OREGANO
You can?t hardly find anyone who hasn?t tried oregano, because it is used in almost all kinds of pizza sauces and any kind of tomato sauces. But in the early history of oregano its main use was medically. The early Greeks made poultices from the leaves and placed them on sores and aching muscles. Oregano was also used for teas for coughs and asthma sufferers. Even later when coming to the United States it was listed in medical references as a stimulant and carminative. The flavoring of foods with the oregano herb didn?t catch on in the United States until after World War II, when service men came back form the Mediterranean.
What oregano is best known for today is its appearance in a tomato sauce of some kind. It also enhances cheese and egg combinations such as omelets and quiches. Adds dimension to yeast breads, marinated vegetables, and roasted and stewed beef, pork, and poultry. Also combines well with other herbs such as garlic, thyme, parsley, and olive oil.
Its taste is a hot, peppery flavor is good for mild foods such as tomato sauces. What oregano looks like is it has a stem and little light green leaves that are about the size of a rice kernel. The leaves are what is used the most in cooking, it also gives a nice look to the finished product. The smell is peppery and light a lot lighter than that of ground black pepper.