Anise hyssop

AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS

Cooking demos:

6 p.m. Friday: Chef Matthew Murphy of Three Blind Mice. Lilburn Farmers Market, Lilburn. http://www.lilburnfarmersmarket.org.

9 a.m. Saturday: Chef Mary Moore of Cook’s Warehouse, working with okra. Morningside Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.morningsidemarket.com

10 a.m. Saturday: Chef Todd Richards of The Shed. Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com

Chef demos are held at many farmers markets. Check your local market’s Facebook page or website for information.

FOR SALE

Vegetables, fruit and nuts: arugula, Asian greens, Asian pears, beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, cabbage, carrots, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, field peas, garlic, herbs, kale, lambs quarters, leeks, lettuce, Malabar spinach, melons, mushrooms, okra, onions, peaches, pecans, peppers, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, shallots, spaghetti squash, spinach, squash blossoms, summer squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips

From local reports

When edible landscaping is mentioned, what comes to mind is usually a yard with some blueberry bushes, a fig or two, maybe an apple tree and perhaps a few tomato plants mixed in with the azaleas.

But edible landscaping also includes the plants you grow to attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees to your garden. Herbs like dill, fennel and parsley are just as much food for you as for the butterflies whose caterpillars feed on them.

Robby Astrove is a fan of anise hyssop, also known as Agastache foeniculum, a perennial herb that grows two- to three-feet tall and bears long spikes of lavender-blue flowers.

“I’ve been growing hyssop for about three years. As soon as I saw it, I fell in love. It’s one of the best pollinator plants around,” said Astrove, a fruit tree arborist and environmental educator who works as a ranger at Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve.

He started with one plant and now has a mass planting in the front yard of his East Atlanta home. “In the height of summer, its blossoms are full of butterflies, moths and bees getting what they need right now: sweet delicious nectar. We have to grow these plants to help the pollinators so they can help us grow food.”

Anise hyssop is a member of the mint family and both the leaves and blossoms have a strong licorice-mint flavor. The leaves and blossoms are used in salads and soups, and as an infusion for tea. They also make a refreshing summer cocktail as created by Cara-Lee Scheinfeld, herbalist and bar manager for Little Vinyl Lounge.

Scheinfeld says anise hyssop has traditionally been considered a “holy herb” in herbal medicine. “A guardian of the garden and attractor of pollinators, this herb was once used by Native Americans as a lung tonic to treat coughs. Anise hyssop makes a great tea for stomach or respiratory issues and especially to soothe sore throats, summer colds and fevers,” she said.

The flowers also can be candied and used like candied violets. In her experimenting with hyssop, Scheinfeld has used the blossoms as swizzle sticks for drinks, made tinctures, infused honey, syrup and tea. “I imagine it would be good infused in some vodka, bourbon or rye for a day or two as well.”

If you’d like to add hyssop to your edible landscape, the Monarchs Across Georgia program of the Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia sells hyssop and other pollinator-friendly plants at its plant sales. Learn about Monarchs Across Georgia at www.eealliance.org/monarchs-across-ga. It’s also available at local nurseries and the spring and fall plant sales from the Georgia Native Plant Society.

On Wednesday, Aug. 6, Astrove will be part of a panel of local food tree experts talking about urban orchards, planting edible trees in the home landscape and harvesting wild food. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center on Chester Avenue. Get more information at www.treesatlanta.org/event/fruit-and-nut-tree-panel-discussion.

Cara-Lee Scheinfeld’s Pollinator’s Pastis

Hands on: 5 minutes Total time: 5 minutes Serves: 1

Cara-Lee Scheinfeld, bar manager for Little Vinyl Lounge, created this light, refreshing cocktail perfect for a steamy summer evening. The “pastis” in the name refers to a French herbal liqueur flavored with anise. No hyssop on hand? Try the simple syrup with whatever variety of mint you’re growing.

Scheinfeld says the crushed ice is key to the recipe as it dilutes the drink nicely. A well-stocked package store, like H & F Bottle Shop, will have Lewis bags, thick cloth bags used for crushing ice. “At the bar, we use a meat tenderizer to crush the ice in the bag. It’s actually a pretty fun way to take out your frustrations,” she added.

Although Pollinator’s Pastis is not on the menu at Little Vinyl Lounge, the bar does serve a range of herb-infused cocktails.

3 tablespoons Dolin Blanc Vermouth de Chambery

1 tablespoon Anise Hyssop Simple Syrup (see recipe)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Crushed ice

Hyssop leaves and blossoms, for garnish

In a metal cocktail shaker, combine vermouth, simple syrup, orange juice and lime juice. Add ice and shake hard for 20 to 30 seconds. Double strain the mixture into an old-fashioned glass and top off with crushed ice. Crush a few anise leaves and blossoms and add to the drink as garnish.

Per serving: 95 calories (1 percent from fat), trace protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 13 milligrams sodium.

Anise Hyssop Simple Syrup

Hands on: 5 minutes Total time: 10 minutes plus cooling time Makes: 1 1/2 cups (serving size 1 tablespoon)

Extra hyssop simple syrup can be used to flavor fruit salads or tea. For a stronger anise flavor, steep the leaves and blossom in the simple syrup overnight before straining. Scheinfeld adapted this recipe from one at www.drunkenbotanist.com.

1 cup water

1 cup organic raw cane sugar

1 cup roughly chopped hyssop leaves and flowers

In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Reduce heat so mixture simmers. Cover pan and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand until cool. Strain and refrigerate. May be made up to 1 week ahead.

Per 1-tablespoon serving: 32 calories (none from fat), trace protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, no fat, no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.