A friend of mine likes to ask this fun getting-to-know-you question: what is your desert island herb? Basil, parsley, cilantro, thyme? Which fresh herb is the one you can't live or cook without? More

Q: I have a ton of lemon balm and mint growing in my garden. Every summer I swear I'm going to dry them for tea, but I never do.

Does anyone have any tips for doing this?

I was even wondering if I could give away jars of dried mint as gifts, or find fillable tea bags. And what are other uses for dried mint?

Sent by Leah More

It's that time of year: Time for lemon verbena, my favorite summer herb. It's growing like a weed in my garden, so I've been looking for more ways to use it. Here's the latest: Lemon verbena gin and tonic. More

When it comes to beans and lessening their "digestive consequences," we have two main strategies: one, soak them before cooking and two, add epazote. More

See these pretty purple flowers on the basil plants? Yeah, they need to go. More

Sure, coriander, cinnamon, and paprika are all spices, just as thyme, rosemary, and mint are all herbs. It's amazing how often we use these herbs and spices in our cooking, and yet, have you ever really thought about why spices are spices and why herbs are herbs? More

I was looking at my spice cupboard recently and noticing that it's gotten rather disorderly in the past few months. All except for a curious handful of tins neatly arranged in one corner. These spices, I realized, are the ones I use almost every day. More

Gill-over-the-ground, Creeping Charlie, Catsfoot, Run-away-robin, Hedge maids, Alehoof, Tunhoof ... these are just a few of the names given to ground ivy, a member of the mint family found in moist shady areas, along hedgerows and buildings, and creeping through gardens and lawns. Though often considered a weed, the plant's aromatic leaves have played an important role in culinary history. More

My herb garden is overflowing already with fresh parsley, mint, and lovage. There is a sprawling oregano plant, and tall fronds of dill. Herbs are the chief reason I garden, and this time of year I am just looking for ways to gather their crisp, welcome fragrance into my kitchen. Here's one simple recipe that takes full advantage of herbs — from the garden, or from the market — tender, creamy potatoes tossed with a lemony dressing, fresh spinach, and handfuls of parsley and dill. From my herb garden, to your kitchen table. More

Culinary Herb Wheel by Chew On This

• $11
• ChewOnThis.org

This is the cheat sheet to your Herbal SAT. The Culinary Herb Wheel covers the basics of 40 herbs, from Anise to Thyme. It references which part of the herb are edible (leaves? seeds? flower? stalk?) then suggests common uses like "fish" and "candied." The reverse side features preservation and storage tips.

The wheel measures 10-inches across, so is the perfect size for your fridge door.