Herbs de Provence

Herbs de Provence is a mixture of dried herbs considered typical of the Provence region of Southeast France.

It’s an essential ingredient of Mediterranean cuisine; they have the particularity of keeping, once dried, all their aromatic power.

They resist very well to heat and keep their flavors when used on grilled foods such as fish and meat, as well as stews and ragouts.

Herbs the Provence includes different varieties of plants such as thyme, wild thyme, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, basil, chervil, tarragon, lovage, savory, sage, bay leaves and fennel. Some of these plants are part of the bouquet garni.

The “Label Rouge” (red label) certification represents the production grown in the south of France; this is a small production that is mostly sold to quality restaurants all over the world.

This production grows on harsh dry rocky scrublands (the Garrigues) under the hot Mediterranean sun.

The more the herbs suffer the stress of these conditions, the more fragrance they have.

The vast majority of “herbs the Provence” blends come from central and Eastern Europe, North Africa, and China.

There are two authentic blends:

N° 1 is composed of savory (27%), oregano (27%), rosemary (27%), and thyme (19%).

N° 2 is composed of savory (26%), oregano (26%), rosemary (26%), thyme (19%), and basil (3%)

Other blends can have additional herbs focused on seafood, game, or other specific dishes.

Did you know that the now universal blend "Herbes de Provence" was invented by Mr. Ducros in the 60s, when he was going to pick them in the scrublands in south-east France?

Herbes de Provence is used to flavor grilled foods such as fish and meat, as well as vegetable stews.

The mixture can be added to foods before or during cooking or mixed with cooking oil prior to cooking so as to infuse the flavor into the cooked food. They are rarely added after cooking is complete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTV5Y6_bSKo