different, with a tea-like quality and floral and
sweet notes from a number of other terpenes
(linalool, geraniol, terpineol). Spanish sage, S.
lavandulaefolia, is fresher-smelling and less
distinctive, with pine, eucalyptus, citrus, and
other notes partly replacing thujone.
Pineapple sage, S. elegans (rutilans), comes
from Mexico and is said to have a sweet,
fruity aroma.
Sage is especially prominent in northern
Italian cooking, and in the U.S. flavors poultry
stuffings and seasonings and pork sausages; it
seems to have an affinity for fat. Most dried
sage used to be “Dalmatian” sage, from the
Balkan coast; today Albania and other
Mediterranean countries are the largest
producers. “Rubbed” sage is minimally
ground and coarsely sieved leaves; it loses its
aroma more slowly than finely ground sage.
Savory Savory comes in two types, which are
two species of the northern-hemisphere genus