Rosemary tends to split into two different branches of tales and folklore. The first, is a tale of remembrance. While nowadays, students combat fatigue when studying for tests with
energy drinks and coffee, ancient Greek students tied bits of rosemary
in their hair. Caffeine may help the weary exam-crammer remain
conscious, rosemary was said to help the student actually remember what
was studied. Besides just aiding memory for exams, rosemary was also thrown into graves to symbolize that the dead would not be forgotten.
The second branch of legend comes from a tale about the virgin Mary. It is said that once she laid down to rest and her blue cloak was placed on a nearby branch with white flowers. While Mary slept, her cloak turned the flowers on the plant blue, and so rosemary forever afterward had blue flowers. This branch of legend celebrates rosemary as a lady's herb, one that would ensure love and faithfulness in a marriage. For this reason, rosemary was often seen at luxurious weddings, dipped in gold, as wedding favors. Even today, many brides wear rosemary in their hair on their wedding day.
On a side note, feminists, it is told that a woman with a flourishing rosemary plant also "wears the pants" in the marriage.
Rosemary was also seen as an cure for all sorts of ailments throughout time from colds and flu to coma and a prevention against the black plague.
Rosemary, in recent studies is shown to have anti-oxidant qualities, which makes it a healthy herb to consume. Research does warn against consumption by those with anemia, as it can block some iron absorption.
Rosemary was traditionally used in cooking to enhance the flavor of meats. Here is a recipe that
