Parsley for Useful Knowledge

Parsley, Petroselinum crispum and Petroselinum neapolitanum

Parsley’s message is useful knowledge. Useful knowledge? What pieces of knowledge of our personal history, family history, social, cultural, and political history of our lifetime will turn out to be relevant to our individual memoirs? Each of us must make that decision. Parsley grows in the Memoir Garden to remind us that we need to be selective in our writing. Not everything we have done nor everyone we have met will provide useful knowledge for our memoir.

Parsley has been a valued herb since at least the third century BCE when Romans used it as a garnish, wore it around their necks, and even fed it to horses to keep them strong. The herb was brought to the Americas in the 17th century and is now the most widely used culinary herb in the US. Remember the sprig of parsley on the side of our plate when we ate in restaurants as children? The sprigs on my plate, and probably your plate, remained uneaten. Now we know the food value of parsley — large amounts of beta carotene, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron — and we’ve found ways to add its flavor to our culinary treats.

I prefer to grow the flat-leafed variety, commonly called Italian parsley. Near the end of the season, I often mix it with basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and green olives for a slightly different pesto that also freezes well. By picking and drying the remaining leaves just before the plants bolt, I have a flavorful addition to soups, vegetables, and salads even in the winter months.

We’ve planted both varieties — curly and flat leafed — in our Memoir Garden. On the days when we find it difficult to sort through all the information we have compiled, think of parsley’s message of useful knowledge. That will help us choose the most meaningful, important, and interesting knowledge to include in our memoirs.

Visit our Writer’s Store with its products for encouragement and sharing that feature many of the herbs from our Memoir Garden.