Herbs

Herbs holds kitchen herbs, flowers and a few wild greens. The group runs from Basil, Garlic and Rosemary to Chamomile, Lavender, Roses, Nettles and Thistles. Herbs carry little food value on their own. Their real use is as seasoning in cooked dishes and as flavour in a Hot Drink. Dried herbs keep indefinitely, while fresh ones wilt within days. The best occupations for herbs are the Fishing Guide and the Park Ranger. Each starts with the same Foraging skill.

All Food and Drinks Categories

Best Herbs

The top pick for each role, by the game's own figures.

For	Name	Image	Stats	Spawn ID
Most calories	Nettles		50 calories	/additem Base.Nettles
Most filling	Basil (Dried)		-20 hunger	/additem Base.Seasoning_Basil
Longest fresh	Rosemary		14 days fresh	/additem Base.Rosemary

Seasoning

Most herbs count as spices. They go into evolved recipes as seasoning. Seasoning lowers the dish's boredom and unhappiness. Each spice goes into a dish once.

Each herb suits its own dishes. Basil fits a Stir Fry, a Pizza, an Omelette, Pasta, Rice, a Sandwich, a Salad, Soup, Stew, Bread, a Burger and a Hot Dog. Garlic fits nearly every savoury dish, from Pizza to a Burrito. Rosemary, Sage and Thyme suit an Omelette, a Stir Fry, Soup, Stew, Bread, Toast, a Burger, a Sandwich and Pasta. Cilantro suits a Taco and a Burrito. Cinnamon suits sweet food such as a Cake, Pancakes, Oatmeal and a sweet Pie.

Flowers season a Salad. Roses, Lavender, Chamomile and Marigold all fit a Salad. Nettles and Thistles fit a Salad or Soup.

Hot Drinks and Remedies

Many herbs flavour a Hot Drink. Chamomile, Mint, Lavender, Roses, Marigold and Lemongrass each go into a cup. So do Cinnamon, Nettles, Thistles and the Four Leaf Clover. A Hot Drink takes up to 3 ingredients.

Lemongrass also works as a remedy. Its tooltip says "Eat to treat minor food poisoning." It fits Soup, Stew, a Stir Fry and Rice as well.

Some herbs carry real food value. Nettles hold 50 calories, and Thistles hold 45. Garlic holds 14 calories and cooks in 30 minutes. Most of the rest hold 1 calorie or less.

Freshness and Drying

Fresh herbs wilt fast. Most stay fresh for 6 days and rot after 10. Rosemary and Garlic stay fresh for 14 days and rot after 28. Green Onions stay fresh for 7 days and rot after 14.

Drying keeps herbs indefinitely. The Small Plant Drying Rack dries them. Dry Basil turns Basil into Basil (Dried), and each kitchen herb has its own drying recipe. Dry Roses gives Rose Petals (Dried), and Dry Lavender gives Lavender Petals (Dried). Dried herbs season food just like fresh ones.

The rack is simple to build. The Small Plant Drying Rack recipe needs 4 Long Stick, 4 Twine and 2 Nails, with a hammer, a saw and a drill. It needs Carpentry 1.

Growing and Foraging

Most herbs grow from seeds. Basil Seeds, Chives Seeds, Cilantro Seeds, Oregano Seeds, Parsley Seeds and Rosemary Seeds all come from seed packets. Sage Seeds, Thyme Seeds, Mint Seeds, Garlic Seeds and Lavender Seeds do too. Open Seed Packet gives 5 seeds. Herbs then grow in furrows like any crop.

Foraging finds wild herbs. Search Mode turns up Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Chamomile, Lavender and Mint. Each find gives 1 to 3 herbs. Wild herbs grow on natural ground outside. They turn up from March to November, most of all from August to October. Rain helps the search.

Wild plants join the haul. Roses, Nettles, Thistles and Marigold also grow wild from March to November.

Locations

Fresh herbs are rare in town. Restaurant kitchen fridges hold Basil, Thyme, Rosemary and Lemongrass. Fridges in rich homes hold Basil, Thyme and Rosemary. Garlic sits in Western-style and Italian restaurant fridges.

Cinnamon is easier to find. The Gigamart baking aisle stocks it. Bakeries, crepe kitchens and Mexican restaurant kitchens hold it as well.

Notes

• Grow and dry a few herbs early, since dried herbs keep indefinitely.
• Lemongrass treats minor food poisoning, so keep some on hand.

All Herbs