I am so happy that Autumn is finally here! It has been a very hot and dry summer in Texas. Most of my plants now are brown and crunchy due to the heat, lack of rain, and the water restrictions. It hasn't cooled down enough but I can't complain.
I was only able to pick a couple of tomatoes and a few clippings of herbs. My peach tree bloomed for the first time this year. I was able to pick a handful of ripe peaches before the birds consumed most of them so I decided to make some peach salsa.
A couple of years ago I started drying small bunches of herbs. I know that you can buy fresh and dried herbs any time of the year at any market now a days but some recipes call for fresh herbs and it does get quite expensive to purchase one bunch every time you only need a clipping. Besides, it's easy to water a little plant once in a while and I find it rewarding to be able to walk over to one of my pots and snip what I need within a moment's notice. I also dry the leftover herbs that I get at the market before they wilt (except cilantro because it's inexpensive and I prefer to use it fresh).
You can dry your herbs by washing them thoroughly and laying them flat on a kitchen towel. Allow the water to dry off overnight and then roll them in the towel to prevent any dust or grease particles in the kitchen from landing on the herbs.
Leave them in the rolled towel for a few days and check on them every other day to see if they are dry. You can tell an herb is completely dry when they easily break into pieces.
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| I like to re-purpose empty glass jars of all shapes and sizes. I prefer it over plastic bags and it's easier to find what I need quickly. |
Once they are dry transfer them into a glass jar or sealed plastic bag and keep them in your pantry ready to use. It is very important that they are fully dry before you store them or they will mold.
