It's all about herbs this week on We Dig Plants. Hosts Carmen DeVito and Alice Marcus-Krieg welcome writer, author, and all around herb-lover Ellen Spector Platt to talk about the uses and ease of use, even in small urban environments, of planting herbs. Her favorite herb right now? Lavender. She's even written a book about it! Learn all about this fragrant herb and others on this episode of We Dig Plants. This episode is sponsored by Fairway Market.

"It's a lot of bang for your buck with herbs."

"In Provence lavender is used in a lot of savory things like stews and chicken."

--Ellen Spector Platt on We Dig Plants

What differentiates an herb from a weed? And what historical significance do herbs hold? Today's episode of A Taste of the Past is a culinary history of herbs. Linda Pelaccio is joined by Gary Allen, herbalist and author of the recent book, Herbs: A Global History. Tune in to hear the difference between herbs and spices. Learn about extinct herbal plants and their ancient uses. Hear about the exchange of regional herbs, and how it has changed the culinary landscape and the food we eat today. Culturally, herbs are symbols for for memory, love, and fidelity. How did these associations come to be? Find out this, and so much more on this week's A Taste of the Past. This episode has been sponsored by Whole Foods.

"Technically herbal teas are not teas- they are infusions. True tea is only the tea plant: camellia sinensis."

"All foods are fusion foods, because every time anyone runs into anyone from anywhere they adapt their dishes to new ingredients and new circumstances."

"Rosemary is often associated with memory because its scent lingers for so long."

-- Gary Allen on A Taste of the Past

On today’s THE FOOD SEEN, Nissa Pierson, the herb aficionado behind Ger-Nis Culinary & Herb Center, a multi-faceted space which serves as an importer and educational hub for fresh herbs and ideas, advocating for organic and fair trade communities from all around the world, and committed to supporting local chefs, farmers & artisans in our own backyards. This episode was sponsored by White Oak Pastures.

"I believe that people, with the more true information they have, can make better choices."

--Nissa Pierson on The Food Seen