In today’s news we talk about a plant, a beautiful, fragrant and virtuous aromatic herb that grows wild and is also cultivated in Liguria: the Santoreggia.
Also known as “Pepper Herb,” it is widely used in cooking and has health benefits.
Discover it with us!

Dear friends of Pesto Fresco, today we are talking about an aromatic that we really like: Santoreggia.
Santoreggia is a herb native to the Mediterranean that is also cultivated in Liguria and is a good natural remedy for various ailments, as well as lending itself to various uses in the kitchen.
In the past it was attributed powerful aphrodisiac effects.

Santoreggia: the etymology of the name

The etymology of the name of Santoreggia is uncertain. It may derive from the Greek σάτυρος, Satyr, the mythical creature of the woods, half man and half goat. In fact, “Satyrs’ herb” was believed to be highly aphrodisiac. However, there are other currents of thought. One of these has it derived from “séro, sátum” I sow, sown or from the Arabic “s’átar” the name of many plants.
For still others, the name would derive from the Latin saturejum, meaning “sauce,” “mixture,” or from the verb, also Latin, saturare, “to satiate.” In fact, the plant in English carries the name savoury, meaning tasty.

Santoreggia: the characteristics

Santoreggia belongs to the Limbiaceae family and appears to be related to sage, thyme and lavender, all of which are aromatic plants also cultivated in our region of Liguria, especially in the Albenga (Savona) area.
It has a slender stem with small pointed leaves and can reach a height of 40 cm.
The small flowers are light-colored, white or pink tending to lilac. They are very fragrant and, fortunately for us, seem to be unpalatable to mosquitoes.

Summer savory: an aid to our health

Consider that in ancient times, because of its reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac, its cultivation and harvesting was forbidden to monks.
Today, the recognized virtues of santoreggia are others. Find out about them below!

• Keeps insects away: santoreggia has an aroma that is pleasant to humans, but is annoying to insects and, for this reason, can be a good remedy against mosquitoes by placing a jar of it on the windowsill or balcony or growing it in the garden.
  It also provides relief against mosquito, bee or wasp bites themselves by rubbing some on the affected spot.
• Mothproof: to protect your clothes, put a small bag of dried Santoreggia in your closet!
• Antibacterial and antiviral: useful for fighting seasonal ills, such as colds and flu-like conditions.
• Anti-inflammatory: helps reduce major infections of the intestines, kidneys and lungs.
• Antioxidant: combats the action of free radicals, representing an important form of prevention against heart problems and cancer diseases.
• It lowers cholesterol and is excellent as a cardiotonic.

Summer savory: use in cooking

The beautiful and fragrant Santoreggia is as useful for health as it is for flavoring our dishes in the kitchen.
It is used both fresh and dried and goes well with salads, cheeses, meats and is used in the preparation of sauces and gravies.

How do you guys use it? Do you have any special recipes? Tell us about it in the comments!

Credits: pictured, Santoreggia Sunny heRBs, grown in Albenga, Savona, Italy, and distributed throughout Europe by the Albenga-based RB Plant Consortium.