Greek Mountain Herbs

Wild organic herbs from Crete collected from mountain tops and hill sides by shepherds and women including Stavia!

Take a look at the process here: Stavia collecting wild sage from the Cretan mountains

The herbs are air dried in the shade to preserve their flavour. Choose from basil, bay leaves, dittany,  mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender. Soil Association licence number 30695.

Traditional Greek mountain teas with island variations.  All the traditional herbs used in the blends are hand picked and air dried in the shade. Delicious at any time of day with a spoonful of Greek honey. We have also made some of our own variations !

The herbs used are renowned for their health benefits. To read more about these, please see our blogs on the subjects. 

Wild organic rosemary from Crete collected from mountain tops and hill sides by shepherds and women including Stavia! The rosemary stems are air dried in the shade to preserve flavour and health properties. This rosemary is richly aromatic and will infuse your kitchen with delicious mouth watering smells. Use on roast lamb or other meat dishes, and to embellish grilled fish.

Other wild and hand harvested herbs available include basil, bay leaves, dittany,  mint, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, and lavender. 

And if you are looking for ready made herb and spice mixes to flavour your favourite Greek dishes, head over to our herb mixes section.

Take a look at the process here: Stavia collecting wild sage from the Cretan mountain

Wild organic oregano collected from the mountains of Crete. The oregano leaves and flowers are air dried in the shade to preserve flavour and health properties. They are then crushed into fine flakes for use in cooking and on salads. The oregano is richly aromatic and will infuse your kitchen with delicious mouth watering smells.

Other wild and hand harvested herbs available include basil, bay leaves, dittany,  mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender. 

Take a look at the process here: Stavia collecting wild sage from the Cretan mountain

Wild organic thyme from Crete collected from mountain tops and hill sides by shepherds and women including Stavia! The thyme leaves and flowers are air dried in the shade to preserve flavour and health properties. The thyme is richly aromatic and will infuse your kitchen with delicious mouth watering smells.

Other wild and hand harvested herbs available include basil, bay leaves, dittany,  mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, and lavender. 

And if you are looking for ready made herb and spice mixes to flavour your favourite Greek dishes, head over to our herb mixes section.

Take a look at the process here: Stavia collecting wild sage from the Cretan mountain

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) - so called from Basilis - 'King' in Greek - does indeed have a very royal aroma and is a herb fit for Kings.

Cretan Basil is potent and delicious. Basil can be used in all kinds of savoury dishes and is of course a great herb for pesto. We use it fresh or dried to make pesto (see our reel 'Hey Pesto!' on Instagram).

Basil also has health benefits; it contains eugenol which blocks calcium channels and magnesium; it helps to  lower  blood pressure, prevent heart disease reduce levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. 

All our herbs are air dried in the shade to preserve their flavour. Check out our other Cretan herbs which include bay leaves, dittany,  mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender. Soil Association licence number 30695.

Daphne Apollonius, otherwise known as Bay Leaf, in ancient Greece was dedicated to the God Apollo. It has connotations of glory and supremacy.  Widely used in cooking, wonderfully particularly stews, sauces, lentils and sea food. It also makes a delicious infused oil with extra virgin olive oil.

Our wild Cretan sage is hand picked from the Cretan mountains during the late Spring and early Summer and then dried in the shade. Greece has more than 20 varieties of Sage. The two found in Crete are the  trilobed Sage ((Salvia fruticosa - used as a tea and in cooking) and the apple sage ((Salvia pomifera -  so called because it forms apple like swellings in parts of the stem in response to the stings from certain types of wasps!) - used both as a tea and in cooking but also as an insect repellant for stored foods.

Sage is closely intertwined with the ancient culture of Crete. Ancient Greek writers Dioscorides, Aetius, Hippocrates, and Galen all reported on its use in healing. Scientific research confirms that Sage does indeed have numerous important health benefits due to its antibacterial antioxidant, anti-diabetic properties. It may be beneficial in prevention and treatment of infllamation, obesity, diabetes, depression, neurodegenerative disease (dementia), heart disease and cancer; it is recognised as a natural treatment for menopausal symptoms . Traditionall in Greece - and in many other places in the world where it grows -  sage tea is used for  indigestion and inflammation of the mouth and throat, the relief of excessive sweating, and inflammation of the skin. Older Cretans will still be seen chewing on a leaf of sage for oral hygiene.  Burning dried sage leaves is traditionally used to purify the air. 

Sage tea: made by placing 2-3 leaves into a cup of boiled water, and adding honey to taste. Caffeine free!

Cooking with Sage: In Greek cuisine, sage is used to flavour chicken, and in marinades for pork and beef, and in sausages. A famous recipe is pork with sage and honey. 

As with any herbal medicinal agent, it is advisable to use sage in moderation as if taken in excess it can have stimulant effects (it contains Thujone).