Love’s Herb » Myrtus communis

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Myrtus communis

A specimen of the large-leaved form of Myrtus communis, growing in a terra rossa pot in the glassed-in arcade of Cuxa cloister. The myrtle will be brought out for the summer once the danger of frost has passed in May, and will remain in Bonnefont garden until October. The glossy foliage is highly aromatic and has been used in perfumery. The leaves are used to flavor pork, small birds, and other game, but the taste is strong and they are used as a wrapping or stuffing after cooking in order to impart a delicate aroma, rather than incorporated into the dish. In Sardinia, meats are roasted over a fire of myrtle twigs to the same end.

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