The Herb

I am lucky enough to live in a city full of exciting neighbourhoods that are filled with the foods from all over the world. I live just a few subway stops from to Chinatowns, Little Italy, Koreatown, Little India and many others. But I live just steps from Greektown, where I have come to love - and rely on - many native ingredients.

It was through a regional book club I was co-hosting a couple of years ago that I discovered the wonder of Greek oregano.

It is fascinating to know an ingredient intimately, only to find out that many countries have their own version of it - Spanish, Pennsylvania Dutch and Kashmiri saffron, for example, or Italian versus Thai Basil).

We were reading a book about Greece and because I was responsible for the food portion, I selected a neighbourhood restaurant that I knew would wow the crowd (with affordable prices and big portions to boot) and talked about the cuisine.

Normally, I just tell people about what they're eating and what else the cuisine has to offer, but on this particular evening. I had assembled a little show and tell.

Because of the proud heritage of the Greeks in my area, even my mainstream supermarket carries Greek coffee, a range of fetas in brine, Greek yogurt (I bet you've been trying to find some where you live!) And much to my delight, chamomile, mountain herbs and dreid oregano still on the branch.

A huge bag of Greek oregano on the vine was only $1.99, so I got 8 bags and it was the lightest errand I've ever had to run (even less than mail!).

I wanted everyone to have the chance to try it, as it is quite different than the Italian variety we're all used to, so the night before our dinner, I made sure to nestle the branches carefully next to my notes and tucked a box of sandwich bags into my purse.

We ordered ouzo and Retsina and had a variety of dips, vegetables drizzled in rich, fragrant olive oils, meats and seafoods. While everyone mmm'd their way through dessert (baklava, melomakarona and somehow Bailey’s cheesecake), I talked about I'd always assumed that Italian oregano was the only kind, until I'd moved to Greektown. Would you like to try some, I said, and pulled out waftings bags of the fragrant herb and my box of sandwich bags.

Pass these around and take as much or as little as you like, I said, gesturing wildly while mouths were dabbed with napkins and strong coffee was consumed, even at this late hour. Be sure to keep the buds on the branch until you use them I they'll stay fresher longer.

I then added, "Should you be stopped on the way home with your little bag of herb, please be sure to tell them that while Stephanie at your book club provided it to you, it is no way a prohibited or illegal substance.

And if they won't cease and continue to grill you, tell them to come on over to my place and I will whip a recipe using the the real deal and prove us all innocent.