By Rosalyn Queen
There is no denying that the season of Fall is upon us and Winter will be right behind it. These days find me every night on my patio emptying all of my urns of flowers. Much to my surprise my pansies continued to bloom until this past week. The cold evenings did the petunias in and the mums seem to be trying to survive the cold nights. My pumpkins are about all of the fall decorations that I have left. I have truly enjoyed my fresh flowers this year.
My tomato plant finally produced a couple of tomatoes and I continue to use the hot peppers when canning my peppers in sauce. I have fresh mint growing on my kitchen window, which I use in my mushrooms in the crock.
The apple of my eye is my basil. I had two big plants that Leslie and Dixon got me for Mother’s Day. They have done great and supplied me with basil for my tomato salads, basil for my sauces and basil for my canned peppers and tomatoes. As I sit here looking at my plants, it would break my heart to discard them. All of a sudden I remember the basil book that Wanda Ashcraft sent to me in 1921.
I am going to share with you a couple of the recipes for preserving basil for use this winter.
How To Preserve Leaves In Oil
Supplies. Crock, basil leaves, salad or olive oil. And salt.
Place a half inch layer of oil in the bottom of the crock. Place a small dish on top to wait the basil down
Layer the basil so that each leaf is covered with oil. Sprinkle each layer lightly with salt.
Repeat the process until all of the basil leaves have been used.
If the basil leaves are floating on the top, weigh them down with a small plate.
To use the basil, remove the weight and fish out some leaves.
Maintain at least 1 inch of oil above the unused basil leaves?
Storing Basil By Salting
This is an age-old method of preserving basil when electricity and refrigeration were not available.
You will need a small crock, canning salt, but not table, salt and basil
Place In the bottom of a clean dry crock. Layer the leaves putting a light sprinkling of salt on each layer.
Repeat the process and press down firmly every several layers that do not crush.
Fill to within 2 inches of the top of the crock.
Press down firmly and add a large amount of salt to the top.
Store in a cool dry place..
To use, simply fish out the required number of leaves, replacing salt on top as necessary.
I know that several of you will dry your basil or preserve it in the freezer. The above methods will ensure that you will have a fresh basil taste.
Just a reminder when you cannot get fresh tomatoes get a can of whole tomatoes, cut up the onion and add oil and fresh basil and you have a good winter tomato salad. You can also use canned diced tomatoes to make bruschetta.
A big thank,you to Wanda Ashcraft for sharing this book with us.
Stay warm, enjoy our fall foliage and until,next week “ Now You Have Heard It Through The Grapevine.”