Rosemary

About
The name ‘’Rosemary’’ comes from Latin words ‘’Ros’’ which means dew and ‘’Maynus’’ which means ‘’The Sea’’. Rosemary is an evergreen shrub, it has needle-like leafs and tiny blue flowers. Leafs have a very intense smell and spicy and bitter taste. The scrub can grow from 1 up to 3 meters. It originates from the Mediterranean where it grows in the calcium-rich ground, dry climate and salty sea wind. Today it is widespread in the Europe, North and South America and other places. It contains essential oils n the flowers, leafs, and twigs. The quality of the oil depends on the place where the shrub grows.

Chemotype: Chemotype is when the same kind of plant gives different essential oils depending on the place of growth. There are four known chorotypes of Rosemary: Cineol, which grows in Northern Africa, Verbenon/Bornil acetate, which grows in Corsica, Camphor, found in Dalmatia and ß-mircen, which grows on the Atlantic coast.

History
Throughout the human history, there can be found many stories and legends about rosemary. One of them is tied to Virgin Mary. It is said that when she gave birth to Jesus, she put the baby on a rosemary bush so he would be surrounded by the smell. The Egyptians used to put rosemary branches into Feraones tombs so the scent would follow them into the afterlife and it was also used as a mummification herb. In ancient Greece, students would put rosemary branches on their head while studying. It was believed, and today proved, that rosemary stimulates memory and concentration. It was also dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love. Ancient Romans had a verity of uses for rosemary in medical purposes. Among others, they would burn rosemary branches in the streets during big epidemics. In the Middle Ages, rosemary was considered a love flower. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ofelia says ‘’here is rosemary, for remembrance: pray for love, remember.’’ It is widespread belief that this Mediterranean plant would help tighten the knot tighter so it is, to this day even, used in decorating wedding venues in Croatia and other countries in Europe.

Use
Rosemary is used in a wide variety of ways in medicine, the beauty industry, and cooking. Almost the whole plant is of use but leafs are most commonly used in day to day life. They are mostly harvested in summer and dried, frozen in oil or broth or in other ways preserved. It can be used in essential oils, baths or balsams. It is believed rosemary is good for circulation, concentration and breathing issues. The chemotype camphor is considered an analgesic and chemotype verbenon is used in the beauty industry.
It’s traditionally used while cocking heavy, especially fatty food, and is considered good for the gallbladder function. Rosemary is regularly used throughout Southern European kitchens. It goes well with fish and meat, vegetables and even sweets. It can be eaten as a snack, just shortly fried on oil, or one can use it to aromatize oil, vinegar, wine, honey or butter. It goes well with other Mediterranean spices and is an essential part of the Herbes de Provence mixture.

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Fun Facts
The vinegar of the four thieves and Queen Elisabeth’s water: The vinegar of the four thieves is vinegar packed with herbs. The legend says that is was used to treat the plague in the Middle Ages. It is essentially vinegar with sage, thyme, lavender, garlic and, most importantly, rosemary. It can also be aromatized with other herbs like mint or ruth.
Rosemary was also used as the base ingredient od the Hungarian queen's water, which was very popular in the Middle Ages, and remained in use till this day. The legend says that the Hungarian queen Elisabeth used it for beauty and to massage her paralyzed hand and feet. She suffered from gouty arthritis. And rosemary helped her. It was told that rosemary water rejuvenated her so much that the polish king fell in love with her when she was 72 years old and asked her hand for marriage.