My brother gave me some fresh sage and lime-thyme (he assures me it's tasty in salsa) from his garden a few weeks ago and they have been on the top shelf of my pantry in paper sacks since then. I just took them down and pulled them out of the bags, and, voila, dried herbs. My brother taught me this little trick and it's wonderful -- just place your fresh herbs in a paper bag -- he just uses a lunch sack -- and wait. After a few weeks they were completely dry and I placed them in plastic zipper bags in my spice cabinet.
My girlfriend gave me a huge bunch of rosemary, and because it was so large, I just tied it and hung it next to my kitchen window. For a few days my kitchen smelled wonderful.
I haven't cut any herbs from my own garden, but a hard frost is around the corner, so I better get out there. Of course, you don't have to have a garden to dry herbs. The next time you have purchased fresh herbs leftover, just tuck them inside a paper sack for a few weeks, and then enjoy them dried.
That's great to know! I hope that the weird weather today won't kill my cilantro, which is very happy in the garden right now. Trying to decide if I should go pick all of it.
ReplyDeleteI've got a bunch of thyme so I'm going to try that paper bag trick with it.
Thanks so much for that last bit about using up the last of purchased herbs from the grocery store. I hate to think of the times I've had to throw them out. Never again! :)
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