During the coldest of the winter days, when I cannot bear the thought of venturing outside, then one task to get on with is to organise and store all the herbs that were earlier harvested.
I usually harvest herbs like Sage, Thyme, Marjoram (Oregano) just before the winter season begins and well and truly before the frost kicks in. During the winter months, our sage and thyme plants are just not as productive anymore and the marjoram is completely barren, so I salvage whatever I can before this happens.
Bay leaves are not so much of a problem, as we have an enormous Bay Tree which ensures a healthy supply of fresh Bay leaves all through the winter. Nevertheless, it never hurts to have a few dried ones around the kitchen, as their flavour seems to intensify and they smell divine!
To dry out the herbs, the stalks and leaves are simply hung up to dry for a few weeks. When they are completely dried out, you can then place them into some airtight containers for use during the winter months.
