Sage

There is something a bit mysterious about sage. It has an old world feel to it. It’s a wild shrub where we live in France and possesses a heady aroma and a strong flavour.

Many indigenous communities burn dried bundles of sage as part of their ceremonial practices. More commonly known as smudging, the act of spreading the smoke through a space is believed to dispel negative energy and promote healing. The bundles — smudging sticks — are usually white sage, which is a different plant from the garden variety, though dried common sage can be used. In some beliefs the smoke forms a barrier that keeps negative spirits out of the room in which the ceremony is performed.

What is sage? Salvia officinalis is a perennial native to the Mediterranean, recognisable by its soft, light grey-green leaves. A member of the mint family, it has a pronounced herbal flavour — earthy and savoury, slightly peppery, with a hint of pine and a slight bitter edge on the finish. It works well in heavier dishes with strong flavours and rich ingredients that can hold their own against something that bold.

Sage has been carrying a reputation for a very long time. The Romans used it for everything from an unsettled stomach to bleeding wounds. Charlemagne thought enough of it to order it grown in quantity for trade and medicine, and the Chinese imported it from Europe for their own remedies. The Latin salvia comes from the word for safe or whole, and there is a medieval proverb that runs: why should a man die whilst sage grows in his garden? That old reputation is still being tested. Sage is studied today for its effects on memory and concentration, on blood sugar and on menopausal symptoms — a fair spread for one shrub, and a reminder that the old herbalists knew their stuff.

In the garden, is it an annual or a perennial? It’s both, how versatile, depending on where you live. In colder climates it tends to be a perennial and in warmer ones an annual. Where we live it’s definitely a perennial — the wild bushes grow everywhere. Sage is a great pollinator and a hardy plant that in my experience doesn’t attract pests; perhaps that pungent smell actually keeps them off.

Sage makes me think of lobster — both are fabulous ingredients. You won’t eat them every day, but when you do, you’re in for a great meal.

Fresh vs dried? There is a place for both in your kitchen.

**updated August 2026