Question about a weird tip for keeping herbs fresh

My first head chef in Austin told me to store cilantro with the stems in a cup of water, like flowers, and cover the leaves with a plastic bag. I thought it was a waste of time until I tried it last month and my cilantro stayed crisp for over a week. What other old-school kitchen tricks actually work that well?

2 comments

2 Comments

riverwhite1mo ago

That "waste of time" line got me, I was the same with putting a damp paper towel over cut onions. Felt silly until my eyes stopped burning.

riley9561mo ago

Wait, does the damp paper towel thing actually work? I saw some article ages ago that said it's the sulfur compounds hitting your eyes, and a wet towel nearby might trap some of them. Honestly, I just started using a really sharp knife and it made a huge difference. Something about crushing the cells less.