The slender leaves (they aren’t actually needles) can often be sticky with resin and are very assertive in flavor. Rosemary must be used with a careful hand as it can dominate a dish. The leaves are added to rubs and marinades, stuffed into chickens, or tied to meats about to be used on the grill. Even the branches have culinary uses – de-leaved sticks of rosemary make for excellent kabobs and a bunch of rosemary can be tied together to form a basting brush.

This dried rosemary should be minced with garlic and shallots and a bit of mint. Afterwards, take the mixture and roll it up into a pork loin, rub the whole thing with salt and olive oil, and roast or grill for one of the most flavorful dinners you’ve ever made.