keeping herbs fresh

I am sure you are familiar with this problem too: The recipe calls for parsley (or another herb). Usually I buy a small bundle of parsley at the organic store where it sits in a glass of water. But most recipes don't use a WHOLE bundle of parsley. So I can either freeze the remaining parsley, or, if I know that I will need it again within the next few days, I want to keep it in the fridge. Now there are various options for this: the plastic bag, the cling film made of plastic, aluminum foil ... The main problem with any food stored in the refrigerator is that it will dry out. So the simple solution would be to put the parsley in a glass of water and put it in the fridge. But already after 1 day it is clear: the leaves evaporate water and the parsley wilts.

Keeping parsley fresh with a wet paper towel

So instead of placing the parsley into a glass of water, just bring the water directly to the leaves (without drowning them). We watered kitchen paper and wrapped it around the parsley: Since we want to turn our backs on plastic foil and aluminum foil, we put the wrapped parsley, together with a plate it sits on, in the fridge. (Alternatively, you could put the parsley, wrapped in paper towels,in a glass bowl or a plastic (!) container, but that means, that you better have plenty of space so that cheese, leftovers, cold cuts, cut fruit and vegetables, yogurt,... all can be accommodated. )

Parsley wrapped in beeskin

At the same time, we pack the parsley, also wrapped in wet kitchen paper, in beeskin. Since the parsley is now folded flat and space-saving, it can be placed directly in the vegetable compartment. Granted, it took 5 days before I needed the parsley again since my cooking plans had changed again.

And what is the conclusion?

The parsley, which was wrapped in a wet cloth on the plate, unfortunately did not make it into the dinner. It is (clear, after 5 days refrigerator), despite wet cloth, withered, the cloth is dried up. There definitively was some excitement on how the parsley packed in beeskin would look. Because after all, it could also be that the parsley is not withered, but maybe moldy or mushy - so a bit like compost? Not even close. The cloth is not really that wet anymore, but the parsley looks like on the first day. I did not have to remove a single leaf and the dinner was delicious.

Beeskin protects food from drying out, but still lets it breathe. As a result, I did not have mushy, moldy parsley porridge when I opened the beeskin packet after 5 days in the vegetable compartment.