The smell of comfort. Enveloping as a cashmere blanket, smelling of bustling kitchens packed with more family members than they can hold, and soothing as quiet jazz on the radio.
Technically a member of the mint family, oregano eschews mintiness for peppery, citric flavors hinting of thyme. In more moderate climates this perennial is easy to grow and can quickly take over any available patch of land. However, when grown in colder climates the flavor is less robust. Used primarily in Greek, Italian, Spanish, Mexican and Tex-mex cuisine, oregano lends a peppery, herbal bite to foods. When fresh, it’s used as a finishing spice, whereas dried it’s used at the beginning of cooking to build layers of flavor. Mexican oregano contains a far higher volatile oil content (primarily of thymol, carvacrol, and menthol). This results in a far more potent oregano. It’s less peppery and less pungent than common oregano, but with a more intense flavor of thyme and hints of mint. The lemony notes present in other oreganos are also diminished here. However, if you need a powerful oregano flavor for sauces and soups then Mexican is the way to go.
Fantastic when added to stewed meat dishes, broths, adobo, soups, kabobs, or spice rubs, this traditionally used Mexican Oregano is also wonderful when added to Posole or Morcilla.
Ready to use as is, no preparation is necessary.
Mexican oregano.