Sage Leaves - Now and Then

Friday, November 16, 2007
My most popular post this time of year, by far, is the one I wrote about the sage infused turkey brine we tested last year. Lots of folks are looking for ways to prepare their Thanksgiving turkey, no doubt. We certainly enjoyed the brined version, although it was a tad on the salty side. (The saltiness, though, can be tempered by gobs of sweet-tart cranberry sauce, in my opinion.)

The featured ingredient in last year's brine came from my own sage plant, which suffered a case of severe wilting during the summer. I cut away all the afflicted parts of the plant and left just one strong stem that still had healthy leaves. The plant kept going for me and now here it is after we moved it into our new garden bed. It's much smaller now compared to last spring, but if you look closely you can see the tiny new leaves forming on it. Their fragrance is divine. Just one whiff and I'm transported to the Thanksgiving table (without having to peel all the potatoes).

The red leaves in the top photo of this post don't have anything to do with the sage. I just picked them up while I was in the garden. I thought they were a pretty contrast -- in color and texture -- to the soft sage leaves.

I didn't have anything to post for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day yesterday. With the exception of a pair of faded red roses, my garden is all finished blooming now. The leaves of the trees, though, are all ablaze at their peak of brilliance.

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus

~~~~~

12 Comments:

Blogger Muum said...

I'll have to check out the post about sage and brine and turkeys - sounds yummy! We are prepping for Thanksgiving here, as well, with assignments given out (I have a son in law who makes cream puffs!) and shopping an ongoing affair.

7:14 PM  
Blogger pam said...

I love growing sage! We had our first frost this morning, and I haven't checked my sage yet. I'm hoping to use some for Tyler Florence's turkey recipe, so I hope it still looks okay!

10:10 PM  
Blogger Shady Gardener said...

I really like the quote you added at the end! It's true! :-)

You have been memed. Check out my site.

12:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Did you ever figure out what had damaged your sage, Christa? Or is it just one of those gardening mysteries?

4:15 AM  
Blogger Christa said...

I never saw any signs of insects on the plant, so I guessed the problem was caused by too much moisture. Some stems were not affected though, so...hmmm...

9:16 AM  
Blogger Robin (Bumblebee) said...

Well, at least you REMEMBERED Bloom Day. I always remember, duh, when I see all the bloom day posts. By then, I don't have the time to scamble around for photos.

--Robin (Bumblebee)

10:38 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love the contrast in the color of the leaves. so very fall like. Have a happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the sage.

1:15 AM  
Blogger Matron said...

That sage infused turkey brine sounds wonderful! I will have to roast a 'practice' turkey before Christmas just to make sure. Yum.

1:21 PM  
Blogger DianeSchuller.com said...

Calendula and Concrete -- the name grabbed my attention immediately. Calendula is this gardener's birthday flower and one of my deceased mom's favourites as well. What a delightful blog indeed!

Diane at Sand to Glass

3:58 PM  
Blogger Christina said...

I hope you've had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Sage makes fall even more fallish, doesn't it?

1:20 AM  
Blogger kate said...

It was good to see that your sage plant survived its move. This will have been your first Thanksgiving in your new house. I hope you had a wonderful time and that your turkey turned out well!

1:28 PM  
Blogger Gardenista said...

Oh yes, garden bloggers bloom day...it would have to be houseplants for me now! We're burrowing out from under snow.

I just love the memories evoked by sage leaves. Sage makes my mouth water for turkey. The purple flowers on my mom's plants (in a warmer place) look really nice in the spring too!

11:43 PM  

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