Herbs

Teas from across the globe are becoming more and more popular in the U.S. One relative newcomer, yerba mate, is attracting fans for its allegedly jitter-free caffeine boost and high antioxidant content. Lab research suggests some potential health benefits from drinking yerba mate, but studies of lifelong yerba mate drinkers in the tea's native South America suggest the brew increases the risk of some cancers -- a fact most marketing campaigns omit.

Raphael in Studio City specializes in American food with global influences and the cocktails created by mixologist Chris Parke follow suit, utilizing seasonal herbs, fruits and vegetables that pair nicely with items on the menu. Some of the herbs he uses are also grown on the restaurant's green wall garden, which was the inspiration for a savory drink called the Cilantro. Made with tequila, fresh cilantro, spicy jalapeño slices and lime, the Cilantro is a lot like Mexico in a glass.

Pungent steam rises from a boiling pot of a mugwort tea blended with wormwood and a variety of other herbs. Above it sits a nude woman on an open-seated stool, partaking in a centuries-old Korean remedy that is gaining a toehold in the West. Vaginal steam baths, called chai-yok, are said to reduce stress, fight infections, clear hemorrhoids, regulate menstrual cycles and aid infertility, among many other health benefits. In Korea, many women steam regularly after their monthly periods.

Herb-flecked kneidelach (matzo balls) Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes, plus chilling time Servings: This makes about 24 matzo balls. 3 eggs 1 tablespoon vegetable oil such as grapeseed or safflower oil 2/3 cup matzo meal (sometimes labeled matsah meal) (about 2½ ounces) 1/2 teaspoon salt, more as needed 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 3 cups plus 5 tablespoons strained chicken soup (or prepared chicken or vegetable broth or water)

In the beginning, Debra Jones was simply trying to do a favor for a friend, but today she is a leader in the cause of finding natural remedies for the childhood maladies known as attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a fertile and growing field. Her organization, Parents Against Ritalin, is a rallying point for opposition to the leading prescription treatment for ADD and ADHD, and interest is "like never before," she said.

For years, German doctors have prescribed an herb called St. John's wort to lift sagging spirits. Now millions of Americans have started using it to lift drooping bellies and backsides as well. St. John's wort has soared in popularity as a weight-loss supplement ever since two diet drugs were pulled from the market in September. Half of the nearly 250,000 dieters at Nutri / System weight loss centers use the herb, which shows its golden flowers at their brightest around June 24--St.

I have suffered from insomnia for many years. My doctor prescribed Ambien , but it doesn't seem to be working very well anymore. I also suspect that it affected my memory. Now the doctor is suggesting the antidepressant amitriptyline (Elavil) . The side effects I have read about make me nervous. Is there any herb or home remedy that might help me get some sleep? Amitriptyline is an old-fashioned (tricyclic) antidepressant. Some people experience a morning hangover effect that leaves them drowsy and disoriented.

At this time of year, like many cooks, I'm obsessed with fresh herbs. But you can keep your Genovese basil, French tarragon and Italian parsley; for me the magic is in the leafy aromatics of the Vietnamese table -- red perilla, garlic chives and rice paddy herb, to name just a few. I grow the herbs in my garden as well as purchase them by the bunch at farmers markets and Asian markets to ensure that I savor as much as I can during their peak hot-weather season.

Regarding "Life and Thyme" by Marion Cunningham (Oct. 8): Try sticking a container of water and herbs into a long plastic bag (open end up), then closing loosely with a rubber band and refrigerating. I have had herbs last up to two weeks using this method. It's important that the bag be wide enough that the leaves are not pushed up against the plastic (they'll get wet and rot). The plastic bags given to customers at farmers markets are perfect; they have handles that can be tied and are just long enough and wide enough to give the herbs sufficient room.

Jason Pitre grew up hearing stories of how his great-grandfather healed babies on the cusp of death using herbs and plants found along Louisiana's bayous. The tribal healer, or traiteur , was known by the native Houma people for his potions and salves that seemed to treat any sickness. Now, the traditional herbs are in danger, Pitre said, threatened by decades of coastal erosion, hurricanes and development that have crept up on Golden Meadow in Bayou Lafourche, where many members of the United Houma Nation once lived.

