What is the best way to store fresh herbs?

I just got a whole bunch from the farmer's market, and I don't want them wilting on my before I can use them.  Thank you!!

(also, what's a good recipe for fresh marjoram?)

Comments

[Burf]

Alton Brown's method works very well: roll the herbs up in damp paper towels, then put the paper towels in a plastic bag and store in the vegetable drawer.

[echristeson]

Will his method work for cilantro?..or parsley?...I can't seem to find his "method page"

[Burf]

Yes, but remember,with this method, we are talking days or week or two, depending on the herb, not long term storage.

[echristeson]

Oh, Yes!...I do know that and Thank You for your response!
I just wasn't sure if cilantro leaves
were strong enough to actually dry before 'rotting', if you will :)

Has anyone saved seeds (for a year or more) and had any luck growing fruit or veggies?

[surffreak]

Chop them up and put them in ice cube trays and freeze then when you want some pop out a cube and straight into what you are cooking

[apple is cool still]

Store it in a bottle with water in the fridge

[ZackBlack]

Dry them by hanging them in paper bags and then after they are dry then store them in mason jars.

"Fresh" home grown herbs are almost as good dried and stored...
...and they are MUCH better than anything dried that you buy from the grocery store.

[Hedvigm]

It depends a bit on which herbs as well. If you have bought mint then you can just remove a few leaves at the buttom and put it in a glass of water and it will start rooting. You won't have to buy mint again. You can grow Rosemary easily from cuttings. But things like cilantro you want to buy little and often. And best not to leave it in the sun.

[scoochmaroo]

My mint finally sprouted! It took a couple weeks and a dash of plant food, but it did it!!

[scoochmaroo]

Really?? I can grow mint from cuttings?? Holy lo, how come no one told me this before? I've been buying mint like a sucker all these years. We have a rosemary plant, but sometimes the needles get sticky or get white spots on them. Do you know what that's all about?

[kelseymh]

Whatever you do, don't plant mint in your garden unless it's the only thing you want around. It's like bamboo -- it will take over as much dirt as it can find. That said, a couple of plants in holes lined with weed-barrier are awesome!

[fuelwrnchr]

Uh Oh! is spearmint the same thing?

[Hedvigm]

Yup. It's best to change the water in the glass every few days.

[Goodhart]

Its not easy if you don't want to dry them, AND you don't want to grow them. They do fine while growing, but leafy plants tend to pass on fairly quickly once seperated from their food/water source (roots).

[kcls]

Wow... 8 views, published for 2 hours, and a best answer already!

[Gorfram]

I use this method: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-keep-Fresh-Herbs-Fresh/ , although I don't bother with the plastic bag.  Half the time I don't bother to put them in the fridge, either.

I just snip the bottoms of the stems at slant, and put them in a bottle or vase like they were fresh flowers (sans any chemical "freshness-extender" chemicals in the water). Then I enjoy my herb bouquets until I've eaten them all up. :)

(If you've got an awful lot of them - and a lot of space in the fridge - wash them and sipin them dry in a salad spinner, empty the spinner of any standing water, and put the whole salad spinner (with the herbs still in the spin basket) in the fridge. They keep fresh for a good long while this way; which also works for salad, spinach, and other leafy greens.)

[scoochmaroo]

Yeah, that's what I have been doing. But still they wilt :( I guess that's maybe as good as it gets! I do like the salad spinner idea though. (I just got one!)