Michela's Healthy Minestrone Recipe, Illustrated

While the water is heating, assemble your herbs: here we have, going clockwise from the left, bay leaf, rosemary, an unpeeled garlic clove, thyme, savory, fennel seeds and fresh sage. To keep them together, which will make it much easier to remove them later, put them in a finely woven cloth bag and tie it shut.

In case you were wondering, all of these herbs contribute flavor. In addition, the savory and fennel are gas inhibitors, something the Romans were well aware of.