  Total time: 3½ hours Servings: 6 to 8 Note: It is best to make the soup a day or two ahead and to refrigerate it, so that skimming the fat is easier. The soup is served with herb-flecked kneidelach (matzo balls) and zehug (a chile-garlic relish); separate recipes for these are included with the story. 2 pounds chicken pieces, preferably legs and thighs 2 carrots (½ carrot cut in 2 chunks, the rest quartered lengthwise and sliced about ¼-inch thick)

Two years ago, Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson shared a happy moment with Koreatown's civic leaders, basking in their praise as they thanked him for putting their neighborhood — complete with new street signs — on the official city map. Now, that jubilant moment seems a distant memory. Koreatown neighborhood leaders, civic groups and activists are locked in a rare display of open political insurrection against Wesson, a seasoned politician who has spent the last six years representing much of their community.

Omelet Total time: About 15 minutes Servings: 1 2 to 3 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil 1/2 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon crème fraîche Kosher salt, to taste 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh herbs (optional) 1. Put the eggs in a blender and blend just until completely smooth. 2. Heat a high-quality 10-inch nonstick pan over low heat. Add the oil and butter. When the oil and butter have warmed, add the eggs.

Newly installed Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson engineered another shake-up at City Hall on Friday, stripping rival lawmakers Bernard C. Parks and Jan Perry of key committee chairmanships that had major influence over the city budget crisis and utility rates. The move is expected to widen the bitter divide between Wesson and the council's only other African American members, who are at odds with the council president over proposed new political district boundaries.

The Los Angeles City Council has a new president, Herb Wesson. But does a new president change anything? The council president is just one vote of 15 on that notoriously difficult to manage body. In that sense, he's not much different from his colleagues. He manages his district and votes along with his colleagues. But the president also has some additional power: He assigns members to committees and acts as the figurehead for the larger body. For years, John Ferraro used the position to establish himself as second only to the mayors with whom he served; more recently, Eric Garcetti has brought a lighter, more cerebral touch to the job and used it to launch his bid for mayor.

While Republican warfare shifts to South Carolina, Democrats elsewhere are flaunting unity. In the Wisconsin Senate race, which shaping up to be a major contest, Sen. Herb Kohl has formally endorsed the presumptive nominee, Rep. Tammy Baldwin, to take his place. The seven-term congresswoman “has served our state and our country with conviction, compassion and common sense, and she will be an excellent senator who will make Wisconsin proud," Kohl, who is retiring after decades in office, said in a statement.

Certain types of chemotherapy can be brutal, causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. However, an ancient Chinese remedy shows promise in animal studies for relieving some of those symptoms as well as enhancing the effects of chemotherapy in destroying cancer cells. Dr. Yung-Chi Cheng, a professor of pharmacology at Yale University, tested an herbal preparation called huang quin tang that has been used in Chinese medicine for more than 1,800 years to treat stomach and intestinal disorders.

At first glance, Susan and Herb Eckerling's kitchen doesn't look that bad, food-wise. A bowl of fresh fruit graces the tan tile counter, there's leftover steamed cauliflower in the refrigerator and some quick-cooking oats in the pantry. But scratch the surface and signs of poor choices and unnecessary deprivations emerge: Susan's diet is extremely short on whole grains, and neither eats much red meat - even though they like it - because they fear every cut is bad for their health.

Total time: 25 minutes, plus overnight soaking time for the mustard Servings: This makes about 1¾ cups mustard. 2 tablespoons (¾ ounce) brown mustard seeds About ¾ cup (2½ ounces) mustard powder 1 cups verjus or Champagne vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/3 cup honey 2 eggs 2 egg yolks 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh fines herbs (a mixture of parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil) 1. Soak the mustard seeds: Place the mustard seeds and powder in a medium glass or ceramic bowl along with the verjuice.