Fresh Herbs Abound in the Farmers Market

This Saturday from 11:30-1:30 our Chef in Residence will be cooking up three delicious dishes with fresh herbs.

We caught up with Chef Chris to ask: what’s the big difference between fresh and dried herbs?

He told us, “Fresh herbs are less intense than dried herbs and have a flavor and aroma that their dried counterparts just can’t match.”  Why such a difference? “Herbs lose most of the essential oils that make up the flavor profile in the drying process. Also, dried herbs stale quickly. Chances are the dried herbs bought in a grocery store are stale even before you buy them, despite the sealed containers.”  What about nutrition content?  “The health benefits of herbs are naturally higher when fresh than after they have been dried.”

Chef Chris will be showing you how to use fresh herbs in three new recipes this Saturday—stop by and see!  All the herbs in these recipes are available as plants in our Garden Center –you can’t get any fresher than that! Make sure to take a walk through the greenhouse to pick up some herb plants after the demo. The recipes will be available in next week’s email update.