Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
Dtp:VIVIAN Page:61264 - Herb and Spice Companion_001-145.indd 18 3/7/15 5:10 pm
(Text)HERB & SPICE COMPANION- 18 –
In the end, though, choosing between fresh and dried herbs is mostly a matter
of how often you’ll use them. Do you love cooking Italian food? Opt for fresh basil,
parsley, and oregano, since you’ll get great use out of those herbs in your kitchen.
If you only rarely use rosemary or dill, settle for the dried stuff: You’ll have some on
hand if you need it, but it won’t be a costly (and wasteful) kitchen staple.
Here are some other general rules for choosing herbs in the kitchen.When to Go Fresh
In a perfect world, where delicious fresh herbs are available for free in every home,
the answer would be easy. But in reality, factors such as growing seasons, affordabil-
ity, and marketplace accessibility can make the decision difficult.
There are some herbs, however, whose freshness is essential to any meal. Tender,
moist herbs with delicate flavors—like basil, chervil, cilantro, and parsley—should be
used fresh as often as possible. They lose their flavor and texture when dried (just as
they will when overcooked), and will therefore be mostly useless. To get the most
out of fresh herbs, especially when they’re out of season and harder to come by, add
them at the end of cooking or just before serving for optimal flavor.Storing Fresh Herbs
As wonderful as fresh herbs can be, if you buy them
cut from a grocery store or farmers market, you’ve got
about two days until they start to wilt and lose their
color. The most common storing method is to wrap
herbs in a damp paper towel, place them in a zip-tight
plastic bag, and stow them in the refrigerator door, the
warmest part of the fridge.
While this will get you a few days of freshness, most
herbs can do better than that. Try this easy method for
keeping them fresh for up to two weeks. It’s ideal for
herbs with strong stems, like parsley, basil, mint, rose-
mary, and cilantro.
Trim the stems as you would with flowers.
Place the herbs in a jar or vase of cold water,
making sure the leaves sit above the top of the
vase.Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
Dtp:VIVIAN Page:61264 - Herb and Spice Companion_001-145.indd 18 3/7/15 5:12 pm