We are big fans of basil around here. Especially during the summer months. Whether you grow your own basil at home or you pick it up from your grocery store or farmer’s market, I find that I rarely get through the entire bunch before it starts browning and going bad. I always think that I’m going to make a batch of pesto, but by the time I usually get around to it… I’m too late.
I picked up a great tip in the Food Network kitchens for extending the life of basil for as long as possible. Ironically basil doesn’t fare that well in the refrigerator and it seems to be fairly sensitive to the cold. The better solution is to trim the stems and stick the basil in tall glass with water and then cover with a plastic bag. Rather than the chilly refrigerator, keep it on the kitchen counter. Lately I’ve been able to keep fresh basil around for almost a week!
This is brilliant! After the death of TWO basil plants (hanging my head in shame) I figured I need to resort back to trimmed bunches. Now I know how to keep them from going bad. Thanks for sharing!