| Oregano |
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Oregano seems like a straightforward enough herb. Anyone who has tasted a tomato-sauce-topped pizza can recall its flavour, which is hearty and assertive with a peppery bite and a zing. Yet once you take a closer look at oregano, things get a little confusing.
Many plants are loosely classified as oregano. Their flavour depends largely on where they're cultivated; in general the hotter the sun, the stronger the flavour. To add to the confusion, some reference books call oregano "wild marjoram," and many recipes suggest that the two herbs, both members of the mint family, are interchangeable. In fact, there are so many varieties of oregano that rather than thinking of oregano as a specific plant, one ought to think of it as a particular flavour.
Fortunately (or not, depending on how you look at it), when you buy fresh oregano, you're rarely given a choice of variety. For much of the year, most stores sell Greek oregano, which is what the largest herb suppliers offer. But depending on the season and the availability of Greek oregano, you might instead find Mexican oregano, or some other variety. Though the flavours of these oreganos may be a little more or less intense (Mexican is usually stronger) they can be used interchangeably, so there's no need to bring your botany book along to the grocery store. |
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