Texas Spring/Summer Thread

[jinman]

Are you using a dehydrator on your basil leaves?

No, we don't have a dehydrator. My wife has a cardboard box (shallow) that she lines with paper towels and lays out the basil leaves. After they are 80%-90% dry, they go into a larger box where they are tossed a couple of times per day for about 5 days. I know this sounds involved, but it's not really because you only spend a couple of seconds daily messing with the leaves until they are crispy dry. We should probably get a small dehydrator, but just never have invested in one. I would dry them outside in the sun, but my wife is afraid they would attract bugs, so she does them inside the house. They sure make the kitchen smell nice when they are fresh.

EDIT: FG, your post reminded me that we do really need a dehydrator, so I went to Amazon and ordered one. I can't say we don't have a dehydrator anymore. Would you please quit helping me spend my money?

 

[Lou66]

I dry all of my herbs in a brown sack,, the old grocery store type,, but I have to buy them,, you know the thick ones you get at the liquor store,:laughing:, I rise off the herbs,, paper towel them dry,, throw them in the bag,, seal the top, set outside on the patio,, shake them every now and then,, the paper soaks up the water and the sun dries the bag,, the prefect system unless you forget about them for a while,, Lou

 

[farmgirl19]

EDIT: FG, your post reminded me that we do really need a dehydrator, so I went to Amazon and ordered one. I can't say we don't have a dehydrator anymore. Would you please quit helping me spend my money?

Oh, but that is what we girls do, jinman! :::batting eyelashes:::

Thanks for the info, jinman and Lou!

 

[Lou66]

Tomato I pulled today,:licking:, could use a little more time on the vine,, first large one this year,, I have a few more that I think will be larger,, Here in the neighborhood there is five of us who grow tomatoes and we all try to grow the largest one,, I won the last two years.. I've only live here two years.. I am also the youngest,, at 66.. two of them are master gardeners,, very knowledgeable,, Lou

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[farmgirl19]

Really pretty, Lou! I am picking tomatoes every day now. Eating them for breakfast, lunch and supper! I don't think I'd have any go a pound and a half yet, but some will go a pound or slightly over!

 

[jinman]

That's sure a nice tomato, Lou. What variety is it?

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Looks good Lou...have you been having to water a bunch?

 

[blueriver]

I showed all you guys pictures to Cheryl ... Shouldn't have done that ... The garden here is not what we are used to ... Her c-spine surgery and mt RMSF kept our garden spot small and not attended to ... It it what it is and there is another year coming. At least we can admire the rewards of the hard work everyone is doing ... Good job !!

 

[NativeSon]

I dry all of my herbs in a brown sack,, the old grocery store type,, but I have to buy them,, you know the thick ones you get at the liquor store,:laughing:, I rise off the herbs,, paper towel them dry,, throw them in the bag,, seal the top, set outside on the patio,, shake them every now and then,, the paper soaks up the water and the sun dries the bag,, the prefect system unless you forget about them for a while,, Lou

Lou- The only problem here in "Dry" East Texas is you have to go all the way to the County Line to get those thick paper bags, but the trip is well worth it.

Charlie

 

[NativeSon]

I sure prefer fresh basil and cilantro too. However, dried basil leaves become very compact and you can get a whole crop of basil in a small jar after drying. It's a convenient and compact way of storing basil for off-season use when fresh is not available in your garden. With cilantro, you just pick the seeds and put them in a bottle as coriander. Drying the basil is the toughest (slowest) part.

Jim-With the garden starting to produce Fresh is the only way to go. But Fresh anything is the better solution, next would be dried or frozen or canned. My wife & MIL are very traditional and only do most recipes the way they did in the old country, and there is a lot to be said for tradition. My only hope is that I will have enough Basil to keep my MIL supplied. Running out would not be acceptable.

FYI- When using Fresh vs. Dried in a recipe you need to use twice as much Fresh than Dry if the recipe calls for dry. With Garlic always use more that the recipe calls for, as there is no such thing as "Too much Garlic".

Charlie