Herbs are what's happening now in the garden. Beans are sprouting and we're ready to pop in squash and cucumbers. But the herb garden is alive and herbs are adding fresh touches to our meals.

Soft-leaved herbs, such as dill, chervil and chives, perk up salads. Woody herbs sage, rosemary, and thyme are great in scones, with roasted meats or in pasta sauce.

To fill out my herb garden, I have Italian parsley and basil seedlings from my neighbor, Frank. Parsley is hardy and likes our cool, rainy weather, so I wasn't worried about tucking those little plants into the garden. I mused that I would keep the basil indoors for a bit.

"Nah," my neighbor said, "put them in." And so I did. Frank always plants everything before we do, and my husband and I enviously peek at his wildly flourishing garden when walking by with our dogs. Frank's peas are close to flowering, while ours only reach the white tip of Boris the garden cat's tail. Boris naps in the pea patch while I pull weeds.

Frank dispenses sage advice: Potatoes get planted on St. Patrick's Day, peas don't mind some snow, and onions go in when you see the sets in the stores.

I grow onions from plants. Plants produce nicer onions and there are more varieties. I mail-order them from Johnny's Seeds. I ordered extra onion plants to share with Frank.

"Never say 'Thank you' when someone gives you a plant," Frank always says, attributing the custom to local old-time Appalachian folks. "Otherwise it won't grow."

It's hard not to thank someone offering you little plants they've tended , saving you the trouble and a trip to the store. So I'm not sure the Cherokee Purple tomato plant he potted in a red plastic cup and handed to me will grow.

The basil Frank gave me is healthy and green, as predicted, cool weather and all.

For now I'm big on sage. A perennial herb, sage returns each year, sometimes looking ragged.

I've pruned it and added new plants to the bed, one a very cool-looking purple sage.

Sage needs to cooked to shine. You can't simply toss it in a salad because the textured leaf is a bit rough. Italians really "get" sage. They crisp the leaves in butter or olive oil, then drain them.

The sage butter or oil serves as sauce on something luscious, like pear ravioli, the leaves placed on top. Crisped sage is delicious, earthy and mild.

Here are a few down-to-earth ways to use sage:

• Frizzle small leaves, or torn large leaves, in butter in a nonstick skillet. Break eggs on top and cook sunnyside up. Grate fresh Parmesan over.

• Tuck sage leaves between chicken skin and breast before roasting it.

• For pasta, cook sliced garlic in butter and olive oil just until golden. Add slivered sage leaves; stir until fragrant. Toss with hot pasta and about 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.

Or make this luscious sage-and-white-cheddar bread pudding, above, for brunch.

PG TESTED

This lovely recipe comes from a charming new cookbook by Jeanne Kelley. She lives with her family in California, where she grows vegetables, raises Araucana chickens, and keeps a pet goat. This pudding, which serves a crowd, can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated. Start baking it about 1/2 hour before your guests arrive, while you're grinding the coffee. The kitchen will smell amazing.

• 1 pound loaf rustic or sourdough bread
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (1 added sliced green onions from my garden)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh sage
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 cups lightly packed shredded white cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish.

Cut bottom crust and short ends off bread. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. You'll have about 10 cups.

In very large bowl, stir oil and garlic. Add bread; toss to coat. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet. (Reserve bowl.) Bake, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes, until cubes are just golden brown and lightly crunchy.

Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add sage and stir until dark green and fragrant, 1 minute. Let cool.

In same bowl used for bread, whisk eggs. Whisk in cream, milk, salt, and pepper until well blended. Stir in onion-and-sage mixture and 2 cups cheese. Add bread; stir to coat. Transfer to prepared dish and let stand 20 minutes, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until firm and set, and top is golden, 40 to 50 minutes. (Start checking at 30 minutes; mine cooked quickly.)

Makes 12 servings

-- Adapted from "Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes" by Jeanne Kelley (Running Press, $35)