Herbal Recipe #1: Fresh Herbed Waffles

This is a great alternative to the usual sweet waffle and is particularly good for a luncheon menu. Recipe makes approximately six 7" waffles.

1 3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/4 C. grated parmesan cheese
2 minced scallions using white parts and tender green parts
1/2 C. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. chopped fresh basil
2 T. chopped fresh rosemary
1 T. sugar
1 3/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 3/4 t. salt
1 1/3 C milk
2 lg eggs
3 T. melted butter
2 t. Dijon mustard
Sour cream

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 200 degrees. This will be used to keep waffles after they are taken from the waffle iron. Preheat waffle iron. Combine first 10 ingredients (the dry ingredients) in a medium bowl. Whisk together milk, eggs, butter and mustard (the moist ingredients) in another medium bowl. Pour the moist ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth.

Lightly spray or oil the waffle iron (spraying is MUCH easier on the bumpy waffle iron surface). Follow your waffle maker's instructions or pour about 1/3 cup of batter onto the grid and spread it until it nearly touches the corners. Close and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. The waffle should release easily from the waffle iron and the edges should be dry. Place cooked waffles in the oven to keep them crisp while making remaining waffles. You may want to adjust the amount of batter used for the remaining waffles if batter oozed out of iron or if waffles are too small. Continue spraying and pouring until all batter is used up.

Serve waffles with a dollop of sour cream. You can use these waffles as a main dish or as a side to say chicken or tuna salad. They can be made ahead and frozen, then reheated in oven or toaster oven. Avoid reheating waffles in a microwave as this will make them "gummy".

Florida Herb Societies

Belonging to an herb society is a good way to learn about herbs. Herb enthusiasts are great people and love to share their knowledge. Meetings are fun and often involve eating wonderful food!! Many have newsletters full of good information including tips on growing herbs in our challenging climate. Check out one of these herb groups near you (listed north to south with two regional organizations at the end):

Jacksonville Herb Society
Contact: Scott Stover, President
(904) 945-8965
Email: stovershop@comcast.net
Meets 10:30 am the third Saturday of every month at
Glynlea Grace United Methodist Church
6429 Atlantic Boulevard in Jacksonville.
Updated 1/10/08

The Herbal Link
Contact: Loretta Inman
(904) 382-8080
Email: lori_inman@bellsouth.net

Tallahassee Herb Society
Contact: Kay Fausel, President
or Alice Cappa, Newsletter Editor
(850) 997-5505 (Alice Cappa)
Email: acappa@att.net
Meets 7:00 pm the second Wednesday of every month
at various locations.

North Central Florida Herb Society
Contact: Barbara Bennett
(352) 372-4981
Meets 7:00 pm the third Tuesday of every month
except during the summer
at the downtown library on East University in Gainesville.

Deland Herb Society
Contact: Karen Hall, President
(386) 736-1839
Meets the first Thursday of every month September - May
at the Garden Club of Deland

Seaside Herb Society
Contact: Kathy Kosak, President
12 San Jose Circle
Ormond Beach, FL 32176
(386) 441-3382
Email: nrkosak1@bellsouth.net
Meets 9:30 am the third Saturday of every month
at Riverbend Community Church, Beach and Granada Streets
in Ormond Beach.
For more information: http://dir.gardennet.com
Updated 1/10/08

Thyme on Our Hands (Spruce Creek)
Contact: Nelda Ewald
2882 Grumman Court
Daytona Beach, FL 32128
(386) 760-4235
Email: flyer12941@aol.com
Meets the third Friday of every month
at various members' homes.

