Now is the time to dry herbs for the winter. We were doing some herbs from our Simon and Garfunkel garden, so make a cup of tea and sit with me for a few minutes, and let’s review the best way to dry herbs.
My favorite herb is sage: not only do I love the flavor, but I love the mysterious aroma that reminds me of incense. It’s like the incense of the kitchen, isn’t it! How to dry sage? First we have to wash the leaves and pat them dry between paper towels or a tea towel. You can decide if you want to leave them on the stems, or separate them.
If you leave them on the stems, you can tie a string or elastic band around the bottom of the stems, and hang them in a spot with good air circulation. They will take a while to dry, it doesn’t happen overnight. Once they are dry and brittle, you can put them in an airtight jar and store in a dark cupboard for future yummy cooking projects. I’ve read about hanging them in a paper bag, but we’ve always just hung them up, as is, and it works fine.
If you take the leaves off the stem, you can lay them flat on a tray with paper towel under them, and just let them air dry. Turn them every couple days, and when completely dry, transfer them to an airtight container.
Our rosemary plant is looking so lovely; I wish we could keep it over in the garden. Years ago when we went to the Sonoma Valley, we saw rosemary bushes, that’s the only word for them. They were as large and lush as a shrub, and so fragrant! Of course the climate there is perfect for them to grow year round. But here, even with good winter protection, chances are that the rosemary would not survive. So, we’ll dry it as the next best thing!
Beautiful flavorful rosemary can be dried the same way as our sage stems: wash the stems, pat them dry, and then hang them. But keep an eye on them, because once they are fully dry, the needle-like leaves can fall off easily, just like Charlie Brown’s little Christmas tree! So we want to have them in a jar by then!
We’ve never tried this, but I have read about two more ways to deal with rosemary. If we are planning to be our kitchens for a full afternoon, we can dry rosemary stems in a very, very slow oven, about 175 degrees for 1 ½ to two hours. I would think that we would have to be very diligent about checking them and turning them so they don’t burn! I have read that we can also freeze the washed rosemary stems: we just put them in a plastic bag, press out all the air, and put them in our freezers.
Drying parsley takes me back to Mom’s kitchen; she was such an amazing cook, and always dried a lot of parsley. Parsley can be air dried on a cookie sheet, dried in a very slow oven, hung up to dry, and you can even do it in the microwave! Spread the washed, patted-dry parsley in a single layer on a plate covered with a paper towel then put it in the microwave and go minute by minute! It is amazing how quickly it can burn, so keep a watchful eye on it!
The Yorkton and District Horticultural Society will be holding their Fall Plant and Bulb Sale on Friday, September 20 from 9:30 a.m. till 5 p.m. (or while plants last) at the Parkland Mall, Yorkton. This is a fine time to plant new additions to your garden; they’ll get settled in nicely before winter. If you’re looking for certain plants, be there when the sale begins for best selection!
Remember, too, that the Yorkton Gardeners’ Market is on Saturdays, starting at 8:00 a.m.
Visit the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society at www.yorktonhort.ca, and have a great week!
