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Chives
Chives
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Description
Chives grow in clumps, with their round, hollow, grass-like leaves reaching a height of 9 inches or more. The stems are firm, straight, smooth, and, like the leaves, bright dark green. The flowers, which bloom for two months in midsummer, form round deep purple or pink globes that make an attractive garnish.
Cultivation
Divide established clumps of bulbs every third spring, and transplant clusters from the outer edges of the clumps. Alternatively, chives can be raised afresh each year from seed.
Although they thrive in any good garden loam, they show a preference for slightly acid soil and need to be kept moist throughout the growing season. Choose a place where they can enjoy some shade during the day.
Remove the flower heads to maintain a constant supply of flavorful leaves. The foliage dies down in the winter. You can encourage a few early spikes by covering some of the plants with crushed leaves or straw. Plant a clump of bulbs in containers in the fall for early spring chives. Make sure your container chives get plenty of sun. A few plants may be allowed to produce flowers, which are an attractive garnish.
Harvesting
Use as required.
Use of Chives
Chives are easier to snip with scissors than cut with a knife. The snipped chives give a hint of onion flavor to egg dishes, cheese soufflés, salads, soups, cream cheese sandwiches, and sour cream dressing for baked potatoes. Chive butter is great with grilled chops and steak.
Chive
Allium schoenoprasum
Amaryllidaceae family Language and mythology Like garlic and leeks, chive belongs to the onion family, growing wild in northern Europe, Greece, and Italy. Ancient civilizations are thought to have been familiar with it, but rumors claiming that chives "send up hurtful vapors to the brain" fortunately were unfounded. Description This bulb plant has hollow, dark green leaves which are cylindrical and very slender, tapering to a point at the top. They are 6 to 10 inches long with a surrounding stem at the base. Flowering stems shoot up from the bulb. The small, pale purple flower forms a dense, globular umbel at the top of the stem. The 1/2-inch-long petals have bluish purple anthers. Plant type and hardiness Perennial; hardiness zone 3. Height and width Height 18 inches; width 1 to 2 inches the first year from seed, reaching 10 to 14 inches. Light and soil Full sun; fairly rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6. Pests and disease None noted. Cultivation Chive is easily raised from seeds. Sow in shallow drills in fine soil. After seedlings pass the "delicate grass" stage, transplant them into a sunny spot in the garden. Planting in groups of up to 20 plants gives a nice clumping effect. After the tops wither, divide the clumps into 2-inch segments. If chive clumps get too large, the centers may die out. Add decayed manure to the soil occasionally and keep well watered for fuller plants. Companion planting Chive grown near the roots of apple trees helps prevent apple scab. It also helps prevent black spot in roses. Carrots grow larger than normal when planted with chive. Propagation method Division in spring (every three years). Bloom time and color June; pale purple. Harvesting Use your fingers to harvest leaves, snapping them off at the base. Cutting with scissors will leave a stem segment that will turn brown. Freeze leaves in ice cube trays or freezer bags. Chives lose their flavor and color when dried. (The dried chives sold in grocery stores are freeze dried.) Herbal uses Culinary, decorative, and medicinal.
Fresh leaves are excellent for making herbal butters and vinegars. They also may be used in salads, soups, and soft cheese and on grilled meats. Chives are one of the fines herbes and can be chopped and mixed together with chervil, parsley, and tarragon to make a savory yet mild blend of herbs to flavor cooked chicken and fish, salads, steamed vegetables, soups, and omelettes. A good source of calcium, chives are believed to strengthen nails and teeth when consumed. The plants are grown for their attractive flowers and can be planted in containers. Chive is said to have some medicinal qualities. Garden notes After planting chive in a random pattern in the garden, we decided the plants would be more effective in a clump. Harvesting the tops causes new top growth within a month or so. We grew a garlic chive variety, which had the fragrance and mild flavor of garlic.
Herbs: Chives
"He who wears chives on his breath
Is safe from being kissed to death."
--Martial
A mention of chives will most likely bring to mind a baked potato with all the trimmings, but there is so much more to this thin, graceful herb. It's easy to grow indoors and out, and also available freeze-dried, making it a perfect year-round herb to have on hand. Don't miss the recipes!
