Herbs, Herbs, Herbs : Top Herb

Fresh herbs may have caught consumers’ fancy, but just a few varieties make up the bulk of all supermarket purchases.

By far, the most popular fresh herb is basil.

“The demand is greater than our ability to produce it,” says Frieda Caplan, of Frieda’s Inc. Five types of basil currently constitute about 50% of the Los Angeles-based company’s herb sales. Caplan believes the popularity of Mediterranean cuisine, particularly Italian cooking, is responsible for the rise in sales.

Mint is Caplan’s second-best selling product in the category, with rosemary and oregano following in that order.

Paul Friedman of The Green House says fresh basil is also his most popular cut herb, representing about 35% of the firm’s sales.

“Basil doesn’t overpower foods and there is virtually nothing that it doesn’t go with,” he says. “You can’t ruin a meal with too much basil but you could with, say, too much oregano, which is so powerfully flavored.”

Basil is followed by dill, mint and chives as the best-selling Green House products.

A recent survey of Southern California chefs also found that basil was the most commonly used fresh herb in restaurants, with 79% reporting that it was a regular ingredient in their foods. The poll, conducted by California Agriculture magazine, found that basil usage is spread across a broad spectrum of cuisines, including restaurants that consider themselves California-style, Mediterranean, Asian, French, American or Continental.

The chefs queried by the magazine listed thyme, cilantro and rosemary as other frequently used herbs.