This herb is a real treasure chest of vitamins - chives. Hard to believe, but if you wanted to match the vitamin C content of 100 grams of chives, you'd have to eat nearly two kilos of apples.
Their pungent, leeky taste makes chives a popular herb to spice up many dishes, from cheese spreads and herb butter to soups or omelettes. Many meals aren't the same without chives. They're a vital ingredient in Frankfurt Green Sauce in Germany, the Swedes traditionally enjoy their herring with sour cream and chives and the Chinese often season meat or noodles with the herb. A culinary celebrity of international renown. Chives are always used freshly diced and go particularly well with salads. How about a beetroot salad with mozzarella cheese and chives for instance?
Chives are valuable for our health, and not only because they deliver such a high dose of Vitamin C. Their essential oils sooth a long list of ailments. They act as expectorant, anti-bacterium and anti-inflammatory. Chives also animate the appetite and promote digestion. In the Middle Ages, they were even considered to be a fountain of youth, an amazing property which has sadly been disproved. However, the essential oils do have a positive effect on the vocal cords, providing a soft, gentle voice. So one can at least sound younger.
Wild chives prosper in damp meadows and at higher altitudes of up to 2.5 thousand meters. This bulbous herb will also thrive in the garden as it needs only sun, nutrient-rich soil and water. Chives are a miracle of nature. The tubular stalks will regrow again and again, no matter how many times you cut them. In winter, the plant retracts into the earth, only to greet us anew in the spring. Cultivation in a pot on a windowsill is child's play, so a continuous supply of this tasty ingredient should be guaranteed.
The pretty flowers are edible too, by the way. They frequently serve as a tasty garnish in salads. So it seems the ancient Chinese were right in calling chives the jewel of vegetables.
