Salvia officinalis

sage

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Salvia officinalis L. (Lamiaceae); salie (Afrikaans); sauge (French); Echter Salbei, Gartensalbei (German); faskomilo (Greek); salvia (Italian); salvia officinal (Spanish)

DESCRIPTION Sage leaves are typically silver-grey in colour, markedly rugose above and strongly net-veined below, with a bitter taste and a warm, balsamic and spicy aroma. Dried leaf is sold as whole leaf, ground, rubbed (crumbled) or sliced.

THE PLANT A perennial shrublet of up to 0.6 m (2 ft) high with attractive purplish blue flowers. Various colourful leaf forms are shown here, including tricolour sage (‘Tricolor’), purple sage (‘Purpurascens’) and variegated sage (‘Icterina’).

ORIGIN Sage is indigenous to southern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean region.1 It has an ongoing reputation as a medicinal plant (salvia means to save or heal) that featured in all of the classical Greek, Roman and early European herbals.1,2

CULTIVATION The easiest method of propagation is by layering (or by simply removing rooted side shoots). Seeds or cuttings are also an option. Sage dislikes acid soil but can withstand cold temperatures and short periods of drought. Plants can become untidy and need regular pruning or replacement. Commercial cultivation has spread to many parts of the world but the Dalmatian Islands have the reputation of producing the best quality sage and sage oil.2

HARVESTING Sage is picked by hand or mechanically, depending on the scale of the operation. Up to three cuts can be made per season but only in the pre-flowering phase.

CULINARY USES Sage is traditionally used to flavour roast meats, game, liver, poultry, stuffings, fish, marinades, omelettes, vegetables, salads, sauces, soups and some cheeses.3 In Britain and the United States, it is an essential ingredient (with onions) of the stuffing for a roast chicken or turkey (and of roast pork, Derby cheese and Lincolnshire sausages). Italians use it frequently in fatty meat dishes (e.g. osso buco, piccata and saltimbocca alla romana), as well as Tuscan haricot beans (fagioli).3 It is used in German ham and sausages, Greek and Middle Eastern roast mutton and some French sauces, white meats and vegetable soups.3 Sage oil has many applications in the food industry.2,4

FLAVOUR COMPOUNDS The typical aromatic compounds of Dalmation sage and sage oil are α-thujone, β-thujone, camphor, 1,8-cineole, β-caryophyllene and limonene.2,4 There are strong regional differences in the chemistry and flavour of sage.2,5

NOTES Greek sage (S. fruticosa) is closely related to common sage but can be distinguished by the lobed leaf bases. It is an adulterant of dried sage and has similar culinary uses. Clary sage (S. sclarea) is often seen in herb gardens but is rarely used in the kitchen, its main value being an essential oil that is used to flavour vermouths and liqueurs (apart from uses in perfumery). The colourful pineapple sage (S. elegans) with its attractive red flowers has similar culinary limitations despite its delicious fruity and floral odour. Its main use seems to be in garnishing and flavouring cold drinks and cocktails.

1. Mabberley, D.J. 2008. Mabberley’s plant-book (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

2. Farrel, K.T. 1999. Spices, condiments and seasonings. Aspen Publishers, Gaithersburg, USA.

3. Larousse. 1999. The concise Larousse gastronomique. Hamlyn, London.

4. Harborne, J.B., Baxter, H. 2001. Chemical dictionary of economic plants. Wiley, New York.

5. Perry, N.B., Anderson, R.E., Brennan, N.J., Douglas, M.H., Heaney, A.J., McGimpsey, J.A., Smallfield, B.M. 1999. Essential oils from Dalmatian sage (Salvia officinalis L.): variations among individuals, plant parts, seasons, and sites. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 47: 2048−2054.