Rosemary

WHAT IS ROSEMARY CLEOPATRA?

Among the aromatic herbs that easily remind us of summer flavors and smells is the Rosemary. This plant that we naturally associate with the scrubland, the singing cicadas, the sun..

But do you really know Rosemary? Did you know that it had a special place in ancient civilizations, especially Egypt? The famous Egyptian queen Cleopatra, in particular, used it regularly in various contexts.

Rosemary is a shrub belonging to the Lamiaceae family. It is mainly found around the Mediterranean, like Cleopatra who, Greek by birth, conquered the hearts of the Egyptian people before melting those of the powerful Romans. This one can reach 1,5 meters height in its favorite environments which are the scrublands, the rocky areas or the scrubland, until 1500 meters of altitude. This shrub presents an evergreen foliage of a dark green color shining on the top and rather clear on the bottom. It is these leaves that give Rosemary its typical pleasant smell, which is harvested in order to benefit from the gustatory, olfactory and medicinal qualities of this plant.

The term "rosemary" has different etymological origins: it comes either from the Latin " ros marinus " which means "sea dew" (because it needs very little water, and the dew of the sea is sufficient to flourish) or from the Greek " rhops myrinos " which represents it rather well since it means "aromatic bush".

HOW TO USE THE ROSEMARY CLEOPATRA IN THE KITCHEN?

The leafy branches of Rosemary can be eaten fresh or dry. I offer them to you in their freeze-dried version in order to preserve the flavors and olfactory notes in an optimal way and to make its daily use as practical as possible.

Rosemary is one of the star aromatic herbs of the barbecue parties, and it is often used as much by sprinkling it directly on the pieces to be grilled (meat, fish, vegetables) as by seasoning marinades, or by using its branches as skewers for vegetables.

But its talents do not stop at the summer pleasures of grilling of all kinds, far from it.

Rosemary is also used to give a revitalizing freshness to many dishes in sauce, stews, stews, soups ... We can also use this aromatic plant to smoke a meat or fish by allowing it to absorb some of its delicate fragrance.

More surprising, but no less delicious: Rosemary easily finds its place in some sweet dishes, whether desserts or side dishes ... If your curiosity has been piqued by this information, I invite you to read the following paragraph.

Finally, Rosemary, like thyme, is very pleasant to enjoy as an infusion during the long cold winter evenings. We know that Cleopatra, beyond her legendary beauty, her power of seduction also resided in her musical voice. It seems that her secret came from a daily consumption of infused Rosemary.

RECIPE IDEAS WITH ROSEMARY CLEOPATRA

The major role of Cleopatra Rosemary will be to bring to all your cooking its sparkling freshness directly from the Mediterranean regions. Whether it is for grilled dishes or simmered dishes (or even sweet suggestions), this aromatic plant will bring you the best of its organoleptic palette. Like Cleopatra, seduce the palates of your guests with gentleness and ingenuity, using Cleopatra Rosemary.

For your meat dishes :

Prepare wonderful white meat dishes such as Rabbit with Mustard, Filet Mignon with Rosemary and Olives, or a delicious Chicken, Tapenade and Rosemary. This "crown herb" will deliver the best of its flavors throughout the cooking of your dishes so that the treat is guaranteed once the service is done. Red meats go perfectly with this herb. For your family meals, what could be better than a Lamb Mouse Confit with garlic and rosemary? You can also be inspired by Julie Andrieu who proposes a delicious Roast Beef with Rosemary and Balsamic Vinegar. Rosemary also forms a very nice alliance with duck or game, enjoy this plant as a seasoning for your Duck Breast or a Roast Hind Fillet with Rosemary.

Of course, Rosemary Cleopatra will accompany all meats that you want to grill on the barbecue, either by sprinkling it directly on your pieces or by integrating it in a marinade.

For your fish and shellfish :

If Rosemary is an ally of choice for all your meats, it is no less a wonderful seasoning for your seafood. Indeed, it will enhance all your fish and shellfish by bringing them that typical freshness that will enhance their iodized flavors.

