Enjoyable gardening with the book "Herbal Happiness" by Rudi Beiser
I came across the book "Herbal Happiness" from Ulmer Verlag. Luckily! Rudi Beiser (the author) is a true expert in the field of medicinal plants and wild herbs , and he shares his vast wealth of knowledge in a very appealing and descriptive way. The book is quite hefty at 286 pages. It's best enjoyed while snuggling up in your hammock in the garden. Afterward, it should definitely find a place in your kitchen as a reference for our native herbs. That's right, native—what I particularly like about the book is that it only contains plants that can be grown outdoors in our home gardens. Tropical plants are an exception, but they can certainly tolerate temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius and thus thrive here.
In our opinion, it makes a very good impression: The book Kräuter Glück by Rudi Beiser
Not only gardeners will get their money's worth with the wealth of information on growing, caring for, propagating, and harvesting plants. Rudi also offers culinary highlights of individual herbs, demonstrates delicious recipes, and explains their medicinal uses. I realize that, amidst countless spices from faraway lands, our native herbs sometimes get forgotten. Rudi's enthusiasm for our native herbs immediately ignites, and I'm hooked on herb fever.
What can you expect in detail?
The book is divided into two parts: first, you'll find plenty of useful gardening tips and fascinating background information about the plants. In the second part, you can browse through detailed portraits of 54 native herbs. It's certainly no surprise that the discovery of America was the result of Columbus's search for a new route to the spice-rich land of India. But you'll learn about the millennia-old stories behind the scents and aromas of herbs in the first part, "Of Herbs and Spices."
The following sections offer gardening tips: whether it's light requirements, nutrient requirements, germination, harvest time, hairstyle, or overwintering. Even without a green thumb, you should be able to care for your plants following these easy-to-follow instructions. I particularly like the fact that the gardening hacks are always presented in info boxes, so you can quickly look things up, for example, to find out how much sun Maggi herb needs.On top of that, there are also recipes for preserving herbs! So, if the harvest turns out to be larger than needed, it's time to preserve the supply for the cold season. Rudi presents simple basic recipes that can be used for all herbs...from herbal vinegar, herbal salt, herbal oil, medicinal teas, and herbal tinctures ( you can also find some alternative recipes on our blog ).
Particularly interesting for all urban gardeners among us is the chapter "Gardening Without a Garden: Herbs in Pots and Tubs." Is there a perfect time to water? Yes! And that's in the evening. Especially for gardening newbies, the reading is fun and exciting! Rudi also addresses the topic of plant protection and demonstrates ways to use organic methods.
Let's move on to the second part of the book, "The Best Kitchen Herbs": Now that you're generally informed about how to use our native herbs, you can delve into the world of herbs in detail. The author provides a short profile for all 54 herbs, sorted alphabetically. Here, all the gardening tips and tricks are clearly presented in an infobox. You'll learn fascinating details about their history and use in the kitchen and for healing. Of course, the profile also includes a photo – usually one of the plant in detail and one from a distance. Hopefully, the next time I visit the herb shop, I'll be able to recognize the plants without even looking at the label...
From bulgur salad with caraway seeds and stuffed perilla leaves to bitter mugwort liqueur – every sweet tooth and boozer will find something to their taste here. Rudi has won me over, and I only want the authentic taste of herbs straight from the garden or balcony. I'm also really craving a May punch with woodruff.
Cheers!
Your Lotta
