16. WATERCRESS and PARSLEY are two herbs, or greens, that are used
considerably for garnishing and flavoring other dishes. These greens are
shown in Fig. 5, that at the left being watercress and that at the
right parsley.
17. Watercress, which is commonly known as _peppercress_, usually grows
wild in beds along the banks of springs or clear, cool streams. A few
varieties, however, are cultivated, and these are grown in dry soil and
known as _upland cress_. It is a very prolific herb, and may be obtained
from early spring until late in the fall; in fact, it does not freeze
easily and is sometimes found in early winter along the swiftly flowing
streams that are not frozen over. Watercress may be used whenever it can
be procured, but it is not very desirable when in blossom. Its chief use
is to garnish salads and other dishes, but it may also be cooked and
served hot as a green. In such an event, its cooking is accomplished in
the same way as that of other greens.
[Illustration: FIG. 5]
18. Parsley, while classified as a green vegetable, is perhaps not in
the true sense of the word a real vegetable, since it is used for only
two purposes, and in neither of these is it served cooked or raw as an
exclusive article of diet. The most important use of parsley is perhaps
that of flavoring. It is added to soups, sauces, and various kinds of
cooked vegetables in order to impart additional flavor. In such cases,
it should be chopped very fine in order that all possible flavor may be
extracted from it. Parsley may also be dried before it is used for this
purpose, provided it must be kept for any length of time. The other use
of parsley is that of garnishing. It is often used in small sprays to
garnish a roast of meat, a steak, chops, fish, or some baked, fried, or
sauted vegetable. Sometimes it is chopped very fine and placed around
the edge of a patty shell, a croustade, a timbale case, or a piece of
toast upon which food is served. Parsley may be eaten when it is served
as a garnish if its flavor is found to be agreeable to the taste.