Chives - many uses and a great, delicate taste

We grow a wide variety of herbs and use them in cooking whenever we can. They add a certain quality to dishes and if used appropriately, they can add a depth of flavour and enhance the flavour of the ingredients of the dish.
Chives have always been a firm favourite. Not only do they look great in amongst other herbs and flowers but they are so versatile.

Fresh chives can be used in salads (including the flowers), chopped and used in egg, cheese or potato dishes. In fact chives can be used wherever its delicate onion flavour is not overpowered. The flowers can be marinated in a good wine or white vinegar for two weeks, strained and then the vinegar used is a variety of dressings and dishes. The vinegar has a lovely pale purple colour which fades over time so it is best made fresh each year.

Beware.....chives have aphrodisiac properties according to Siberian legend and have been cited as an aid to relieve congestion, cold and flu. This year we are also growing garlic chives, not sure how much of an aphrodisiac they will be....

The mass of chive flowers in early spring is also a magnet for numerous species of insects.