In a fit of absolute panic yesterday morning, the weather gods warned us that a frost might hit last night. My first thought wasn't about the heaters not being ready for action, not about if my kids have sweaters ready, but - I need to go pick basil and tomatoes at the farm before they all wither away to black mush!
Before too long, I headed out and filled a huge fabric bag with lovely oval tomatoes that don't ever seem to split of go bad. (This means I have a few days before I need to process them for the freezer.) I filled the bag's pocket with orange cherry and yellow pear tomatoes as I passed by that row.
On to the herbs and I stocked up on parsley and cilantro. Both will go into a homemade bouillon recipe I found while browsing 101 Cookbooks. I'm hoping to pick more parsley to dry as well.
Sweet basil is all over the place now and I gathered up as much as I could fit on top of the tomatoes. Just ONE more round of pesto to freeze before it's too late!
But right next to the sweet basil was a gorgeous row of purple & green thai basil. Dammit, I can't leave it behind and I gather up a couple of handfuls, determined to make it into a pesto as well.
And a herb I don't usually use: tarragon. I cut sprigs of that fragrant plant to dry. Next to that was rosemary - the easiest herb to dry of all.
My spice larder will soon be completely loaded up with the delicious flavors of summer that I can take with me into the deep recesses of winter cooking.
Now, on to thinking up a thai basil pesto recipe...
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