"Franfogel" > wrote in message
...
> I have an abundance of fresh basil and thyme in my garden and want to
preserve
> them for the winter. Would it be better to dry them (and if so, what is
the
> best method?). The alternative is freezing. Any suggestions? Somewhere
in
> the basement a dehydrator is lurking in its box---would this work? Thank
you.
>
> Fran

Drying works well for thyme but not for basil. I do not know why, but dried
basil looses 95% of its flavor and ends up being just green flecks in your
food. Much better to make a paste, sort of like the forst steps of making
pesto. Basil leaves (washed and dried) and enough olive oil to make a paste
in the food processor. Freeze in small quantities. The flavor is preserved
much better this way in my experience.


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.