Dill in French is pronounced Aneth. It’s a hardy and fragrant annual plant that in your garden will grow to around 60cm tall. It has very fine blue-green leaves with deep yellow flowers. Both the leaves and seeds are used in cooking throughout the world. It’s related to celery and tends to replant itself and spread widely which you should take note of if planting and growing your own.

Dill is an annual herb from the celery family Apiaceae and isn’t native to European countries despite its use in many. It’s native to North Africa, Chad, and Iran, but is widely grown throughout Eurasia. It was introduced to Europe by the Romans who thought that dill symbolized joy and brought it with them everywhere to make them happy of course. In the Middle Ages, it was thought that dill had magical properties to protect houses and so would be hung around the house.

The word dill is found in most Germanic languages but its origin is really unknown. In Latin the word for dill is Anethum which is where the French word Aneth comes from. But this Latin word is also the word for anise. In Scandinavia, where the words, dill, dild, dila, are all words that indicate calm are often associated with being the founding words for dill. Especially when you consider doctors and homeopaths prescribe dill to calm an upset stomach.

Dill contains magnesium, potassium, and iron. Medicinal uses of dill include being used as an infusion to ease vomiting and since ancient times Dill was taken for indigestion and also as a sedative. Astronauts have used dill for its antiflatulent properties which is apparently a must when in confined spaces that have a closed air supply.

Dill was found in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep II. It was dated to be from around 1400 BC. It has also been found in Ancient Greek cities and in the writings of Greek scholars. In fact in Greek mythology, dill was originally a young man named Anethum who was transformed into a plant. The Greeks also used dill as a sleeping aid and would cover their eyes with the plant to help them get a good night’s sleep.

In Germany and Belgium, it was believed that dill provided protection and good fortune to marriages so brides would attach a sprig of dill to their wedding gowns or add it to their bouquets in hopes that their marriages would be blessed. Also if a wife wanted to be in charge of the marriage she would secretly bring mustard and dill seeds to the wedding and repeat the words “I have you, mustard and dill, husband, when I speak, you stay still.

If you want to grow your own dill it’s easy but like mint it’s recommended that you grow dill in a pot. Sow seeds around 30cm apart in good soil and in a sunny place in the garden. In order to get dill throughout the season it’s recommended that you sow the seeds several times throughout spring and then you will have a continuous harvest.

Often in the garden dill is used as a companion plant as it attracts many beneficial insects when the flower heads go to seed. It’s especially good as a companion plant to cucumbers, broccoli, and tomatoes. In fact, dill not only repels pests but also attracts pollinators. But be warned when it comes to tomatoes you will have to prune the dill regularly so that it doesn’t flower because as dill matures and flowers it will slow the growth of the tomatoes.

You may have seen dill oil before. This is extracted from the leaves, stems, and seeds of the plant. This oil is distilled and used often in the manufacturing of soaps.

Dill tastes grassy and has an anise or licorice flavor to it. When the weather gets hotter the plants start to flower, they call this bolting. Bolting though changes the flavour and makes them less aromatic and more bitter in flavour.

In culinary uses, both fresh and dried dill leaves are used in many cultures as well as the seeds from the plant, especially in Europe and Central Asia. Possibly two of the most famous or well-known uses of fresh dill would be the American dill pickles and of course the very well-known Scandinavian gravlax or cured salmon.

Dill is best used when it’s fresh as it tends to lose its flavour rapidly when dried. Freeze dried dill leaves though tend to retain their flavour relatively well and can be kept for at least a couple of months. Like chervil, dill is delicate and works particularly well with eggs, in salads, and as a garnish to seafood.

Throughout Scandinavian countries, the Baltic States, Ukraine, and Russia dill is a staple herb for cooking along with chives and parsley.

In French cooking, dill was really in the past thought of as a Scandinavian herb and only used in Northern countries with fish. Now though the French have adopted dill in their cooking and often use it in dishes as a subtle replacement for fennel. One of the best ways I think the French use dill is in sauces like the sauce tartare which you can find my recipe for in the next post.

If you are looking for other uses of dill in your cooking then use it as a garnish on soups or some roasted vegetables, roughly chop some cucumber and toss in some sesame oil, soy sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds and add a handful of chopped dill, delicious salad to enjoy. But don’t stop there, add to your next potato salad.

Top tip for entertaining and time saving, get some good quality store-bought tzatziki and add some fresh chopped dill and this will elevate it.

Because it doesn’t keep that well it’s a great idea to freeze fresh dill so I chop up leftover dill and place it in ice cube trays then I add water and freeze. When I want to use the dill I defrost the ice cubes or just add them to stocks or sauces but be careful that it doesn’t thin out or make the sauce watery.

In Australia, the term "dill" is commonly used to refer to someone who is considered foolish or unintelligent. It is a colloquial slang term that has its roots in British English, specifically in the Cockney rhyming slang. Cockney rhyming slang is a form of language where words or phrases are replaced with rhyming words or phrases, often with the rhyming portion being dropped in everyday usage.

The word "dill" is derived from the phrase "dill pickle," which rhymes with "pickle" which, in turn, rhymes with "fickle." In Cockney rhyming slang, the phrase "dill pickle" was used as a substitute for the word "pickle," which was then used to mean "trouble" or "difficulty." Over time, the term "pickle" was shortened to "dill," and it eventually evolved to refer to someone who is seen as foolish or lacking in common sense.

While the exact origins of Cockney rhyming slang are unclear, it emerged in the East End of London in the 19th century. British convicts and street traders used it as a way to communicate covertly and confuse outsiders. The slang eventually spread beyond London and made its way to Australia, where it became part of the unique Australian lexicon. Today, "dill" is a commonly used term in Australian English to describe someone who is perceived as silly or foolish.