Dill, Weed

Dill Weed

Dill is one of the oldest cultivated herbs, making its debut medicinally thousands of years ago. In first century Rome, dill weed was considered a good luck symbol, and in Greek and Roman cultures it was deemed a symbol of wealth. Dill carries the healing components monoterpenes and flavonoids, oferring various medicinal affects such as:

• relieving indigestion, cramps and gas
• helps with insomnia
• supports a healthy immune system building defenses against bacteria and viruses

The delicate herb – Anethum graveolens – is grown widely throughout Eastern Europe and Western Asia and is popular in Mediterranean, Persian and Southeast Asian cuisines. It is a member of the celery family – Apiaceae – and has thin, feathery, bright green leaves, similar to a fern. Interestingly, only the top eight inches of the plant are used.

Dill weed is dried and chopped and has a unique odor reminiscent of caraway seeds. The herb produces a lingering, strong aroma and a flavor that pops. In European cuisine, dill weed is used regularly to season fish and various soups, as well as in salad dressings and for pickling cucumbers. Its pungent flavor compliments chives and parsley well. The seeds of a dill plant can also be ingested. The brown and oval-shaped seeds offer a more citrusy, bitter taste than its leafy weed.