes; chop potatoes into a wide dice and toss with Cracked Rosemary and some olive oil and oven roast. We also offer Ground Rosemary if you’d prefer a finer cut. Crush or mince the rosemary leaves (or needles) before sprinkling over or rubbing into foods.

For fresh rosemary substitute 1/4 tsp dried rosemary for each tsp fresh required or equal amounts of oregano or basil. For dried rosemary substitute dried savory, tarragon, or thyme.

Our Cracked Rosemary is grown in Morocco.

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