Home-grown herbs great in home-baked breads

When Travis Brust, executive chef at the Williamsburg Inn, works in the kitchen, you can bet he has a bunch of herbs in his hand - whether he's fixing for 10 at home or 100 at the grand hotel. "At the Inn, herbs are important to us because of their flavor-building qualities and visual appearance appeal," he says. "At home, herbs are important due to the introduction of essential vitamins and minerals that can be added to your meals as well as the flavor development for the home-style cook. "Herbs take dishes to the next level." To help you discover the beauty, elegance and versatility of cooking and garnishing with herbs, Brust and his staff created some decorative herb ideas, which can be used for many entertaining and gift-giving needs throughout the year. Even when rosemary may not be fresh from your garden, you can find pots of rosemary and other herbs at local greenhouses and garden centers. GROWING HERBS Plant herbs in average garden soil with organic matter added to improve texture and drainage. Choose a site that receives at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. Avoid ground where water stands or runs during heavy rains. Compensate for poor drainage with raised beds amended with compost. Apply balanced fertilizers sparingly to leafy, fast-growing herbs. Heavy applications of fertilizer, especially those containing large amounts of nitrogen, decrease the concentration of essential oils in the lush green growth. - "Growing Herbs for the Home Gardener" by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8110.html HERBAL HINTS With herbs, fresh is always best Utilize fresh herbs in homebaked breads. Cut herbs with a sharp knife to avoid bruising them. Wash herbs first before cutting for a dish. Experiment with mixing and matching herbs for different flavor profiles - dill, basil, chives and tarragon is a wonderful blend to add to most everything. When a recipe does not have herbs as an ingredient, add some to see how the flavor evolves. Herbs are for beverages, as well as foods; try adding a blueberry-basil simple syrup to lemonade. Hand-torn fresh herbs such as basil, lemon balm, chives, tarragon and dill are an excellent addition to favorite salads. Use leftover herbs including the stems to make a flavorful herb infused extra virgin olive oil. Use this as a substitute for butter to marinate meats or use in vinaigrettes. Use fresh herbs in centerpieces with a beautiful flower arrangement to add a fantastic aroma to your table setting. -Williamsburg Inn chefs 3 BEST HERBS Basil because it works well with fruit, and has an amazing infusion ability with many liquids and oils. It is a staple herb during summer. Tarragon because it's a light herb that adds a subtle sweet anise flavor that lifts the flavor experience in salads, fish courses and compound butters. Thyme because its aromatic qualities add so much to braised items such as braised short ribs. Sources: Williamsburg Inn chefs Travis Brust, Scott Watson and Melissa Alexander ROSE & ROSE MARTINI 3 clear martini glass 3 red roses Several rosemary sprigs, fresh Arrange 3 short-clipped, leafless roses, tightly closed, around a tall stem of rosemary. Tuck smaller stems of fresh rosemary among the roses, and rose leaves around the outer edge of the glass. To serve a lot of elegance, place the rose-filled glass on a silver tray with 2 empty martini glasses and a martini-filled silver shaker. Tips: To use on a grander scale, make several and scatter them along a table, maybe with lit votives in-between, or as placeholder, take-home favors for guests. Different flowers in different colors can be used to suit the occasion and season. FRESH-BAKED OLIVE BRANCH BAGUETTES Pate Fermentee Formula: 1 1/8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/8 cups unbleached bread flour 3/4 teaspoon salt, kosher 1/2 teaspoon yeast, instant 3/4 cup water, room temperature Add all the dry ingredients to a standard mixing bowl Using the mixer's dough hook attachment, add water to dry ingredients. Mix on speed 1 for 1 minute. Place in an oiled bowl and cover. Proof at room temperature for 1 hour or until it doubles in size. Punch down to degas (gas free) and place in refrigerator overnight. - Yields 3 cups French Baguette Formula: 3 cups pate fermentee 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour 1 teaspoon salt, kosher 1/2 teaspoon yeast, instant 1 teaspoon black pepper, fresh ground 3/4 cup water, room temperature 1/2 teaspoon tarragon, fresh 1/2 teaspoon chives, fresh 1 teaspoon parsley, fresh 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, fresh 1 teaspoon thyme, fresh Take the pate fermentee out of the cooler at least 1 hour before use. Add the pate fermentee and dry ingredients into a standard mixing bowl. Using the mixer's dough hook attachment, add water to the dry ingredients. Mix for 1 minute on speed 1. Then, mix on speed 4 for 6 minutes. Let proof for 2 hours or until doubles in size. Punch down and proof for 1 more hour. Form into baguette and proof on counter for 45-75 minutes. Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the dough reaches 205 degrees Fahrenheit with 10-second steam. Let rest on cooling rack for at least 45 minutes. - Yields 3 loaves Tips: Place the three baguettes in a pretty basket lined with a linen napkin and surround with fresh-cut herbs and flowers from your garden or favorite florist for a welcoming gift for someone you love. Or, use the decorated basket look at your next buffet for friends and family. ONLINE See a video and picture gallery of Executive Chef Travis Brust and the herbal food ideas at roomandyard.com. Get the chef's recipes for Flatbread Crackers with Herb Inlays and a carved Cheddar Cheese Basket filled with fresh herbs at roomandyard.com/diggin.