Infinity Jars™ keep herbs fresh and flavorful.
It’s time again to start planning this year’s herb garden. Herbs are the perfect plants if you don’t have much garden space or if you want a low-maintenance garden. Most herbs grow quickly, can be added to salads and entrées when fresh, and can be frozen or dried to use all year long.
Grow Your Own Herbs
Growing your own herbs saves LOTS of money – those little jars at the grocery store are expensive! – and allows you greater variety. Every year I grow at least one kind of basil, lemon balm, borage, and mint. Last year I added lemon grass and this year I will be growing lovage and chervil – two herbs that I love but can never find. See how to plan your own herb theme garden here.
Herbs grow abundantly, so you will probably want to dry some for winter cooking or homemade tea mixes. Quickly dry herbs in a food dehydrator or hang in a dark place until dry. Since I live in an arid environment, I often spread herbs in a large shallow basket and place it on the deck. By the time the sun gets around to that side of the house, the herbs are dried.
Dried herbs are convenient in the cupboard, but they can quickly lose their potency. That’s why dried herbs should be stored in low light. Placed in a closet or cupboard is good. Stored in colored glass is better. Kept in ultra-violet glass like these Infinity Jars™ Apothecary Jars is best. The ultra-violet light will keep my herbs extra pungent this year. I can’t wait!
What Are Infinity Jars™?
Infinity Jars™ are premium, imported glass jars that are airtight, light filtering, lightproof, and attractive too. Although you can’t really tell from the above photo, the jars are a dark, beautiful purple color.
There are over 70 different jar styles – a few weeks ago I posted about the lovely oil bottle – and they can be used to store food products, oils, ointments, and just about anything else.
Why Should I Use Infinity Jars?
Light causes anti-oxidants (vitamins) to break down, so dried herbs in a clear glass jar on the grocery shelf have already lost much of their nutritive value. Light also causes foods to lose their taste (same breakdown process) and body creams and butters to go rancid (ditto). It’s the same reason why red wine comes in dark bottles, and why home canned goods should be stored in a dark place.
So it’s best to get those precious, delicate herbs into an ultra-violet jar as soon as possible!
Infinity Jars™ don’t let ultra-violet light in, keeping items fresh much longer than you would expect. Longer than anything stored in a green or amber bottle, longer than anything stored in a clear bottle, and certainly longer than anything stored in plastic.
If you are going to purchase or grow healthy foodstuffs, why wouldn’t you store them in a healthy manner?
Full disclosure: The Infinity Jars™ company was kind enough to provide me with this apothecary jar free of charge.
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