Sage

Common sage is an aromatic herb with grey-green velvety leaves and a distinctive, slightly bitter, and pungent aroma. In the kitchen, it is especially popular in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, where it is added to pasta sauces, stuffings, meat dishes, soups, and gnocchi pan-fried in butter with sage. It pairs particularly well with pork, veal, poultry, and game. The leaves can be used fresh or dried, with dried sage having a more intense flavor. In addition to its culinary uses, sage is traditionally valued for its medicinal properties, particularly its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects.