One of my friends maintains a beautiful herb garden that runs rampant in the summer months.  Last weekend, I was the lucky recipient of her trimmings, so I quickly prepared them for drying. There is something nostalgic about drying summer herbs and using them all winter long.  Over the years, I’ve gathered herbs from friends, on neighborhood walks, and even in the wild to savor during the cooler months.

You will need:

*Fresh Herbs

*Paper (newspaper, packing paper or none at all!)

*A ribbon or string

First, give your herbs a good rinse.  I love using my salad spinner for washing any greens.

Next, lay your herbs out to dry off.  Don’t put them in direct sunlight, and make sure there is plenty of ventilation. Depending on how wet they are from the washing, you may need to leave them out for a day or two.

Grab a scrap piece of paper, and fashion it into a square or rectangle.  Gather your herbs into a loose bunch, stem-side up.  Lay down your bundle so it is diagonal across the paper.

Loosely roll up your bundle, straightening the paper as you go.

Tie a bow around the stems.  Use your bow to hang your herbs upside down in a dry location away from direct sunlight.  I like to hang mine in my kitchen for easy access.  Once your herbs are completely and utterly dry, you can crunch them up and store them in jars for the months to come!