Tuesday’s Tip with The Kitchen Whisperer – how to store fresh herbs

If you’re like me you are constantly buying fresh herbs or you’re growing them. For me I go through cilantro and basil like it’s my job. And yes, there have been times that I “forget” about it in the fridge or it gets shoved to the back of the one drawer only to be found a few weeks later all slimy and mushy.  But that no longer happens.  No I don’t go through it at lightning speed (okay some weeks I do but it depends on what I’m making) but I learned the trick to keeping them fresher, longer!

You can extend the lifespan of fresh herbs and greens by several days to a week with a few simple tricks.

Basil

Fresh basil bunches can be treated like a bouquet of flowers.  Gather them up, trim the ends, place the stem in a glass with an inch or so of water and place on the counter at room temperature. If you place it in the fridge, the leaves will turn black. The basil will remain fresh for anywhere from a few days to a week.

Parsley, Cilantro and other soft herbs

Cilantro, parsley and other soft herbs love cool temperatures and should be stored in the refrigerator. Again, treat them like a bouquet of flowers.  Gather them up, trim the ends, place the stem in a glass with an inch or so of water however this time place them in the fridge loosely cover them with a plastic bag.  You’ll also need to change the water every couple of days or when it becomes cloudy.

Chives, Thyme, and Rosemary

Other herbs, like chives, thyme, and rosemary, need to be taken care of differently. Wrap them loosely in a damp paper towel, then loosely in plastic wrap. Store them in your crisper.  Do not wrap the herbs tightly or the trapped moisture may cause them to mold prematurely; many people like to add a crumpled paper towel to the bag as a safeguard. Do not rinse the herbs until just before using as it’ll add excess moisture and waste time.