Dainty are the herbs of springtime, those first tender tendrils that lend our cooking the unmistakable flavor and fragrance of freshness and green. Add these delicate spring herbs near the end of cooking for optimum color and flavor.

Chives offer a mild, herbal onion flavor that’s delicious with potatoes, asparagus, leeks, seafood, added to butter, and stirred into cream sauces.

Mint is lovely with lamb and other grilled meats, lends sophistication to fruit salad and is refreshing in whole-grain salads and cocktails.

Dill offers a flavor between anise, parsley and celery and pairs well with cheese, seafood, chicken soup, chilled salads and vegetable casseroles.

Marjoram is a sweeter, milder cousin of oregano that’s well-suited to starchy vegetables. It’s wonderful with fried potatoes, clam chowder, black beans, broccoli, tomatoes, chicken and duck.

Tarragon, with its aromatic, anise-like flavor, marries well with chicken, egg and mushroom dishes, and is a mainstay in classic French cuisine.

Culinary herb tips

To wash herbs, hold by stems and rinse vigorously under cool water until free of dirt. Spin dry in a salad spinner or blot dry with paper towels or a dish cloth. The drier the herbs, the better they’ll tolerate cutting and chopping.

Store herbs in the crisper section of the refrigerator, wrapped in a paper towel and tucked inside an airtight container.

Make your own herb-infused butter: Blend 1/2 cup unsalted, softened butter or margarine with one tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs of your choice. Roll butter into a log and freeze in waxed paper.

Karen Gaudette is a food writer for PCC Natural Markets. Make your own herbal vinaigrette, pesto, creamy vegetable dip and more with herb-friendly recipes from PCC Natural Markets: http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/r/159