Sage
The fresh herb selection in large local groceries has really improved dramatically over the past 15 years... It is fairly easy to find fresh basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, dill etc. these days but still very erratic on fresh sage. We use sage in at least two dishes we cook at home.. one on veal paillards or chicken breasts with prosciutto and sage (saltimbocca) and pastas with browned butter and sage. We tend to cook those dishes only when we manage to find fresh sage in at the grocers. I've tried to grow this herb in the garden, but I have a relatively black thumb so it always dies after a few weeks or months... :( According to the "Spice and Herb Bible" by Ian Hemphill, sage is "native to the shores of the Adriatic Sea... and it possesses a herbaceous, savoury and astringent flavor and aroma with hints of peppermint." I love the green gray color of the leaves and the wonderful texture when examined up close. But I also occasionally find that sage (and other western herbs) grown in our own brand of tropical heat often seriously intensifies the flavor, sometimes to the point where they are less appealing (a friend recently described locally grown basil and parsley as tasting like overgrown grass), so one has to be careful with their use and adjust amounts used if necessary...
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