The name of the plant from which we obtain rosemary leaf has no connection whatsoever to roses or the name Mary, oddly enough. It is actually a corruption of the Latin term ros marinus, which literally means “sea-dew.” A native of the Mediterranean, rosemary is resistant to both drought and insect pests.
In cooking,
rosemary leaf is a staple of French and Mediterranean cuisine; it mates well with a wide range of foods from chicken and cheese to tomatoes and cabbage. Rosemary leaf powder can also be used as a table condiment. Rosemary leaf is high in essential nutrients, such as iron, calcium and Vitamin B-6 as well as several anti-oxidant compounds.
Dried bulk rosemary leaf is often used as an infusion for herbal tea, and has traditionally been taken in order to improve memory function. Modern science is in fact demonstrating that this old use as folk medicine may in fact be a valid one: a 2007 study at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research suggests that ingesting foods and drinks containing rosemary leaf or rosemary powder may lower the risk of certain brain disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease and ALS.
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