Store fresh herbs
Soft herbs like cilantro, parsley and mint last 1 to 2 weeks with their stems standing in a jar of water. Woody herbs like rosemary and thyme keep best wrapped in a dry paper towel, inside a bag, in the fridge.
Cold damages basil
Basil comes from the tropics. Below about 10°C (50°F), its cells get damaged and the leaves turn black and soft. Keep it in a glass of water on the counter, out of direct sun, for about a week.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
How should you store a bunch of cilantro?
Stems in a jar of water with a loose bag on top. The stems drink water while the bag keeps humidity around the leaves.
True or false: Basil keeps best in the fridge.
False. Below about 10°C basil cells are damaged and the leaves blacken, so keep it in water on the counter.
What went wrong? You rinse a bunch of parsley, then seal it, still wet, in a closed container.
Wet leaves sealed in a closed container rot. Dry the leaves before storing them, or keep the stems in a jar of water instead.
Fill the blank: Woody herbs like rosemary keep best ___, wrapped in a paper towel.
Woody herbs like rosemary keep best dry, wrapped in a paper towel. Woody herbs do not tolerate standing moisture.
Why does freezing chopped herbs in oil keep their flavor so well?
Oil dissolves their aroma compounds and blocks air. The flavor compounds stay dissolved in the oil instead of fading into the air.
Herbs in a jar vs the fridge drawer
Can a glass of water keep cilantro alive?
Do the 10-minute experiment