Herb Society of Central Florida
Contact: Emily Ruff, President
PO Box 11183
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 595-3731
Email: orlandoherbs@gmail.com
Meets 7:00 pm the second* Monday of every month
at Leu Gardens in Orlando.
*Note: meetings were changed from first to second Monday starting Sept 2008
Updated 9/24/08

Hernando Herb Society
Contact: Mary Repper, President
(352) 799-5717
Email: maryrepper@aol.com
Meets the fourth Monday of every month September - May
at the Hernando Extension Office in Brooksville.
Updated 1/11/08

Florida Herb Society
Contact: membership@floridaherbsociety.org
Emily Wenzel emily@floridaherbsociety.org (727) 365-8574 or
Yetta Jaworski yetta@floridaherbsociety.org (727) 517-8970
Meets 6:30 pm (herb swap) / 7:00 pm (meeting)
the third Tuesday of every month September - June
at the Clearwater Garden Club 405 Seminole St in Clearwater.
For more information check out their very informative website: www.floridaherbsociety.org
Updated 6/10/10

Manatee Herb Society
Contact: Sue Moury, President
(941) 795-8828
Email: BrendaJohson@msn.com
Meets the third Wednesday of every month except July and August
alternating evenings and afternoons at the public library
1301 Barcarrota Boulevard in Bradenton.
Updated 9/23/04

The Vero Beach Herbal Society
Contact: Julie McCusker, President
PO Box 262
Winter Beach, FL 32971
(772) 778-9328 Greens & Things
Meets 7:30 pm the second Tuesday of every month
at the Vero Beach Community Center.

Heathcote Herb Society
Contact: Linda LeMieux, President
(772) 464-4672 Heathcote Botanical Gardens
Email through Heathcote Botanical Gardens: hbg@ircc.net
Meets at Heathcote Botanical Gardens in Fort Pierce
Updated 10/26/04

Herb Society of Palm Beach County
Contact: Linda Spillane, President
or Edith Peekin (561) 640-7943
Write: c/o Mounts Botanical Garden
531 N. Military Trail
West Palm Beach, FL 33415
Meets 10:00 am the second Tuesday of every month except July and August
at Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach
For more information: http://dir.gardennet.com/

Evening Herb Society of the Palm Beaches
PO Box 17318
West Palm Beach, FL 33416
Voicemail: (561) 835-6724
Email: talk2EHS@gopbi.com
Meets 7:30 pm the last Tuesday of every month
at Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach
For more information: http://communitylink.gopbi.com/
Updated 1/10/08

Broward County Herb and Spice Society
Contact: Sharon Sootin
(954) 921-5111
Email: mudanacher@aol.com
Meets 7:30 pm the fourth Monday of every month
at the Broward County Extension Education Division,
3245 College Ave in Davie
Updated 1/10/08

Redland Evening Herb Society
Contact: Leila Barnes
(305) 245-3367
Email through Fruit and Spice Park: fsp@miamidade.gov
Meets 7:30 pm the first Wednesday of every month
at Fruit and Spice Park in Homestead
A great informative website: http://www.rehsonline.com/
Updated 2/28/06

Herb Society of America Southeast District (Includes Florida)
Contact: Helen Phillips
13580 Highway 27
Hamilton, GA 31811
(706) 628-0075
Email: hkphillips@earthlink.net
Members-at-large meet annually.
For more information: http://www.herbsociety.org/

International Herb Association Southeast Regional Chapter (Includes Florida)
Contact: Marge Powell
PO Box 5667
Jacksonville, FL 32247
(904) 399-3241
Email: margepowel@aol.com
For more information: http://www.iherb.org/
Updated 5/18/04

Do you know of another herb society in Florida? Is there an error, an email address no longer valid or an update needed in any of the above listings? Please let us know in the comments or at rhgherbfarm@yahoo.com .

Maggie

To all of my customers who have been asking after Maggie, the border collie greeter at my old location, I'm sad to report that she died between Christmas and New Years. Maggie had a good life, was much loved and lived to be over 100 in dog years.

Her favorite things:
1. Frisbees
2. Swimming
3. Swimming after Frisbees thrown into the lake
4. Playing hide and seek
5. Frisbees
6. Trying to catch the water from the garden hose
7. Really loud squeeky toys
8. Waiting for the dog to bark at the end of the Mclaughlin Group. (That dog was saying something to her!)
9. Did I mention Frisbees?

R.I.P. Maggie my BDFF.