71. Soup Wreaths

MATERIALS

Long stemmed herbs:

• For Chicken Soup choose 6 of the following:
  
  
  
  • Rosemary
  • Small lovage leaves
    
  • Thyme
  • Parsley
    
  • Celeriac leaves
  • Lavender
    
  • Garlic chives
  • Lemongrass
    
  • Garlic leaves
  • Winter savory
    
  • Sweet marjoram
  • Lemon basil
  
  
• For Beef or Pork based soups choose 6 of the following:
  
  
  
  • Rosemary
  • Tarragon
    
  • Chervil
  • Oregano
    
  • Thyme
  • Basil
    
  • Savory
  • Hyssop
    
  • Onion leaves
  • Bay
    
  • Chives
  • Small hot peppers
    
  • Garlic chives
  
  
• For Vegetarian based soups, pick from either list

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To begin the wreath, gather your ingredients. You will need about 6 sprigs of herbs in varying lengths. Longer pieces can be woven into the wreath more easily than shorter ones. You will probably also want 3 or 4 shorter pieces to add into the wreath for bulk and variety.
   

   

   
   
2. Choose a sprig of rosemary or a similar woody, long-stemmed herb, about 12 to 14 inches long. Bend it into a loop that is about 4 inches in diameter, twisting the ends around each other. You don’t need to tie it in place, simply hold it together with your thumb and finger, then add another long-stemmed herb, twisting it over and around the first one and overlapping the ends of the first.
   

   

   
   
   
3. Continue adding additional sprigs — a piece of sage, some thyme, onion leaves, garlic chives and others — until your wreath looks full. Keep in mind the wreath will shrink as it dries, so add enough herbs to keep it looking full after it dries.
   

   

   
   
   
4. Add a long leaf, such as an onion top from winter onions or a leaf of lemongrass, at the very last, spiraling it like a ribbon all the way around to secure all of the herbs and give it a finished look.
   

   

   
   
   
5. The two ends of the spiraled leaf can be tucked under some of the other herbs and any loose ends can be trimmed off with pruners. You also may want to tuck in a nice, small red pepper or a sprig of golden marjoram for some color. Chive flowers dry well, as do garlic chive blossoms and oregano. Tuck the stem into the wreath so it is secure.
   
6. Now you are ready to dry your wreath. The simplest way is to put it in a dark, dry place, like a pantry or a cabinet, until it is dry. Even the oven, without heat, works well. It’s important to dry your wreath out of light in order to maintain the vibrant color and flavor of your herb. DO NOT DRY YOUR WREATH IN THE MICROWAVE - it zaps all of the essential oils out of the herbs.
   
7. Once your wreath is completely dry, you are ready to attach a recipe card containing instructions for using the wreath with a ribbon or string .
   

Recipes:

Wintertime Chicken Soup

• 2 1⁄2 quarts of water
  
• 2 chicken breasts, cut in pieces
  
• 1 stalk celery, diced
  
• 1⁄2 cup diced onion
  
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  
• 1⁄4 cup rice or pasta, optional
  
• Cooking wreath
  
• Dash salt and pepper, to taste

Bring water to a boil and add chicken and vegetables. Cook until chicken is tender, about 20 minutes. Add rice or pasta and reduce heat to a simmer, cooking 10 to 15 minutes. When you add rice or pasta, also remove the ribbon from the cooking wreath and add the wreath to the pot of simmering soup. Simmer until done, add salt and pepper to taste, remove wreath and serve.

Vegetarian Vegetable

• 2 1⁄2 quarts of water
  
• Assorted, diced vegetables, such as celery, carrots, turnip, cabbage, onion and garlic
  
• 1⁄4 cup rice or pasta
  
• Cooking wreath
  
• Dash salt and pepper, to taste

Bring water to a boil. Add vegetables and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Add rice or pasta and simmer until nearly tender. Add the cooking wreath (with the ribbon removed) and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, remove wreath and serve.

Resource: Herb Companion