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DILL
2010 Herb of the Year
Named by the International Herb Association
Anethum graveolens, from the family Umbelliferae

Dill is a versa tile herb, with a wide variety of culinary, healing,
and household uses, as well as a long botanical history.

A native of Southern Europe and Western Asia, dill grows wild in the Mediterranean and has escaped from gardens in parts of North and South America.

Dill was found among the names of herbs used by Egyptian doctors 5,000 years ago, and the remains of the plant have been found in the ruins of Roman buildings in Britain.

During the Middle Ages, dill was prized as a protection against witchcraft. It was also infused in wine to enhance passion, used for treating coughs and headaches, and it was an ingredient for calming infants with whooping cough.

Early settlers took dill to North America, where it became known as “Meeting House Seed,” since children were given dill seeds to chew during long sermons to keep them from feeling hungry.

Dill is an antispasmodic and calmative. Dill tea or water is a popular remedy for an upset stomach, hiccups, or insomnia, and is also an appetite stimulant. It has also been used to ease colic.

Dill leaves and seeds are used in many dishes to enhance the flavor, including soup, salads, lamb stew, and grilled or boiled fish.

Combine it with vinegar to make a delicious dressing, or add one flower head to a jar of gherkins, cucumbers and cauliflowers for pickling.

Where a salt-free diet must be followed, dill seed—whole or ground—is a valuable replacement. Chew the seeds to freshen breath. Crush and infuse seeds to make a nail-strengthening bath.

Keep dill plants well away from fennel; otherwise they will cross-pollinate and flavors become muddled.

Information provided by San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, CA, for the 2010 Herb Festival. This flyer is not intended to prescribe in any way. Consult your physician before using herbs, especially if you have a serious illness or are pregnant or nursing. Reference: McVicar, Jekka, Herbs for the Home, Viking Studio Books, 1994; pp. 32-33.

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