“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance,” says Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Centuries later, the herb’s historical link with memory support — along with various other health benefits — turns out to have a basis in modern science.

Popular in Mediterranean recipes, Rosemary is a thick, pine-like herb with a woody aroma and taste. It pairs especially well with meat and potatoes. One tablespoon of rosemary contains 5% of the recommended amount of iron, 4% calcium, and 3% manganese.

Adding rosemary to marinades before barbecuing can help reduce the formation of toxic carcinogens when the marinated meat is grilled. Adding rosemary to your dishes helps enhance the flavor of the food, therefore reducing the need to overly salt. This is a wonderful way to keep food flavorful during treatment.

Chef Tips

When cooking with fresh rosemary, you can use the whole sprigs and simmer in soups and stews or strip the leaves from the sprig and chop to allow the flavor to seep into the other ingredients.

With dried rosemary, crumble the needles between your fingers prior to cooking to help release the natural oils. Dried rosemary has a stronger taste than fresh, therefore you should use less when cooking with dried rosemary rather than fresh.

Rosemary is very aromatic and well suited for many recipes. Use it in our Potato & Rosemary Risotto, served with Arborio rice and Yukon gold potatoes for a hearty meal.

Our Lemon Rosemary Baked Fish dish uses cod or halibut, grated lemon, and fresh rosemary for a nutritious, easy-to-prepare meal. Rosemary can also be incorporated into a simple dessert like our Baked Apples With Rosemary and Honey.