Greek Oregano is an herb with an assertive flavor. It’s at once woodsy and earthy and a bit medicinal, with a late bite of bitter pepper that builds as you eat it. The camphorous top note in its flavor is also the driving factor behind its aroma; the astringency elevates the fragrance and carries forward until the notes of pine and a hint of lemon kick in. Greek Oregano is rich in the volatile oils that make up its complex taste and smell. Ours delivers a minimum of 2.5% volatile oil by weight, though Greek Oregano can go upwards to 3.5% oil by weight.
Greek Oregano has been used around the world for thousands of years as a food, a medicine, and as a component in 16th-century love spells. It only gained popularity in the United States at the end of World War II. American soldiers returned from overseas with expanded palates, thanks in no small part to Hector Boiardi, an Italian-American immigrant who was contracted as a food supplier to American troops. Boiardi sent his tinned spaghetti to thousands of soldiers, who wanted more food with “pizza herb” when they came back home. Oregano sales jumped 5,200% between 1948 and 1956, and Hector Boiardi Americanized his name to Chef Boyardee, launching his processed food empire that’s still going strong today.