Andy wrote:
> I've learned by the r.f.c membership to only use fresh rosemary.
>
> So I picked up a pack of fresh rosemary for flavoring popovers.
>
> I think fresh rosemary in the batter will stay moist. I will chop it up as
> fine as I can.
>
> Please advise.

Whether dried or fresh rosemary depends on the use and one's particular
tolerence for that which is resinous. Fresh rosemary should be used in
recipes externally so that the resinous volatile oils can escape, but
when inside a dough or batter the dried is prefered, unless you are one
of those who actually enjoys retsina. I'm not a big fan of rosemary
anyway, if it didn't exist that would be fine with me... just having a
real tree for the holidays is all the resinous exposure I need. I
think rosemary enhances nothing, it actually covers up the real flavor
of the food to which it's added, why it's popular with game... rosemary
is good for a terlit pomander is about all... and even than I prefer an
old sock filled with balsam fir needles.

I think the WOPs tend to use rosemary, especially around the holidays,
because they tend towards lamb (baaaaa) and other game, plus they
themselves are dreadfully gamey... I mean why else would anyone want
to ruin perfectly good bread by making it reek of pine-sol.

I don't consider rosemary a culinary ingredient anymore than I consider
T-Gel edible: http://tinyurl.com/wvak7


Sheldon