From homemade pesto to caprese salad to infused water, basil is a quintessential culinary accoutrement. But as wonderful as this herb is, it’s also a pain in the butt. After a day or two in the fridge, it's usually brown and wilted. Luckily, we discovered a trick for prolonging its shelf life. Follow these simple steps and you'll have fresh basil for up to two weeks.
What you need: Kitchen shears, a glass or mason jar and a plastic bag (Ziploc or grocery bags work fine).
What you do: Trim the bottoms of the basil stems under running water (just like you would with flowers). Put the bunch in a glass of water, then drape a plastic bag loosely over the leaves. Leave it out on your countertop.
Why you do it: It’s not exactly as chic as a bouquet of peonies, but this arrangement allows the basil to breathe (it enables the plant to release the ethylene gas that usually causes the leaves to shrivel and brown) while keeping a humid environment inside the plastic bag. It's almost like a mini greenhouse. Oh, and an extra bonus—it makes your kitchen smell amazing.
