Dill

It’s kind of a big Dill

Everything You Need to Know About Dill:

For some, dill is just the word that comes before pickle. Ideally, it is an herb you know well, can use readily, and serves as one of the many culinary weapons to add flavor to your life and wellness to your body.

What is Dill?

Dill (Anethum graveolens) is an herbaceous plant from the family Apiaceae.  Its Latin genus Anethum comes from the Greek, where it originally referred to both anise and dill.  This makes sense if you’ve seen the two plants growing alongside one another or noted the overlap in their flavor profiles.  

Dill is an annual whose seeds and leaves are used as a seasoning and medicinally.  It generally refers to the leaf and is distinguished from dill seed, whose flavor profile is more potent and concentrated.

The word dill also has roots in the Norse word dylla, meaning to lull or soothe, referring to the ability of this herb to pacify strong flavors, mellow acids, and round out complex dishes.  It may also partially explain the dullness implicit in Beavis and Butthead’s prolific use of dillweed as a euphemism for stupidity.

Benefits and Nutritional Value:

Dill has long been a cherished ingredient in traditional medicine and receives endorsements from contemporary western medical practices.  Dill is packed with flavonoids, which have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. But that’s not the only reason dill is thought to improve heart health. Research shows that dill can also reduce LDL cholesterol levels. 

Furthermore, it is a good source of vitamins A and C, magnesium, calcium, and iron. Additionally, some studies suggest that dill is beneficial for reducing inflammation, countering stomach upset, preventing ulcers, reducing free radicals, and providing pain relief.

Common Uses

Dill Herb Butter

Long prized across the globe as a culinary spice, dill is a great unifier because it's so versatile.  It’s just as well suited to add a bit of flair to a loaf of bread as to increase the savory appeal of a delicately braised fish filet.  Whether you’re a carnivore or strictly plant-based, dill can add something special to the mix. With its potent, yet somehow subtle flavor, it lends itself well to dressings, meat and vegetable dishes, soups, and stews. 

With all of its known benefits and uses, not to mention its deliciousness, we acknowledge that Dill is kind of a big deal. Like all herbs, dill’s flavor and potency diminish with age.  So, to optimize your enjoyment and health benefits, local access to fresh organic dill is essential. 

This Week’s Harvest

This Week’s Harvest is a one-time purchase to taste the season's goodness. It includes vibrant greens, fragrant herbs, crisp microgreens, and hearty root vegetables, all freshly harvested and delivered to your front door. 

Taste This Week’s Harvest for yourself, and then let us know your thoughts. Or, come by for a tour. We are always eager to meet the families we feed and to show off exactly where our food came from.

And we can do so all season long. 

Area 2 Farms offers different harvest subscription options to meet your family’s needs. Check out the 4-Week and the 10-Week Farm Subscriptions to choose what works best for you.