COSTMARY
Chrysanthemum balsamita
(Bible leaf)
The sweet-scented leaves may be used for tea or in herb pillows. Fresh leaves, picked before flowering, used in salads, sauces, soups and in cold drinks where a little goes a long way.
The nickname Bibleleaf derives from the practice of using dried Codtmary leaves as scented bookmarks for Bibles. Undoubtedly, this capitalized on its other use…as a moth repellent.
While little known today, there was a time not so long ago that Costmary was customary in every garden, medicinal or otherwise. From the early 1500's through the late 1700's, it was commonly seen throughout Britain and Europe, and carried through the US as well.
Costmary was primarily used as a flavoring, adding a spicy tang to ales and other beverages as early as the 1600's. The fresh leaves were also used in salads and in porridges, cakes and breads, adding both aroma and flavor.
As a scented or scattering herb, Costmary was often used in pot-pourries and for scattering in the linens and bedclothes.
Another popular use, in the Middle Ages,
was as a sweet scented body wash and hair rinse.
