Texas Locavore

Known for its role in pickling, dill is good for so much more. Its savory leaves sauté especially well with carrots in butter and substitute nicely for paprika in a classier take on the deviled egg. Tossed with lemon juice, pasta, and feta, fresh dill makes a tangy spring salad that’s great for early-season cook-outs. It adds scent and greenery to arrangements of fresh flowers and even looks great by itself in a bell-jar vase. Although it’s quick to flower and go to seed in the heat of Texas summer, dill thrives in the cooler, sunny weather we’re experiencing now. Due to that seasonality, it’s not a huge crop for Texas, though some 200 acres of dill worth several hundred thousand dollars annually are grown commercially in the state. Right now, you can find Texas dill plants and cuttings at grocery stores and farmers’ markets around Austin. Aside from tasting good and looking pretty, dill is also said to be beneficial to digestive health. If you’re interested in learning more about medicinal benefits of local herbs, check out a presentation by Austin Herbalist Ellen Zimmerman at the Wheatsville Herb Fair on Saturday — and find yet another way to celebrate Texas bounty.