Herbs for winter

Herbs growing outside will mostly die back over winter, but with a bit of forward planning you can keep using yours right through the coldest months.
 
You can’t beat fresh-picked herbs for flavour. Favourites like mint, sage and parsley can be potted up in late summer and brought inside this month to provide you with fresh foliage all winter long. Parsley growing outside can also be covered with cloches.

Dried herbs can be kept near to hand in the kitchen. Cut the fresh foliage early on a fine day, tie the sprigs in small bunches and hang them upside-down to dry in a cool airy room – not your bathroom or kitchen where there may be condensation.

Alternatively, spread the foliage out on baking trays and put them in a very low oven with the door open. Once the leaves are dry and crisp to the touch, gently pull the leaves off the stems and store them in clean dry jars.

Yet another way to preserve herbs is to wash the leaves, chop them up and put them in ice-cube trays. Cover with a little water and freeze them.

Many dried herbs can be used to make refreshing herb teas, like peppermint, chamomile, lemon balm, lemon verbena and sage. Simply put a good teaspoon of the dried herb into a cup, pour on boiling water and leave to stand for five minutes before removing the leaves.
   
Some people prefer herb teas sweetened with a little honey.