Keeping fresh basil

[CFu]

Thanks guys! Guess I did read slowly enough.

[Ruth_Friedman]

This is a really great thread as the problem of keeping basil fresh for more than 24 hours has bugged me for years. I think I have tried absolutely every conceivable form of “preserving” but never just water. I bought a bunch of delfina cilantro at the farmers’ market yesterday and, after reading this thread, I took it out of the refrigerator and put it in a beaker of water. Does the water method work for most herbs?

[Bob_Wood]

@Ruth Friedman

This is a really great thread as the problem of keeping basil fresh for more than 24 hours has bugged me for years. I think I have tried absolutely every conceivable form of “preserving” but never just water. I bought a bunch of delfina cilantro at the farmers’ market yesterday and, after reading this thread, I took it out of the refrigerator and put it in a beaker of water. Does the water method work for most herbs?

Welcome, Ruth!

Putting the stems in water has worked for me for parsley, cilantro and basil for as long as a week. This submersion thing was a total accident.

[Jay_Selman]

I understand the idea of not using the blooms in the dish being prepared, but is there some issue with using the leaves if the plant has bloomed?

[Linda_Baehr]

As far as cilantro is concerned, I find that if I put it in water and keep it in the fridge, it does just fine. It doesn’t turn brown in the fridge like basil does.

[Steve_M_c_C_a_l_l]

@Jay Selman

I understand the idea of not using the blooms in the dish being prepared, but is there some issue with using the leaves if the plant has bloomed?

Jay, my experience is that once the basil plant has bloomed extensively, the flavor profile of the leaves changes somewhat: the flavor becomes more assertive and concentrated, less fresh-tasting… not unlike the difference in other plants between baby versions and mature plants. Neither one is bad, but pre-bloom basil is, IMO, more light-footed, aromatic, and pleasing.