Free China Bayles' Book of Days by Susan Wittig Albert

or simply chewed them for their sweet taste.
—DONNA GATES, THE STEVIA STORY:
 
     
A TALE OF INCREDIBLE SWEETNESS & INTRIGUE
    A Sweet Secret
    Stevia ( Stevia rebaudiana ) is a sweet-tasting calorie-free herb native to Paraguay, a small perennial shrub belonging to the Chrysanthemum family. It is said to be ten to fifteen times sweeter than granulated sugar, with several important plusses: It’s nontoxic, does not affect blood sugar levels, and can be used in cooking, with a little experimentation. The “Honey Leaf plant” used to be a well-kept secret, but now the dried herb is available at large natural food stores and on-line. You can grow it in your garden, as well.
    GROWING STEVIA
    Stevia is difficult to grow from seed, so start with plants, putting them out about the time you’d set out tomatoes. Stevia likes a rich, well-drained soil, so use organic compost generously, mulch to shade the shallow roots, and don’t overwater. Pinch out the tips to produce a bushy plant, and harvest stevia before flowering, for flowering imparts a bitter taste to the leaves. Cut the plant at the base and hang in a warm, airy place. Remove the dry, crisp leaves and sift out stems and branches. Pulverize the leaves and store the powder in lidded jars or zip-top bags.
    USING STEVIA
    Use stevia in most recipes in place of sugar: 1 teaspoon crushed/powdered leaves equals 1 cup of sugar. Don’t use stevia in baking, because it does not supply the bulk of sugar. Dry stevia may produce an aftertaste, while liquid stevia does not. To make the liquid sweetener, pour one cup boiling water over 1 tablespoon of dried, powdered stevia. Steep for 3-4 minutes, then strain through a coffee filter. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
     
    Read more about this interesting herb:
    The Stevia Story: A Tale of Incredible Sweetness & Intrigue , by Donna Gates
    Stevia-Sweet Recipes , by Jerry Goettemoeller

    FEBRUARY 12
    Today is the feast of Artemis (Diana), the threefold goddess of the moon, the hunt, and chastity.
    Artemisia
    The genus of gray and silvery plants named Artemisia were sacred to Artemis. There are some 180 species, all decorative, most medicinal, a few culinary.
    CULINARY ARTEMISIAS
    • Tarragon: A. dracunculus . Dracunculus means “little dragon.” Not very pretty to look at, but has a lovely anise flavor. Difficult to grow in Southern gardens.
    MEDICINAL ARTEMISIAS
    Artemisias have been used medicinally around the world. All are decorative, in various shades of green, pale green, and gray, and make a pretty show in your garden. These are the two most often mentioned, although A. tridentata (sagebrush) is widely used by native peoples in the American Southwest.
    • Mugwort: Artemisia vulgaris . Some say that the common name comes from its use as a flavoring for beer, the people’s beverage. It was used chiefly as a vermifuge (to repel intestinal parasites, hence the name wormwood), but also to stimulate menstruation, as an abortifacient (to induce abortion), and to treat epilepsy, colds, fevers, bronchitis, colic, sciatica, kidney ailments, and indigestion. Also used in dream pillows, in purification smudging, and as an insect repellant. Medieval travelers put mugwort in their shoes.
    • Wormwood: A. absinthium . A very bitter herb, it was used like mugwort. It was the chief ingredient in absinthe, the infamous emerald liqueur (which also contained the aromatic herbs melissa, anise, marjoram, and angelica). In concentrated form, a volatile poison. Best to use it as a natural pest control, to repel fleas and ants, and in companion plantings.
    DECORATIVE ARTEMISIAS
    Their cool, crisp silver foliage makes these plants a delight in the garden and useful in wreaths and dried arrangements. A landscaping bonus: deer don’t like the bitter taste!
    • Silver King and Silver Queen: varieties of A. ludoviciana
    • Powys Castle: A. arborescens , one of my favorite artemisias
    • Dusty Miller: A. stelleriana , mostly grown as an annual
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