Mexican oregano

New! We give you the opportunity to get acquainted with this original Mexican oregano grown in Mexico, without buds, because people in Mexico don't really like those. This 'oregano' is not related to our European oregano.

Mexican oregano is, among other things, an ingredient in our chipotle adobo.

New harvest!

The leaves grow on Lippia graveolens, a perennial shrub that can reach a height of 3.5 meters. This plant flowers in rainy areas but is drought-tolerant.

The plant is native to the Sonora and Chahuahua deserts, which extending from Arizona to Texas, and is one of only two native herbs still used in the United States (the other is California laurel). Due to the dry conditions and the salty air, the oregano picked there is the most flavorful and pungent oregano in the world.

Mexican oregano has been included in the American under the name 'desert oregano'. Ark of taste. The Seri or Comca'ac Indians harvest the herb that grows wild in the desert. They carefully strip the leaves from the plant so that it can continue to grow. The intention is to preserve the growth of Lippia graveolens in its original habitat. Our Mexican oregano is grown.

The leaves contain essential oil of approximately the same composition as oregano, hence the name. The leaves are elongated, with a blunt end, and slightly hairy. Mexican oregano is more fragrant but less sweet than the leaves of European oregano, and has citrus and licorice notes with a hint of mint. The citrus flavor is easy to explain; the plant is related to lemon verbena.

Mexican oregano is not the only herb in the Lippia genus; take koseret, Lippia abbysinicus, also known as Ethiopian basil, indispensable in Ethiopian cuisine, (yet) not available in our store.

Scent and taste

The main flavor components of Mexican oregano are:

• β-phellandrene: mint, turpentine,
• carvacrol, camphor and thyme,
• 1,8-cineole, eucalyptol, the refreshing taste of myrtle (and eucalyptus oil),
• p-cymene: fresh, spicy, woody, citrus, as in cumin, oregano and coriander,
• β-caryophyllene, a flavor between clove and turpentine.
• thymol, the determinant of thyme's scent.
• α-humulene, woody, as in hops (humulus lupulus),
• β-caryophyllene, sweet, spicy and woody
• β-bisaboline, citrus, fruity and woody

The taste and aroma of European oregano are determined by carvacrol (spicy and bitter), thymol (thyme), myrcene, and sabinene. The latter are responsible for the respective pepperRich and sweet notes.

Usage

Joint Add this dried oregano only at the last moment. The best time to add dried herbs is at most ten minutes before the end of cooking. That is sufficient for the leaves to reabsorb moisture and transfer the flavor to the dish.

Did you know that the flavor of these dried herbs comes out best when you let the herbs absorb moisture in oil for a while, so that they can transfer their flavor to the oil? Then cook with this aromatic oil.

Features:

• 100% dried leaf of the Lippia graveolens
• origin: Mexico

Assortment

• available in glass (30 grams) and stand-up pouch (various weight classes)
• larger quantities than shown on request

Save

• batch number MA650467
• best before December 2028 (12-2028)