How to Dry Herbs

Now is the perfect time to cut down herbs. It is very easy to put away teas like chamomile, mint and bergamot or cooking herbs like chives, parsley, and basil.

How to Dry Herbs

Cut the new growth off making sure to pinch off where the flower would come up especially with parsley. Leave the leaves on the stem to dry. Don't harvest wet plants or wash the leaves or you will loose them to mould. Lay them flat on newspaper in the shade. Some people have the room to hang them to dry. I have tried it this way and always end up with mould where the leaves are tied together. I used to put them in paper bags stapled to the wall and each day I would give them a little shake. Ideally you want to dry them slowly. No direct sun and no heat. If you try to dry them too fast they loose color, flavour and valuable essential oils. If you store them too soon the mould will also take them. Once dry, break off leaves and store in a glass jar in a dark cupboard. Truthly, I don't put a lid on my jars until they have been the cupboard at least a month, to ensure they are totally dry.

How to Freeze Herbs

Cut the new growth off making sure to pinch off where the flower would come up especially with parsley and basil. Wash and spin dry if you must, but ideally use dry herbs. Remove the choice leaves from the stems. Cut them into small pieces with scissors. Loosely fill small freezer bag with the pieces and freeze. To use, only pinch enough from the bag for your recipe. Frozen herbs are best for salads or on cooked food in the winter (you wouldn't want to cook away all the flavor). Chives, basil and dill are best frozen.

Special tip for Pearl - Picking chives - Take a small elastic and scissors out for harvesting. Put the elastic around your wrist. Grab a handful of chives, cut them an inch from the ground. Without moving the chives, turn your hand so you can pull the grass and yellow bits out easily from the top of the bunch. Roll the elastic over the cut end of the bunch. It makes it very easy when you get them all into the kitchen to cut them in uniform little rings. Does it make sense?