From: Matthew Malthouse <matthew.malthouse@guardian.co.uk>
Subject: Re: (urth) Flowers redux
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 11:38:13 +0100

Alice Turner wrote:
> 
> Oh, one thing more. Why, you may ask, am I trying to make something
> Shakespearean out of what might be an ordinary kitchen herb garden. Well,
> the clue is rue. Rue simply isn't grown as an herb any more. It's a very
> bitter herb that I think may still be used to flavor a rather nasty Italian
> aperitif (could that be Byrrh?). But it was used as a purgative and a plague
> deterent in Shakespeare's time. And also in witchcraft, possibly as an
> abortifacent, I think.

Aha! You may not grow rue in your herb garden but some people still
do, myself included. I believe that it has a use in aromatherapy an
herbal medicine. About the only use I make of it is in pork sausages
where it cuts the sweet, fat flavours with its bitter taste.  

Oh, and it's pretty.  :)

Matthew

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