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Parsley
(Petroselinum crispum)
I know I talk about my witchy garden a lot.
Y’all I have been dreaming about and replanting this space in my head my whole life.
It seems silly that I still haven’t planted it, but I was never planted myself.
Now I’m ready to grow some roots, and I’m stranded on the road in Washington. Life is funny. But also gives you plenty of opportunities to dream and even laugh at yourself.
Let’s take parsley. Do you know anything about it? I mean, other than it comes on your plate at fancy restaurants. Do you think the chef puts it there to make you smile? To add some color to your plate? For that answer, let’s go back to my garden for a moment.
This herb got added years ago. Why? Because maybe I’m out in the garden and My Love is approaching but I’ve been eating roasted garlic on toast for lunch. What is a girl to do?
Other than find a love that appreciates roasted garlic, of course.
Grab some parsley! Chewing on parsley serves two purposes. It clears up any gas bubbles that might be accumulating from your meal and it freshens your breath! A quick snag and chew later, you are perfectly kissable.
What? I told you it was many years ago. Fresh breath, vanquished farts, and kiss-ability are important to teenage witches.
Of course parsley is so much more than its modern interpretation. Like so many culinary herbs, it has both magical and medicinal properties.
History and Folklore
- Persephone is often depicted carrying a bunch of parsley. Ancient Greeks associated parsley with Death, and used it to decorate tombs, and in funeral ceremonies. They did not eat it and never grew it indoors, lest they bring death into the house, but they did use it as fodder for horses.
- The Romans placed parsley on their plates to protect the food from contamination and ate it to sweeten their breath after meals. This is where its tradition as a garnish originated. They also tucked it into their togas for protection and wore it on their heads to protect them from inebriation.
Magical Use
- Parsley is associated with Mercury and air and masculine in action. It is sacred to Persephone, Venus, and Aphrodite.
- Parsley can be used in a ritual bath and in ritual incense associated with communication with spirits of the dead.
- Wearing or eating parsley is supposed to protect against drunkenness and increase strength, vitality, and passion.
- Parsley is also supposed to protect food from contamination.
Culinary Use
- Rich in iron and calcium and vitamin C, A, and B. Add to soups, stews, sauces near the end of cooking to maintain flavor. Excellent in mashed potatoes, add just before mashing. Great in tabbouleh salad and on sandwiches. Often used as a garnish.
- Parsley can be added to pesto and other sauces to stretch other herbs with good results. It is also a great base, chopped small, for tabbouleh and bean salads.
Medical Use
- A parsley infusion can be used as a hair rinse to prevent lice. The oil can be used to treat infestations.
- A parsley decoction can be used for urinary and kidney ailments and for jaundice. For this, the root is most effective, but an infusion of the leaves can also be used. It will increase urination a great deal.
- Poultices of parsley can be used for insect bites or make an ointment out of the oil. A compress of cooled parsley tea soothes swelling and puffiness.
- Parsley can be used to encourage late menstruation.
- A large amount of chlorophyll in parsley is responsible for its ability to freshen breath when chewed.
Cautions
Use care if collecting parsley wild. Fool’s parsley looks a great deal like the real thing but the leaves are more acute, darker green and don’t smell as nice. It is quite poisonous, though it has its own uses. Helmock and Hog’s Weed also looks a bit like parsley, but are so toxic they should not be touched. If you didn’t plant it, assume it’s not parsley.
Read more at https://witchipedia.com/book-of-shadows/herblore/parsley/
The medicinal properties, in particular, of these common herbs always intrigue me.
Some benefits, like those addressing nutritional deficiencies, can seen from adding bits of herb to our recipes. Pesto is a great example of using large quantities of herbal material to make a meal. But they are also efficient for intense, targeted use.
Rich in iron, beta-carotene, chlorophyll, and many other vitamins and minerals, parsley is used to treat iron deficiency, anemia, and fatigue. A primary herb for bladder and kidney problems, it is a safe and effective diuretic. It can help to dry up a mother’s milk during the weaning process and is effective as a poultice for swollen, enlarged breasts and/or mastitis. (Of course if a nursing mother does not want to decrease her milk supply, she should not consume parsley in great quantities.
Excerpted from Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide, page 99
Substitute for fresh parsley in recipes with Parsley Vitality.
Parsley Vitality essential oil has a mild yet vibrant taste and adds freshness to a variety of dishes and cuisines.
Parsley Vitality essential oil is derived by steam distilling the plant’s leaves and stems. This leafy, emerald green herb is native to the Mediterranean region and was cultivated centuries ago by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Though its organ-cleansing properties may not have been as well known, the flavor of parsley has always been well loved the world over.
The botanical name for parsley, Petroselinum, comes from the Greek word for stone, petro, as the herb was often found growing in rocky places.
The ancient Roman philosopher, Pliny the Elder (AD 23-79) wrote about parsley in his last work, Natural History, mentioning that it was “held in universal esteem” and described how it was used in his time to season sauces and add freshness to seafood.
Features & Benefits of Parsley Vitality
- Promotes internal cleansing and overall wellness
- Offers antioxidant properties
- Provides a fresh, vibrant flavor
- Enhances a variety of foods and cuisines
- Offers the crisp, green, bright flavor of fresh parsley
- Non-GMO Project verified
Applications of Parsley Vitality
- Dilute 1 drop with 1 drop of olive oil and take as a dietary supplement to benefit from parsley’s antioxidant properties.
- Add to your favorite green smoothie to enjoy Parsley Vitality’s cleansing properties.
- Use as a seasoning to balance and brighten seafood, poultry, meat, and eggs, as well as rice, pasta, and vegetable dishes
Okay, so back to my garden for a minute because I’m no longer a starry eyed teenager. Now I need parsley in my life for culinary reasons.
One in particular.
We’ve dubbed them Death Biscuits.
THAT is a serious biscuit, right? I am not even joking. These things are so good that a friend of ours actually ate almost an entire batch and we really thought he was going to have a heart attack.
My recipe is based off this recipe from The Slow Roasted Italian.
Essentially all I do is use himilayan salt, salted butter, extra cheese, and of course…extra parsely.
Thank you for digging deeper into Parsley with me. I am very passionate about herbs, oils, and the education of their uses.
Please remember that essential oils are very concentrated products and should never be ingested unless specifically labeled for such use.
If you are not already a member of Witchy Gypsy Oils, I invite you to find out more information about the benefits of membership by clicking HERE.
This month only (August 2020) receive a free 5ml bottle of Parsley Vitality with any Essential Rewards Order of 190PV!!!
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Finally, the obligatory disclaimer.
I am not a doctor. None of the statements included in this post have been approved by the FDA or any other cool acronym known agency. It is Young Living’s official stance that they and these products are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any specific disease or illness. Young Living Independent Distributor #14632733
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