By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

The Hays Public Library invited the public in for its second-annual Herb Festival Saturday.

Event-goers could attend lectures on cooking and baking with herbs as well as cultivation and botany of herbs.

Morford Lavender Farm gave a presentation on growing lavender and Jensen Farms’ Mike Jensen spoke on honey and mushrooms. Vendors also offered plants, honey, herb breads and lavender bath products for sale.

Linda Beech, retired extension agent, started her talk by explaining the difference between herbs and spices. Herbs come form the leafy part of a plant. Spices can come from products of the plant, such as roots or seeds.

Beech recommended using the mindset “less is more” when using herbs in baking.

Although fresh herbs are great for any dish, if you only have dried, use about half the amount of dried herb compared to a fresh herb in a recipe.

Some herbs pair nicely together in baking, such as rosemary and citrus.

The long-time 4-H judge also shared some general baking tips with the Herb Festival guests.

Baking tips

• Uses a stand mixer for kneading
• Spray your hands and your cutting board with cooking spray instead of using flour
• If you are making a braided bread, start the braid from the center and braid to the ends. This will keep the dough from stretching.
• Bread will proof faster in the summer than in the winter due to the temperature differences.
• Bread can be frozen. Let cool completely to cut down on moisture, wrap tightly in plastic wrap. You can reduce the air exposure to the bread by sealing it in a plastic bag or an air tight container after it is wrapped. Keep the bread wrapped while it thaws.
• Use margarine instead of butter. The margarine should have 100 calories per 1 T. The higher fat content means your bread will spread less.
• Air-cushioned baking sheets work well to reduce problems with over-browning.
• Lemon, lime or orange zest can be frozen.

Cherry Rosemary Muffins

• 3/4 cup dried tart cherries
• 2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 C. sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 C. butter or margarine melted
• 1 egg
• 3/4 C. milk
• 1/4 C. orange juice
• 1 T. grated lemon zest
• Course sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease or line muffin tins with paper liners. Lightly chop dried cherries and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and rosemary. In a medium bowl, combine butter, egg, milk, orange juice and orange zest. Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in cherries. Spoon batter into prepared pan, filling cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Makes about 12 medium muffins to 36 mini muffins.

Recipe courtesy of Linda Beech

Cooking with herbs

John Fitzthum of HaysMed made a chimichurri. He noted using herbs is a way to reduce salt in your diet.

Fitzthum has an herb garden at the hospital and sources his greens and beef from Kansas producers.

He offered the audience samples of the chimichurri both as a marinade baked with chicken and raw over cooked chicken.

He said the dressing can also be used over a salad. For a vinaigrette, double the oil and vinegar.

The chimichurri will last about three days in the refrigerator.

Fitzthum and Herb Study leader Pam Herl noted fresh herbs can be frozen. Wash and let the herbs dry and then place them in a plastic bag with as much of the air removed as possible. You can also combine fresh herbs with oil or broth and freeze them in ice cube tray.

The Hays Public Library Herb Club meets at 5 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. The next Herb Club meeting will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 7. The meeting will be an herb potluck. Bring your favorite dished that contains herbs. The meetings are free and open to the public.

Chimichurri

• 1-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups chopped cilantro
• 2 cups red onion (minced)
• 4  jalapenos (seeded and minced)
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup basil (chopped)
• 1/2 cup parsley (chopped)
  12 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 tsp thyme (chopped)
  4 tsp red pepper flake
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• several pinched of salt and pepper

Recipe courtesy of John Fitzthum and the Rock Garden Cafe