Storecupboard Essentials

Both gardeners and cooks have always endeavoured to lengthen the life of the herb garden beyond the summer. Unless you live in a climate where your herbs will grow well all year round you will doubtless be keen to investigate many of the traditional ways of preserving herbs.

The suitable methods extend from drying bunches of midsummer herbs to making an aromatic purée or a well-flavoured preserve like a herb jelly.

Drying: this is one of the simplest techniques for preserving herbs and is particularly suitable for the highly scented Mediterranean herbs such as thyme, rosemary and lavender. The level of essential oils secreted in the leaves of all herbs is highest just before the plant blooms.