An evergreen, strongly aromatic culinary and medicinal herb with needle-like leaves, often used in Mediterranean cuisine.
example
Ein Zweig Rosmarin verleiht den Ofenkartoffeln ein wunderbares Aroma.
A sprig of rosemary gives the roasted potatoes a wonderful aroma.
Usage tips
Typical use
As a seasoning, 'Rosmarin' (rosemary) is often used with verbs like 'würzen' (to season), 'hinzufügen' (to add), or 'mitkochen' (to cook along with something). Before using it, you can also 'hacken' (chop) it.
EXAMPLE
Die Tomatensauce wird zum Schluss mit frischem Rosmarin gewürzt.
The tomato sauce is seasoned with fresh rosemary at the end.
Typical combinations
'Rosmarin' (rosemary) goes especially well with certain foods. Common combinations are 'Rosmarin und Kartoffeln' (rosemary and potatoes), 'Lamm mit Rosmarin' (lamb with rosemary), or 'Rosmarin auf Focaccia' (rosemary on focaccia).
EXAMPLE
Lammfleisch schmeckt mit Knoblauch und Rosmarin besonders gut.
Lamb tastes especially good with garlic and rosemary.
Forms and quantities
People often speak of a 'Zweig Rosmarin' (sprig of rosemary) or 'Rosmarinnadeln' (rosemary needles). There is also a distinction between 'frischem Rosmarin' (fresh rosemary) and 'getrocknetem Rosmarin' (dried rosemary).
EXAMPLE
Für das Rezept benötigst du zwei Zweige frischen Rosmarin.
For the recipe, you need two sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Compare with
confusable
Rosmarin vs Lavendel
lavender
'der Lavendel' and 'der Rosmarin' are both strongly aromatic plants and are often found in gardens or in the Mediterranean region. That is why they can easily be confused, especially if you are only thinking of scent or herbs. 'Lavendel' usually has violet flowers and is often used for fragrance, oil, or calming purposes. 'Rosmarin' has needle-like leaves and is mainly a culinary herb. If it is about perfume, relaxation, or violet flowers, 'Lavendel' fits. If it is about food, meat, potatoes, or Mediterranean cuisine, 'Rosmarin' is more natural.
Rosmarin
Für die Kartoffeln hat der Koch frischen Rosmarin verwendet.
The cook used fresh rosemary for the potatoes.
Lavendel
Im Garten duftet der Lavendel besonders stark, wenn die Sonne scheint.
In the garden, the lavender smells especially strong when the sun is shining.