There's a jar of Herbes de Provence sitting on the shelf which I always mean to use, but when I take off the cover and take a whiff, the only thing I get is marjoram. This would be okay if I wanted marjoram, but Herbes de Provence is supposed to be more than that. According to Food Lover's Companion, it's a blend of herbs that's "said to reflect those most commonly used in southern France." Purists say it isn't Herbes de Provence unless it has lavender. My guess is French cooks doctor their blend to suit their tastes. Unlike many Americans, who tend to season as if they need a jolt of something strong to cover what's underneath, the French use herbs to quietly enhance the flavor of a dish.
Although I would never count myself a French country cook, I'm pretty careful about what I add to a recipe. And so, whenever I've been tempted to sprinkle a pinch of supermarket Herbes de Provence, I decide to go with my own blend of rosemary, sage and thyme.
All that changed when a friend gave me a cellophane packet of Herbes de Provence she bought at an outdoor market in France. In addition to little flecks of green, which smell like a balance of thyme, marjoram, and possibly sage or rosemary, there are tiny bits of lavender, which make it the real thing. One sniff and you understand why people go to France for the food.
I know cookbooks say Herbes de Provence are for grilled dishes and vegetable stews, but when you have a seasoning that good, you become amazingly creative. I've been crumbling it over sauteed vegetables and chicken dishes and adding it to cream sauces and grain pilafs. I'm planning to use it in a pot of white bean soup and sprinkle it into a spaghetti frittata. Sooner, rather than later, it's going to run out and I'll go back to my rosemary, sage and thyme routine, In the meantime, I'm feeling tres chic.
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