Allison Cafe

Daphne's first sailing trip

This weekend we took Daphne sailing for the first time. She as a little apprehensive at first, actually she did a full-on mule maneuver at the dock. I didn’t think she was going to make it. But with a little coaxing (food never hurts!) she made it aboard and she seemed to have a great time. By the end she was snoozing with the wind in her hair and the sun on her face. She didn’t like it much when the boat started heeling, actually that always freaks Hayley out too. They had a great time though, as did we.

Sailing Puppies

What this photo can’t capture though is the conclusion of our sailing adventure. Usually after an afternoon of sailing we stop at the local fish market and enjoy some Oysters Rockefeller and a glass of wine. But since we had the dogs with us this time, we decided to buy some seafood from the market and make it ourselves at home. We had to make a quick stop at the grocery store too though, for butter and parsley of course! While in the grocery store, for I swear no more than 10 minutes, the dogs were waiting patiently in the car. Well, not so patiently so much as devouring an entire pound of raw shrimp that I accidentally left in the front of the car! Yes, that’s right this cute little face pictured above turned into a carnivrous beast and ripped the bag of raw seafood to shreds, not even so much as a shrimp’s tail was left as evidence. Hardly any of the bag was left either!

Now, it was my fault for leaving the seafood unattended in the car. But I honestly had no idea that they would get into the bag, let alone actually eat all of it! The unfair part is that I have no evidence to suggest that Hayley played a part in the sabotage of our dinner. Daphne is quite protective of her food and when we returned to the car Hayley was hiding in the back seat. So it appears Daphne may have acted solo. But we will never know.

I seriously wish that dogs could talk to us. I would love to hear Hayley’s side of the story. They are both resting peacefully tonight with full bellies after a day of sailing. Life with dogs is certainly entertaining! I’m trying not to think about what that pound of raw shrimp is doing in Daphne’s belly. I’m going to hope for the best and be thankful it wasn’t chocolate!

Feeling a little blue that the summer season will be ending soon? And that with the end of the season your fresh herbs might be nearing their last few harvests? Me too.

I simply love the taste of mint and basil in our salads. And there is no way that a change in season will keep us from enjoying them! Wondering how to extend the life of your fresh herbs all throughout the year? Fear not, I have some tips to help you savor them and even share them with friends and family as gifts.

What type of herb are you drying?

Before choosing a method of preservation for your fresh herbs, consider the sturdiness of the herb itself. Tender leaves, such as basil, dill, parsley and mint, are better suited to freezing. But wait, do not just throw them in the freezer, they will turn brown! To prevent them from turning brown and to better capture the flavor, try blanching them first. Take the bunch of herbs, tied together, and drop into boiling water for several seconds, no more. You do not want to cook them. Then with a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer them to a bowl of ice water to chill for several seconds to stop the cooking process. Blot dry them with paper towels or in a salad spinner. Remove the leaves from their stems and spread them in a single layer within plastic storage bags and freeze. Blanched herbs can be frozen for up to four months and can be chopped in their frozen state before being added to soups, stews and sauces. Blanching and freezing herbs was not a method I had thought to try previously, but it can produce more flavorful results for your more tender herbs than simply hanging them to dry.

Reserve air drying for hardier leaves, such as rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender and oregano.

Begin by wrapping a piece of kitchen twine around the stems, creating a loop. Hang the bunch, upside down, in a cool, dry place until they are brittle to the touch, usually four to ten days. Worried about dust while they are suspended in your kitchen? Try enclosing the bunches in a paper bag with enough holes punched in it to keep air flowing. Once they are dry, pick leaves from stems, and place them a tightly sealed air-tight jar. Create your own labels, and don’t forget to date them! Store the dried herbs in a cool, dark place. They should keep for 6 months to a year. They even make great gifts. We often save old spice jars, remove the labels and re-purpose them. You can buy new spice bottles though from a container or kitchen store quite easily and cheaply. It’s sure cheaper and a more creative gift than buying dried herbs!

Other ideas

I did also come across some additional methods for drying herbs in tulle. Tulle is the thin fabric used in sewing projects, or more commonly in veils. To do this, first wash and rinse the herbs and pat them dry. Then arrange the herbs on 18 to 24 inch squares of the tulle. Then loosely roll into tubes, do not bundle them tightly. Loosely tie the ends with kitchen twine and place them in the refrigerator for about two weeks. Once they are dry you can package them just the same as mentioned above, by removing them from the stems and placing them into storage containers.

Another neat trick that I learned recently from the Queen of all things domestic, Martha Stewart, was how to take those frozen basil leaves and create frozen basil and olive oil ice cubes. The cubes are perfect for reusing later for pesto or dips without having to thaw a large batch. Simply take some of the blanched and frozen basil leaves you created previously and place them in a blender or food processor. Tip: using the blanched leaves will ensure you don’t end up with brown cubes. Cover the leaves with extra-virgin olive oil and puree. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays, filling each cube about 2/3 full. This should be about a tablespoon. Place the tray in the freezer. Once solid, remove the cubes from the tray and place into a plastic freezer bag. That’s it, now you can take one or as many cubes as you need from the freezer all throughout the next season and enjoy the fresh basil and olive oil mixture.

Share and Enjoy!

So there you have it. You don’t have to stop enjoying your fresh herbs just because the season ends. You can enjoy herbs during the fall and winter by preserving your summer herb plants. You’ll not only add a fresh pop of flavor to your soups and sauces — you’ll also save money and create some one of a kind gifts!