Oregano is a popular sweet-smelling herb whose name means 'mountain joy' surely delivers joy to the taste buds. It is the perfect addition to Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines. Sprinkle Oregano on Pizza before eating gives a better taste to it. Oregano goes well in just about any tomato dish. Jazz up a grilled cheese sandwich by serving it open-faced with sliced tomatoes & a sprinkling of oregano. It also compliments vegetable & Meat stuffing. Oregano is an herb used to flavor foods. It is considered safe in common food amounts. Oregano has olive-green leaves and purple flowers. It is closely related to other herbs including mint thyme marjoram and basil. While cooking sprinkle meat chicken with oregano for flavor. Use it in marinades or stuffings. Chop and mix into the bread or pizza dough for a herby flavor. Add fresh oregano leaves to a salad. Sprinkle onto slices of mozzarella cheese and tomato and drizzle with olive oil. Oregano is the dried leaves of the herbs. Both varieties have traditionally have been harvested in the wild. Fresh oregano is usually bright in color although there is a wide range of hues among different cultivators ranging from yellow to dark green. The color of dried oregano ranges from light brownish green to darker green. The best quality of oregano is grown in a warm dry climate and drought conditions can intensify the flavor. Dried oregano is more widely available but fresh oregano is in popularity in gourmet markets and with home gardeners.
