How to Use Fresh Herbs for Holiday Cooking and Cocktails

Put your garden to work this holiday season with fresh flavor for Thanksgiving dinner, a new twist on a classic cocktail and a homemade gift worth sharing.

Story by Alea Wilkins

Key Points

● Linda Kurecki of the Hardeeville Garden Club uses fresh thyme and tarragon to add flavor to Thanksgiving stuffing.
● Fresh mint can add a different flavor to Old-Fashioneds and be steeped into homemade simple syrup.
● Lemon peels can be infused in vodka and combined with simple syrup to make homemade limoncello gifts.
● The article also offers November gardening guidance for thyme, spearmint, Meyer lemons and seasonal flowers.

Holiday meals prepared with herbs and ingredients you provide taste extra special, and the Lowcountry’s long growing season offers plenty of opportunities to bring garden-fresh flavor to the table. Linda Kurecki of the Hardeeville Garden Club of South Carolina shares her favorite ways to incorporate herbs and other homegrown ingredients into fun, festive recipes.

Close-up of fresh thyme growing with small green leaves and woody stems — Thyme is a natural fit for the Thanksgiving table, adding savory flavor to stuffing, poultry and roasted vegetables. In November, harvest fresh sprigs as needed, cutting tender stems rather than woody growth. Give it plenty of sun and well-drained soil and avoid overwatering. It prefers conditions on the drier side.

[LOCAL Life] How can I use my garden herbs in my Thanksgiving dinner?

[Linda Kurecki] I love using fresh herbs in my cooking. Since we live in such a warm climate, I can pretty much grow herbs year-round, and they just bring a little more flavor and color than the dried stuff you can get from a store. Thyme and tarragon work beautifully in my stuffing, so I’ll head out with my snips, grab a bundle, wash them really well (this time of year, Lowcountry gardeners need to beware of soot, spiders or other pests that can fester) and add them in for extra garden-to-table freshness.

[LL] What about fresh mint this time of year?

[LK] It sounds crazy, but I love adding mint to Old-Fashioneds. When my husband and I were on a trip to Miami, we found a famous hotel bar that uses Ernest Hemingway’s Papas Pilar rum and fresh mint to make Old-Fashioneds instead of Mojitos. It gives it a really fun, sweet flavor as opposed to standard bitters. Also, you can save some of the mint to prepare a simple syrup for extra flavor in cocktails, lemonades and more. Just heat one cup of sugar and one cup of water over the stove until the sugar dissolves, then steep the fresh leaves for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on the flavor you want), and you have a delicious mint syrup!

Yellow lemons hanging among green leaves on a citrus tree — Meyer lemons typically reach their prime from late fall into winter. Look beyond the calendar: Fruit is ready to pick when it turns a rich yellow, feels heavy and juicy and gives slightly to a gentle squeeze. Because citrus doesn’t continue to ripen significantly after harvest, let lemons develop their best color and flavor on the tree.

[LL] I want to give something I grew as a gift. Do you have any ideas?

[LK] I love preparing homemade Limoncello. Take vodka and lemon peels — yes, just the peels — and let them steep together in a cool, dark place for at least a month. Once it looks nice and yellow, strain out the lemon peels, and mix the infusion with cooled simple syrup. Add to small bottles or jars, and it’s ready to share. For an extra special twist, you can stir in heavy whipping cream to make a creamy, dessert-y Limoncello.

Dense display of chrysanthemums blooming in yellow, orange, red and purple

November Birth Flower: Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums are synonymous with holiday comfort, brightening up front porches and dinner tables with their rich, late-season blooms. Ranging in color from white, orange and yellow to pink, red and purple, the flower offers options for any party color scheme, and they are hardy enough to be grown in any South Carolina garden. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, mums symbolize loyalty, friendship and joy, making them a cheerful addition to gatherings with loved ones.