herb

We ordered what I consider to be the perfect lunch: mussels poached in white wine and herbs, slices of crusty country loaf griddled in olive oil, and a plate of frites with aioli.

I’m guided down a wood-flanked hallway, an array of around 80 spices and herbs displayed in large jars at its end.

The two women move around the room, burning herbs and shaking shamanic rattles while singing and chanting in a purification ritual known as "smudging".

The service also provides "cooking parcels", which include herbs and spices, as well as a toiletries hamper too.

Unlike me, with my sad little balcony lined with wilted pots of herbs, he had proper outdoor space — and a neighbor whose blackberry bush slouched lazily over the fence, heavy with fruit.