Harvest and zap 'em

Time to quick-dry those herbs before the garden's last gasp.

11/20/09 4:51 PM

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Tracey Crehan Gerlach

Sage, oregano and rosemary.

We’re getting to that time of year when we need to think about first frosts and bringing bits and pieces of the garden inside for winter storage. One of my autumn routines is drying herbs in the microwave. It is tidy, zippy and so stinkin' easy. This technique is perfect for sage, oregano, thyme and rosemary. New to our garden this year is lemon balm, and I am thinking it would be great to have it dried for soothing mid-winter teas, as well.

Collect about a cup or two of fresh herbs. Place the herbs between two paper towels and microwave for two minutes. Check them—do they need a little more time? Do it in small, 30-second increments until the herbs are dry.

Let the herbs sit out a bit, on the paper towel. Then, grind and put in storage containers. I crush them between my fingertips, but you can also use a pepper grinder or even buy a grinder specifically for herbs. Do whatever suits you, your budget and your energy level.

Working with each herb during an autumn evening seems so on time. The oregano has me thinking about hearty tomato sauces, the rosemary brings on ideas of roast chickens, and the sage is all about Thanksgiving and stuffings. They tend to be just the scents I crave in these shorter days, with more time spent inside cooking … ultimately making me OK with saying goodbye to the 2009 garden season.