By Sharon Cohoon, Sunset senior garden writer

The fern-like leaves of this annual herb taste like a combination of parsley and anise but are more delicate than either.  Rodale's Herbs calls it "the most retiring of the sister spices used in fines herbes." 

Chervil's subtle flavor makes this herb easy to use and difficult to over-use.  You can add to salads (mesclun, chicken, potato, shrimp), vinagrettes, omelets.  Mince and use as a garnish as you would parsley over cooked carrots, peas, corn, and new potatoes.  Or make an herb butter out of it to baste over fish or chicken.  You can experiment with a pretty free-hand, in other words.  Chervil won't overpower anything the way stronger herbs like rosemary can.

But, if you want this herb, you're going to have to grow it.  I've never seen it in the supermarket.  Or even at my local farmer's market, though the range of produce there gets broader all the time.  Apparently it doesn't transport well.

Chervil is a cool-season herb.  In mild winter climates, sow seeds now.  Seeds will germinate in about 10 days and you can start harvesting in six weeks or so.  One sowing will probably be all you need to keep yourself in chervil as long as you want it as this annual reseeds readily.  In colder climates, sow seeds in early spring.

Click here to order from Renee's Garden