If you are a fan of Italian food, you are probably
very fond of marjoram. Also known as wild or Italian
oregano, marjoram gives a pungent, peppery flavor
to tomato sauces used to top pizza or served with
spaghetti.
Other Mediterranean dishes that
rely on marjoram for lively flavor are stews,
bean casseroles, and eggplant dishes. It’s
been a culinary staple in the region since the
Middle Ages.
Marjoram also has some cosmetic
and medicinal uses, too.
Dried stems from the marjoram
plant were used in making sachets during the Middle
Ages and were part of the herb blend strewn about
homes and castles to freshen the air and ward
off stinging insects.
Thymol is an antiseptic that
occurs naturally in the plant and is perhaps one
reason it’s been used for thousands of years
in poultices and to heal sores and wounds. When
mixed with olive oil, the mixture was said to
alleviate the pain of rheumatic joints and soothe
the discomforts of strain and sprain injuries.
Other medicinal properties of
the plant help quell inflammation, induce productive
coughing to clear the lungs and bronchial passageways,
and as a digestive aid.
Culpeper’s herbal classification
system places the herb under Aires and ruled by
Mercury, indicating its value as a remedy for
ailments pertaining to the brain and head. Along
this line, perhaps, Gerard claimed the herb brought
joy to relieve depression and “easeth such
as are given to overmuch sighing.”
Seems eating marjoram on a regular
basis will not merely taste good, it’ll
make you happy, too.
Reference
Kruger, Anna; An Illustrated Guide to Herbs: Their
Medicine and Magic; A Dragon’s World Book;
Limpsfield and London; 1993
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