The first recorded use of chives occurred in China in about 3000 B.C.1 Some say that Marco Polo brought the idea to use chives back with him from the East. (Marco Polo is credited with many of these types of idea migrations.) In any case there is no real evidence for their common use until about the 1500s when they found their way into both dishes and herb gardens2.

Like many of our words for herbs, "chive" comes to us from the Latin and via Old French. It originally comes from cepa (Latin) and cive (Old French). The first recorded use for the world in English was around 1400. The botanical name actually comes from the Greek meaning, "reed-like leek".

Chives are native to both Europe and Asia. It grows wild all across both regions, but there are slight variations in different locations. A variety found in the Alps is the one nearest to what is generally cultivated today. Medieval gardeners often planted chives around the borders for both decoration and to ward off harmful insects. It was thought that hanging bunches of chives around a house could also ward off evil.

Over a century ago chives were used by Gypsies in fortune telling. One can imagine holding a bunch like pixy-sticks and casting them onto a bare wooden table, an ancient woman in a babushka pushing her finger through the arrangement and coming up with some predictions based on the configuration. However, today we do not know the exact procedure used.

In the west, chives came to be used in creams and sauces, and especially associated with potatoes. In Asia, we frequently find chives in soups

 

Chives, when finely chopped and consumed with food, are said to aid digestion and stimulate appetite.

Consumption of chives has been found to be beneficial for the respiratory system of an individual.

It has been seen that chives can help the body in digesting fatty foods, such as cheese.

For those suffering from tiredness and fatigue, consuming chives can serve to be a good remedy.

Since chives have been known to have diuretic properties, they can reduce obesity and fluid retention.

Researches have revealed the result that chives help reduce the risk of prostate cancer, by as much as 50 percent.

Chives have been found to comprise of mild anti-inflammatory properties.

The oil of Chinese chives is believed to help heal bruises and kill germs in the intestines.

 

 

What Do I Use Chive Blossoms For?

Chives have a stunning purple blossom that offers a culinary treat that will become a fantastic treat for any food lover. Fill a one quart jar about 1/2 full of white vinegar. Start snipping and submerging the blossoms as they open. If you continue to snip and remove all the blossoms, this will force the plant to keep making flowers. Once the jar is full-with vinegar covering the blossoms, cover and let steep in a dark cupboard for at least 2 weeks. The blossoms will fade to white and the vinegar will become a shockingly pink color. The delicate taste of chive blossoms will arguably be one of the finest infused vinegars you will ever taste. Be sure to keep this treat in the dark as sunlight will fade the color rapidly. This makes a wonderful gift for your food loving friends.

How Do I Store Chives?

Chives are easy to grow and abundant. To store them for winter use, you must not dry them. The taste fades rapidly. The proper way to keep chives tasting fresh all year long is to freeze them. I have frozen them in long stems and snipped them into the foods as needed or you can snip them before freezing in a freezer proof bag.

Chives also grow very well on a windowsill. If you would like to try growing herbs inside and do not think you have enough light, try chives at first. They will grow almost anywhere as long as they don't get too dry.