What is the Chives
Chives is a plant of the genus Allium, family Liliaceae, just like onion, garlic and leek ; its binomial nomenclature corresponds to Allium schoenoprasum, while the most common synonyms are Hungarian garlic or thin leek .
Botany Description
The chives appear as a herbaceous plant that grows in dense green bouquets that originate from small underground cloves. The leaves are hollow and vaguely resemble rushes, and reach (depending on the variety) even 50cm in height; in winter the leaves fall but the plant does NOT die and preserves the hidden gems under the earth, whose germination will take place in spring. Chives bloom in the summer period with small lilac inflorescences composed of 10-30 small lilies that produce capsule fruits with a triangular shape containing 2-3 seeds.
The chives grow up to about 1000m above sea level (depending on the variety); it prefers medium-fertilized and calcareous soils, it loves penumbra but, if properly watered, it also grows well in the sun.
Use in the kitchen
The chives are rich in sulfur compounds and are used (only RAW) for the typical smell of onion which, however, does not have an equally heavy impact on the breath. In the kitchen, chives are frequently used as a decoration or to flavor cheese creams, pasta fillings, salads, soups, sauces and egg-based preparations.
Herbalists
In herbal medicine, chives are classified as a plant with at least various therapeutic characteristics; the most common are: diuretic, vermifuge for intestinal worms, antiseptic for some microorganisms, antiscorbutic (due to the presence of vitamin C), cardiotonic (supports and stimulates heart rate) and hypoglycemic (reduces blood sugar).
