| Harvesting Herbs:
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| | either in
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|
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| | dark glass jars, in tins, or behind
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|
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| | cabinet e-mail box every Fridays. It's
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| Harvest in the morning of a hot and dry
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| | best to
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| day--wait until the dew
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| | throw them
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| is off
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| | out after a year and restock with new
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| the plants.
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| | ones.
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| Snip off the top growth--about 6 inches
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| | Freezing Herbs:
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| of stem below the flower
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| buds.
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| Drying Herbs:
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| | Blanch herbs before freezing them. Hold
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|
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| | them by their stems
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|
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| | with
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| If the leaves are clean, don't wash
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| | tongs and dip them in boiling water
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| them--oils are lost in the
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| | briefly, swishing them around
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| washing
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| | a little.
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| process. If they are dusty, wash
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| | When their color brightens, remove them
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| briefly under cold
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| | from the water.
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| water.
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| | Blot dry
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| Shake off excess water and hang the
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| | with towels. Remove the stems, chop if
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| herbs, tied in small bunches,
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| | you wish, or leave
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| in the
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| | the leaves
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| sun until the water evaporates.
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| | whole. Lay the dried herbs out in a
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| Hang the bunches (upside down) in a
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| | single layer on wax
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| warm, dry place that is well
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| | paper and
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| ventilated
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| | roll or fold the paper so there is a
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| and free from strong light. To prevent
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| | layer of paper separating
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| dust from
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| | each layer
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| accumulating, put
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| | of herbs. Then pack, paper and all, in
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| them in a brown paper bag that you've
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| | freezer bags or wrap
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| punched some holes in to
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| | in freezer-rated
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| increase
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| | plastic wrap. To use, break off as much
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| circulation.
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| | as you need and use
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| If you don't hang them up, remove the
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| | frozen.
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| stems and dry them on
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| | You can also thaw them out in the
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| baking sheets,
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| | refrigerator--they will keep
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| window screens covered with clear
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| | for about
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| sheeting or cheesecloth, or
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| | a week.
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| even on a
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| | You can freeze individual portions of
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| towel.
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| | herbs by making ice cubes
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| You can also dry herbs in a food dryer.
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| | out of
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| For the best
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| | them. Prepare your herbs by removing
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| flavor, the
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| | the stems and
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| temperature in the dryer should stay
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| | chopping, and
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| under 105 degrees F.
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| | then pack them into ice cube trays.
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| Storing Herbs:
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| | Cover with boiling
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|
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| | water (to
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|
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| | blanch them) and freeze. When frozen,
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| Leaves may be crushed before they are
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| | remove the cubes from
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| stored away, but they
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| | the trays
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| retain their
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| | and store in freezer bags.Rachel Paxton
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| oils better if they are kept whole and
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| | is a freelance writer and mom who is the
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| crushed right before they
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| | author of What's for Dinner?, an
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| are used.
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| | e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick
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| Herbs should be stored in a cool place,
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| | easy dinner ideas.
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| out of strong light,
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|
