Chopping & Cooking with Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs are a great way to add lots of flavor to many dishes.  Although they can be expensive to buy, they are cheap and easy to grow.  As perennials, they will return every year even if you live in a very cold climate.  In my garden I have oregano, sage, chives, parsley, and thyme.  I also have rosemary but it will die in a cold climate over the winter so I keep it in a pot and bring it in during the cold months.  Unfortunately basil will not winter, as often cilantro will not.  I purchase those every spring and keep them in the ground for most of the spring and summer. 

The challenge with herbs is that they tend to lose their flavor fast.  I try to never purchase dried herbs as they often are tasteless.  This video will show you the best way to handle herbs to get the maximum flavor from them.  Oh and one last note – fresh chopped herbs do maintain their flavor if kept in butter.  In the fall, before a cold frost, I usually pick lots of herbs, chop them and mix them with a little softened butter.  I put this in the freezer so I can have fresh (almost) herbs throughout the winter.