You can have delicious fish in foil(Salmon in foil with Rosemary, Hake, Tuna, ...), a Roasted Cod with Rosemary, or, in the manner of Alain Ducasse, a Cod in Almond Crust and Bean with Garlic Confit. The combinations are infinite, as you will have understood.

You can also enhance your shellfish by combining them with the typical flavors of Cleopatra Rosemary. Prepare delicious Brochettes of scallops and Rosemary, or a fabulous Lobster with spices roasted in Rosemary, Penne with truffles, according to Chef Robuchon.

Make your vegetables sing with Rosemary :

Whether it's a Poêlée de Légumes du Soleil, or delicious Baked Potatoes, the vegetables will be even more singing on your plate if you season them with Rosemary Cleopatra! Chef Alain Ducasse also suggests a succulent Zucchini and Tomato Tart, delicately flavored with Cleopatra Rosemary.

Rosemary Cleopatra is also.. :

Against all odds, the Rosemary Cleopatra is not the prerogative of salty dishes and other grilled.

Indeed, it will also make a very good marriage with your desserts! Have the audacity to integrate a little Rosemary Cleopatra to your fruit-based desserts, including peaches, figs and apricots(compotes, jams, pies, ice creams and sorbets ...). It will bring an original fragrant touch to your dark chocolate desserts and especially to ganaches.

Rosemary Cleopatra can also be enjoyed as a drink: whether you are looking for the warm comfort of an infusion in the heart of winter, or the invigorating power of a traditional drink that consists of leaving Rosemary to macerate for several weeks in wine*, Rosemary has an answer to all your needs!

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF ROSEMARY CLEOPATRA

Rosemary is an aromatic plant that originated in Southern Europe, all around the Mediterranean. We find its trace in different stories and legends.

The legend says that originally, this plant had white flowers. But when the Virgin Mary gave birth to the baby Jesus, she put her blue cloak on a rosemary plant in front of the stable, and since that day, rosemary flowers are blue.

Rosemary was revered by many civilizations. Thus, it was the symbol of success for the Greeks, who made crowns to adorn the heads of students, so that they could benefit from its stimulating effect on brain function. These same crowns were also part of the attire of young brides during wedding celebrations. It is also known that the Egyptians placed branches of Rosemary in the tombs of the pharaohs to strengthen their souls. It was also used by the last queen of Egypt, on a daily basis, in its oily form, integrated in her famous donkey milk baths, which helped to preserve all the radiance of her beauty over the years. It is also said that her enlightened spirit, which made her a conquering and respected woman, also came from this cosmetic and culinary consumption of Rosemary.

Rosemary is found in the Capitular of Villis (8th/9th century), as one of the plants recommended by Charlemagne for cultivation in the royal domains.

Rosemary will take all its letters of nobility through a legend related to Queen Donna Isabella of Hungary. We are in the ^17th century, in the city of Bude, in Hungary. Donna Isabella is a septuagenarian suffering from the evils of her age and with a freshness exceeded since a few years (some will say that she presented a face of an incontestable ugliness). One day, she came across a hermit who offered her a miraculous water made from rosemary and impregnated with a magic formula. He advised her to drink it and to wash her face with it daily for a period of one year. A year later, the miracle happened: the septuagenarian no longer suffered from rheumatism or gout, and had regained her youthful face. So much so that her neighbor, the young King of Poland, asked her to marry him. Obviously, this legend could not but inspire the entire court of Louis XIV, and we know that this cosmetic remedy was one of the darlings of Madame de Sevigne.

OTHER USES OF ROSEMARY CLEOPATRA

If Rosemary is an ally of choice in daily cooking, it knows how to decline its talents in cosmetics (as we discovered above), but also in phytotherapy.

Throughout history, we know that Rosemary was used to counter plague epidemics. It was burned to purify the air and it was also used to put it on one's nose and mouth, like a mask, when passing through heavily contaminated areas.

Rosemary is a very melliferous plant that allows bees to make a very tasty honey with a southern accent. Moreover, this honey, which is also called "Miel de Narbonne", was one of the many ingredients used in the Western maritime pharmacopoeia of the 18th century to prepare the counter-poison that was theriac.