Sage: What Is It and How Do I Use It?

I always think of sage as a spice that belongs in Thanksgiving stuffing.  I used it years ago, back in the days when I didn’t know much about any spice other than garlic.  I may well have just dumped a couple tablespoons of dried sage into the stuffing and didn’t mix it well.  In fact, I’d probably had that bottle of sage for years.

Eating in Indian restaurants cured me of the idea that spices were a waste of time.  Since then I have bought fresh spices whenever possible.  Last week I discovered fresh sage.  A friend grew it in her garden and used it to decorate a plate of fresh fruit.  It had an exotic look and taste.

“The Spice Cookbook,” one of my favorite references, says, “Sage is a perfect seasoning for pork dishes of all kinds and the most important ingredient in poultry seasoning.  Use sage in stuffing, seafood, chicken and cheese dishes generally.  A little sage gives a delightful aroma to breads.”

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