keeping fresh herbs 'fresh'

[Sandy1]

Does anyone have any suggestions for storing herbs other than in their original packaging. It seems to me that their fridge life is less than a shad fly's (and I think they only live for 24 hours:-). I'm just tired of discarding 3/4 of what I buy.
I would love to try to grown 'em myself but I'm not even sure how to do that.
Basil's my favourite & dill is another one that I love.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Sandy.

[SoCal]

Hi Sandy,

I had the same problem. I happened to see on one of the cooking shows that you should place the fresh herbs in a glass with water (just stems should be in the water) and then put a baggie (or one of those plastic bags you get in the produce section of the grocery store that never seem to open right!) over the top of the whole thing so the herbs are covered. This tip helped me! Can't wait to see other suggestions.

[Norma]

So far, I've been successful keeping basil in a glass of water on the counter. After a couple of weeks, it had roots! and I planted it.

Parsley is good in water in the fridge covered loosely with a plastic bag.

CILANTRO is the one I haven't figured out. I hope someone has.

[MrsReber]

Hello- I have posted this hint for others on this board before since I love to share it! I grow basil each year in my garden and always wind up with more than I could ever use so I freeze the leaves. I rinse them off, let them dry a bit, then,while they are still a little damp, spread them out on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Then, immediately put them in a ziploc bag. I have about 5 quart bags and one gallon bag full of leaves. They retain their flavor and I can take out however many leaves I want since they are all frozen individually!

[kendra]

Sandy1,
Next summer you should definitely just grow your own herbs. There is nothing better than running out to your garden for a piece of herb while you're cooking! It's very easy and you don't need much room. I have used flower boxes on small apartment porches with lots of luck. Have easily grown parsley, basil, dill, cilantro, mint, catnip this way. It's way cheaper than buying them at the store - a packet of seeds costs around 85 cents - and it will last for the whole summer, provided you harvest or trim often. It's so easy - each packet of seeds has directions on how to plant. Then just provide plenty of sun and water (but don't overwater - a common reason why some folks kill plants). I strongly urge you to give it a shot next year- it is a rewarding, fun and easy thing to do!

[Sandy1]

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

Mrs. Reber: You're lucky you don't live near me....I'd be into your freezer several times a week (I love basil).

and Kendra...I will definitely try growing my own next year. But it'll hafta be a flower box; I have lots of room but I also have lots of rabbits who eat up everything that I plant at ground level:-) And as much as I love fresh herbs I love my rabbits more.

This is my first foray into using fresh herbs. I discovered Arugala the other day..yummy!

Anyway, for now I will try storing them in water.

Thanks again,
Sandy.

[lorilei]

Mrs. Reber - Does your frozen basil turn black? I've noticed a hefty amount of discoloration when I've tried to freeze mine.

[MrsReber]

It's funny, my mom says that my frozen basil looks so much better than hers! I have an occasional black spot here and there, but for the most part, it stays green.

Sandy, I have been trying to share my basil with others, but they never take any! I had 6 plants this year and I harvested the leaves often. With all the rain we had here in NJ, I had tons of it! I cook with it often and put lots of it on top of my pizzas.

[Vanessa]

Hi. My computer totally crashed. I might be able to reply but I am not sure...so..
I keep cilantro in a paper bag in the refrigerator. It keeps in my crisper (keep mushrooms in a paper bag too). Parsley etc in the plastic bags. If keeping herbs in water you might be pleasantly surprised that they will go roots and you will end up with a plant. Great idea for multipliying herbs.
My herbs I usually dry them (with the electric dryer).

[RunnerKim]

I've found with cilantro that it has to be really dry or it'll rot. I've put it in my salad spinner and paper-toweled it too and found that I've been able to keep it for a couple of weeks (store-bought). Otherwise it would rot inside a week - way too pricey for that to be happening. I've kept it in the plastic veggie bag I buy it in, but I can see why a paper bag would work better at preventing the moisture.

I had my first luck growing basil this summer and wondered what the best way is to harvest it. Do you just snip off top sections as you need it?

I also planted a rosemary "bush" towards the middle of summer - do you just snip off as much as you need or take a whole branch? (It's small so there's only 3 shoots -- I only snipped a couple of times as I didn't want to kill it).

Kim

[MrsReber]

Kim, I usually go out in my garden and take off as many basil leaves as I want for a meal. When the plants start to get really out of control, I'll snip off a whole branch. It grows back rather quickly. This year, they all grew so well that I was out there every other day harvesting leaves. As far as the rosemary, I will snip off as much as I need from a branch. It grows back rather quickly. I find that all my perennial herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary) need to be cut back at some point or they will take over my entire garden.

[jd]

Another great thread! Has anyone grown herbs indoors in the winter? I bought some to try, but they were almost dead when I opened them! Thanks for the expert help once again.

[jd]

sorry, duplicate post.

[This message has been edited by jd (edited 10-13-2000).]

[laden]

I plant my herbs in little clay pots so in the winter I bring in the rosemary and it does fine. In the past I have brought in basil and put it in a really sunny window. It doesn't thrive but it stays alive and gives me fresh basil throughout the winter. Then in the spring I bring it back out and watch it grow, grow, grow.

This year I waited until after the first frost so it's too late for my basil but this tip might help someone else.

[Norma]

Thanks for the tips on cilantro (spinner and paper bag). Being able to keep it for two weeks sounds like an eternity compared to what I've been doing.

[NancyR]

Re: growing herbs. I always plant my herbs in my hanging flower baskets. The juxtaposition of the lovely herb foliage, especially thyme which hangs, with the flowers in pretty and, of course, useful. Just thought I'd add that...........too often we think we have to do what is "correct".

[mah]

for leftover parsley, i wrap it in a damp papertowel and then put in a plastic bag (not a ziploc)...it will stay fresh for ten days or more...

here's a hint for freezing basil, once the leaves are frozen rather than leaving whole, you can crush them and then just measure out what you need...

i too grow parsley, rosemary, lavendar and oregano indoors during the winter months. i have never had good luck with growing basil during the winter...

[This message has been edited by mah (edited 10-14-2000).]

[This message has been edited by mah (edited 10-14-2000).]

[erinyyc]

When I purchase fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, flatleaf parsley, etc.) it usually comes in a bunch with stems at least 3 inches long. I freeze some and place the rest in a glass with 1 inch of water and loosley cover with plastic and place in the fridge.....I grow them outside in the summer and try to repot a small portion in the fall to bring inside for winter. Unfortunately, in Canada, catching that first frost or snowfall is not always possible! When we lived in an apartment I bought a small packaged herb growing kit from a garden/home store. It came with a potting tray, soil, seeds, and a clear cover for germination. When the plants got to big for this I transplanted them to small pots and just kept them well pruned..they lasted 6 months. Now that we are in a house I have modified it a bit but it is the same basic procedure. I then transplant them outside in the summer. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif