Munch bunch
CAPTURE the fragrance and flavour of your herb garden by sticking it in a bottle.
Begin by picking basil before it starts to flower then pluck a few sprigs of thyme after flowers have finished.
Harvest both mid-morning on a dry, sunny day after the dew is off the plants. Keep stalks long to make tying bunches easier and, if necessary, wash off dust and dirt then spin in a salad drier to remove excess moisture.
Air drying preserves the flavour and colour of herb leaves best. It is their thickness and water- holding capacity that determines the length of time and amount of attention needed for excellent results.
Small-leafed herbs such as thyme and rosemary need to be checked every two or three days so they don’t get too dry.
Basil and oregano leaves also require regular checking to avoid mildew. Parsley leaves take the longest to dry out.
Delicate
Drying them in the kitchen makes a nice scene but cooking smells may mask delicate flavours. Bright light will fade colours and greasy dust contaminates.
A well-ventilated, dust-free environment is best. Herbs should be hung upside down in loose, small bunches from a rack or piece of twine strung across the room. Do not mix the herbs in each bunch.
When dry, leaves will crumble easily between your fingers into small pieces – if the leaves form a powder, they are too dry and you need to start afresh.
To check they are ready, put a piece in a glass jar with a fitted lid and pop in a sunny spot for a few hours to see if condensation forms. If it doesn’t, your herbs are ready for bottling.
No dried herb has the piquancy of fresh. Ensure you have a ready supply by potting up a few and keeping them in snipping distance of the kitchen.
Borage is used to garnish wine cups and Pimm’s. Pineapple sage and mint can add a taste of the exotic to squashes and lemonades. For chicken on the barbecue use lemon balm, thyme, parsley, sage and French tarragon. For seasoning red meat and pork, plant oregano, bay, rosemary, winter savoury
and thyme.
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