Harvesting
Harvest in the morning of a hot and dry day--wait until the dew
is off the plants. Snip off the top growth--about 6 inches of
stem below the flower buds.
Drying
If the leaves are clean, don't wash them--oils are lost in the
washing process. If they are dusty, wash briefly under cold
water. Shake off excess water and hang the herbs, tied in small
bunches, in the sun until the water evaporates. Hang the bunches
(upside down) in a warm, dry place that is well ventilated
and free from strong light. To prevent dust from accumulating,
put them in a brown paper bag that you've punched some holes in
to increase circulation. If you don't hang them up, remove the
stems and dry them on baking sheets, window screens covered with
clear sheeting or cheesecloth, or even on a towel. You can also
dry herbs in a food dryer. For the best flavor, the temperature
in the dryer should stay under 105 degrees F.
Storing
Leaves may be crushed before they are stored away, but they
retain their oils better if they are kept whole and crushed right
before they are used. Herbs should be stored in a cool place,
out of strong light, either in dark glass jars, in tins, or
behind cabinet e-mail box every Fridays. It's best to throw them
out after a year and restock with new ones.
Freezing
Blanch herbs before freezing them. Hold them by their stems with
tongs and dip them in boiling water briefly, swishing them around
a little. When their color brightens, remove them from the
water. Blot dry with towels. Remove the stems, chop if you
wish, or leave the leaves whole. Lay the dried herbs out in a
single layer on wax paper and roll or fold the paper so there is
a layer of paper separating each layer of herbs. Then pack,
paper and all, in freezer bags or wrap in freezer-rated plastic
wrap. To use, break off as much as you need and use frozen. You
can also thaw them out in the refrigerator--they will keep for
about a week. You can freeze individual portions of herbs by
making ice cubes out of them. Prepare your herbs by removing the
stems and chopping, and then pack them into ice cube trays.
Cover with boiling water (to blanch them) and freeze. When
frozen, remove the cubes from the trays and store in freezer
bags.
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About The Author
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of
What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick
easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home
decorating, crafts, and frugal family fun, visit Creative
Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com and Suite 101 at
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/creative_homemaking. To
subscribe to their monthly newsletter send a blank e-mail message
to FreeRecipes-subscribe@egroups.com.
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