Topic: Whats the most useful Herbs in the UK

[pigeonseed]

I love coriander, it goes to seed more slowly if you underplant it with tomatoes or beans, in my experience. If you add coriander leaves at the end of any dish, for me, it makes that dish much more special and luxurious.

I like flat-leaved parsley because it's so large and produces so much, you can use as much as you like in anything. It's nice as a salad leaf.

And I like sorrel. In salads, wilted and served as a veg with fish... or makes a super-sour sauce. Lots of vitamin C. (on the downside, you can almost feel it stripping your tooth enamel as you eat)

[ARV]

Pretty much the same as everyone else.
Rosemary - with roast tatties, lamb and also in a tomato sauce with chicken
Sage - with Pork, in Stews etc. Also used it in a herbal tea.
Thyme - Stews, a few leaves on salads.
Bay Leaves - In Stews and Curries. Also in with pickled Garlic
Marjoram - again in stews and casseroles. in almost any tomato/italian dish. I've also used leaves in sandwiches to add a little more flavour.
Tarragon - with chicken or fish
fennel - with fish
Mint - with boiled spuds and Peas. Also in Mojitos and Pimms
Lemon balm - only really used it in Pimms, but any suggestions welcome
Chives - in homemade dips and potato salad

I've tried growing Coriander, but it goes to seed, which isn't all bad as i saved the seeds and now use them in curries!! Next year i'll try growing it under the toms.
The Basil i've tried growing outdoors doesn't do too well either. i normally end up buying a pot from the supermarket (when reduced in price) and planting that out. keeps going a bit longer than if i just leave it in the pot indoors.

[artichoke]

Ah yes, sorrel - grew it for the first time this year, and have just noticed it is perennial - is that right? It flowered, and I thought it would behave like spinach beet and die off, but it has since sent up masses of fresh green leaves. I am now expecting it to behave like docks, and live for ever.

I like it folded into an omelette at the last moment, barely wilted. It is a shame it goes such a gloomy khaki colour when cooked, but the omelette and lots of fresh parsley (I agree with you about flat-leaved parsley, of which I have mountains) disguise this.

[pigeonseed]

Yes sorrel is perennial and keeps getting bigger. You can divide the root to propagate I think. That's how I got mine from my mum.

It does die down when the weather gets very cold, and then grows back in spring.

All my coriander has gone to seed now as well - it looks very pretty at the moment, foamy white flowers, bobbing about in the breeze. But no good for leaves any more  :(

[artichoke]

Interested in your sorrel info......at the moment, my coriander is fresh and green, as I hoped. I expect it will die down when we get regular frosts.