Parsley, Parsley Everywhere…
On my daily bill of fare.
See that kippered herring staring
At that silly sprig he’s wearing?
~Margaret Fishback, 1943
Do you have an herb garden? Maybe a windowsill or even a patio ledge sporting a pot of fragrant goodness?
With August here, time to clip, snip, and save!
The local farmers market showcases herbs in all their glory this time of year. Each week, we pick up a $1 bunch of parsley intended for cooking. Confession time – the rabbit gets most of this audacious bunch of fresh greens.
Parsley has a long history as an edible and medicinal herb. Only in the past century did it assume its role as a decorative garnish.
Keeping Fresh Parsley.
There are various tricks and methods to saving fresh parsley. Some recommend wrapping the leaves gently in a damp paper towel and storing them in a resealable bag. These should keep 3-5 days.
I trim off 1/8 inch from the stems and tuck the bunch in an empty jelly jar on the counter, much like fresh flowers. The merry bouquet lasts 7 days.
Drying Parsley.
For those who lack a domestic lagomorph to help consume robust bunches of parsley, there’s always the option to dry the herb for winter use. Here’s an excerpt on drying parsley from 1921:
Any other tricks out there? Do share!
More Fun Discoveries from Antique Cookbooks
Always so much fun to read something new from Convivial Supper!
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☺️ Always fun to hear from the most avid readers!!! Hope u and the family are well!
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love parsley! my herb garden had not done well this summer……….thank you for sharing.
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Alas, herbs can be picky. Always the dried and bottled version in a pinch!!
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🙂 so very true!
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Your idea of making it an herbal arrangement is easier and it lasts longer! Sounds like the drying over a fire is a manual dehydrator!
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And it’s so nice and green on the counter. Adds some color.
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