A Little History
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), a member of the onion family and native to Asia and Europe, have been around over 5,000 years. Yet, they were not actively cultivated until the Middle Ages. The botanical name is derived from the Greek meaning reed-like leek. The English name chive comes from the Latin cepa, meaning onion, which became cive in French. Prized for their flavor, this smallest member of the onion family has many wild cousins growing throughout the Northern hemisphere.
Shoots of Flavor
Chives grow in clumps like grass, sending up graceful, hollow, thin leaves up to 12 inches. Unlike regular onions, no large bulb forms underground. Thus, it is the leaves that are the source of the onion flavor. A perennial plant, chives are perfect for the home gardener, even those with brown thumbs. If you grow your own, you will be blessed in the spring and summer with lovely lavender flowers shaped like a delicate puffball. These flowers are also edible, and make a strikingly colorful garnish for any dish. However, be aware that the flavor of chives becomes more harsh after flowering. To avoid flowering, simply keep snipping the leaves back.
Garlic Chives
Also know as Chinese chives, garlic chives (Allium tuberosum), which can be used and stored in the same manner as chives. They are distinguishable from chives by their flat, broader leaves and fragrant white flowers, otherwise, they look very similar in appearance. As you would expect, garlic chives have a delicate garlic flavor and are used extensively in oriental dishes. Garlic chives are a good choice for those who shy away from full-flavored garlic.
Selection and Storage
Chives are available fresh in most markets year-round, if you're not growing your own. Choose fresh, uniform-sized, evenly green leaves with no signs of wilting, yellowing or drying. In a pinch, chopped scallion greens can be used as a substitute, but the onion flavor will be more pronounced. Chives are also available frozen and freeze-dried for instant convenience. If you have an abundance of chives, you might wish to try freeze-drying your own at home. Store chives in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for up to a week. Don't wash until ready to use them, as excessive moisture will promote decay.
Usage
Hopefully you are growing your own at home in either your garden or a container. If so, you will have a continuous supply by simply snipping off the leaves with scissors down to 2 inches above the ground as needed, rather than pulling them from the soil root and all. To make the most of the delicate onion flavor of chives and retain the luscious green color in your recipes, use chives raw. If you must cook them, add them last, just before serving. Chives are essential in the classic seasoning fines herbes, which is a mixture of equal parts chopped tarragon, chervil, parsley and chives.
Don't overlook slender chive spears as a garnish. They are perfect for tying up small bundles of vegetables or puff pastry parcels or dumplings. Or, simply criss-cross small lengths into patterns on deviled eggs or crackers covered with any variety of savory spread. A simple sprinkling of chopped chives livens up the appearance of a bowl of soup. Chive flowers are a welcome addition to salads and bring a touch of spring as a garnish to any dish.
Health Watch
Chives are a perfect flavoring choice for those on diets to restrict calorie, fat or salt intake. They are fat-free and combine well with other herbs and spices as a salt-substitute. Chives are high in Vitamins A and C, potassium and calcium, and its sulfur compounds have antibiotic properties. Since the standard serving size of chives is so small, you most likely will not experience any noticable health benefits from your consumption.
Chives
Other names: Allium schoenoprasum
Parts Used: The edible portions, which is most all except the roots.
Culinary Uses: Chives are a mild onion substitute. Cream cheese and chives as a spread, cottage cheese and chives as a low calorie salad, or chives and sour cream for a topping on baked potatoes are the best known uses. Chives give zest to salads, soups, stews, omelettes, scrambled eggs , hors d'oeuvres, fish sauces, and cooked vegetables.
Other uses: Chives are useful as a preventative agent against the harmful effects of toxic matter lodging along the bronchial and intestinal canals. They also help to stimulate appetite and to promote the digestive processes and performs the duties of an intestinal antiseptic. The plant also contains iron and is blood fortifying. The sulfur component in chives is somewhat similar to garlic's active bactericidal, so is a fortifier of the nasal and respiratory areas against infection. A syrup of chives (or of onion or garlic) serves well as a cold-cough remedy especially useful in croup or spasms of asthma.
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