Every year, come spring, I get uncharacteristically excited about gardening and — filled with optimism and good intentions — I buy all the herbs the local garden center carries, ranging from basil to cilantro and from oregano to thyme.

Thanks to my tender loving care, they usually don’t last long. By June, my porch looks like a herb cemetery, a sad reminder that, alas, my thumb is definitely not of the green kind. About a month ago, I decided that it was time for a change. Before my herbs had a chance to wilt and waste away, I decided to put them to good use. Armed with a large bottle of good extra virgin olive oil, a few small glass bottles and a funnel, I mixed and matched my herbs with a few peppercorns, a little fresh garlic and some seeds. I was thrilled with the result.

Four different flavors — savory, spicy, peppery and sweet — make these four homemade oils a nice addition to other, more traditional condiments. They are quick and easy to make and they are a fun and thoughtful gift for the cook or the foodie in your life. Just keep I mind that the herbs need to steep for about a couple of weeks for the oil to acquire a distinct, pleasant flavor, so plan ahead.

SAVORY OIL

This is a twist on the Tuscan classic and it’s great rubbed on beef, pork and lamb before they go on the grill. As the meat cooks brush it with more of this robust oil for a hearty, intense flavor.

6 ounces good quality extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

2 dried bay leaves

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon or ½ teaspoon dried tarragon

10 black peppercorns

* Peel garlic and insert into an 8-ounce glass bottle. Add peppercorns, bay leaves and tarragon. Slowly fill bottle with olive oil, close and let steep for at least two weeks in a cool, dark place.

BASIL OIL

Nothing says summer like the fresh scent of hand picked basil. This refreshing, fragrant oil will carry on the sweet smell of summer all year long. Try it on tomato salads, as a base to make homemade tomato sauce or on bruschettas.

6 ounces good quality extra virgin olive oil

6 fresh basil leaves

* Wash basil leaves and gently dry it with a paper towel. Insert basil in an 8-ounce glass bottle, fill with olive oil, close and let steep for at least ten days in a cool, dark place.

DILL OIL

Dill might not be a very popular herb to grow or have around the house, but if you have some consider using it to make this pungent oil. It’s great on potato salads, as a condiment for herrings or as a marinade for salmon. If you can’t find juniper berries at your local store they can be ordered online at www.myspicesage.com/

6 ounces good quality extra virgin olive oil

6 fresh dill sprigs

10 black peppercorns

5 juniper berries

* Place peppercorns and juniper berries in an 8-ounce glass bottle. Gently insert the dill sprigs. Fill with olive oil, close and let steep for at least a couple of weeks.

SPICY OIL

Although this spicy oil is good on charred vegetables and grilled seafood, it’s even better as an alternative to crushed red pepper on your favorite pizza. Keep in mind that the oil will get spicier and spicier as time goes by, so at one point you might want to take those chili peppers out.

6 ounces good quality extra virgin olive oil

4 dried chili peppers

4 fresh rosemary sprigs

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

* Wash and pat dry the rosemary sprigs. Insert them in an 8-ounce glass bottle, followed by the peppers and the fennel seeds. Fill with olive oil, close and let steep for at least two weeks.

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