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Where can I find "Cajun Chef"
products in Fort Lauderdale? I am looking specifically
for their spicy pickled green beans. CB |
I'm not sure of a
location near you, but I did find
the beans on the Cajun Grocer website. I've ordered
from them in the past and think they do a good job.
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When a recipe ingredient mentions
half spoon mustard, how do I know which one they mean,
the sauce or the powder? NH |
Generally, when a recipe
calls for the powder, they specify "dry mustard."
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Hello, I have a question and I
can't find an answer anywhere on the web. Is it safe to
freeze canned poppyseed? I made a poppyseed cake for the
first time and used only half the can of poppyseed. I
put the rest in a plastic container and put it in the
freezer. That was about a month ago. I heard poppyseed
can turn rancid, so I would like to know if it is safe
to freeze the canned poppyseed. Thank you so much for
your help. JA |
Seems to me it would be okay
to freeze the filling alone since I wouldn't hesitate to
freeze a cake or bread that I made with it. Poppy seeds
do go rancid quickly sometimes and a good way to prevent
that is by keeping them in the freezer.
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I am growing sweet basil
indoors in buffalo NY.
I have a full spectrum t5 bulb with a open ended plastic
tent covering it to keep in the heat. I keep the bulb on
16hrs and off 8 hrs.The plants are growing and very
sturdy with good color and taste but: the leaves are
small and tight together. How can I get the plant taller
with bigger leaves? RM |
I'm thinking maybe you have
a variety of globe basil which has small leaves and
maintains a low-growing habit.
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Hi. I had a nice rosemary plant
growing over the summer, brought it in the house as
winter approached and it died in the house. I've been
cooking with the dried leaves off the dead plant as I
would normal dried rosemary. Is it bad to eat the
dead leaves or is it basically the same as normal dried
herbs? Thanks BD |
Considering that we
basically kill the branch that we snip from the plant, I
think you're right that it is like other dried herbs.
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I have a rosemary bush on a
barrier island off the coast of NC. It’s about 5 ft
tall, however ˝ of it is dead or has no leaves and is
brown. I have never pruned it . It is in sand. An ole
farmer told me to prune it back to the ground. Is he
correct? B |
I don't know if you have to
prune it all back. I would start with just pruning out
the dead branches.
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Can't find savory, need something
to substitute it with. AFT |
You would probably have good
success with either rosemary or thyme. It kind of
depends on what you are cooking.
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I have recipet that calls for a
half cup of fresh fennel. How much of ground or fennel
seeds do I use? RN |
This conversion doesn't
work very well because your recipe is looking for a
vegetable, not a spice. I suppose you could try it, if
you wanted, by using maybe a half teaspoon of the seeds.
Find more on the subject of fennel at "All
About Fennel."
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Is the caraway a health
seasoning? What is it good for? JB |
Caraway has long been
thought to aide digestion. I checked the
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's informative pages on
using botanicals for healing and they didn't even
have it listed.
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Hi, I have a basil plant that
was growing so nicely for over a year now. Couple months
ago the leaves started to turn yellow, but it was (is)
growing new ones that was green, so I wasn't concerned.
Couple weeks ago I noticed some kind of sticky substance
on it and spots of grayish fury like something. Almost
like mice-fur. The plant looks like is is dieing. :( I
have no clue what to do to save my plant. Please advise
me! Thanks VKG |
Your description makes me
think you have a bad case of downy mildew, a fungal
disease. The spores are not usually associated with a
stickiness, however, so you may also have some sort of
pest involved.
Might be time to go shopping for a new plant.
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What a lovely site. I wasn't
expecting that when I decided to Google a question about
storing herbs! My question is whether herbs need to be
in 'air tight' containers. I currently use old baby
jars, glass with metal screw top lid. I want to use
lovely little ceramic jars with lids that just rest on
the top - well they fit into a slight drop in the neck
of the jars?? I suppose the answer may be to put less in
each time from master storage?? But just wondered if
they keep fresh the same. I know you can buy wooden
boxes for herb with just a drop on lid - my French
sister in law has one. Many thanks. TH |
Tightly closed and in the
dark is the preferred method for storing herbs. I think
your ceramic jars would be fine for short-term storage
to keep them handy for cooking. Like you say, just
portion out what you think you'll need in the near
future and keep the rest in your jars.
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I have large quantities of Tumeric which needs to be dried before use. Can you
suggest what is the best way? Thanks RR |
Thanks for asking. I had
no idea so it was interesting to learn of the curing
process. I found
this great article on Turmeric Post Harvest.
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Does anyone know where to find
saffron for tea in Rhode Island? EE |
Spice shops and well-stocked
supermarkets should have saffron with the other spices.
It is a very expensive. Some retailers may keep it in a
safe or behind the counter so it would behoove you to
ask.
|
Hi there, I recently harvested
and dried on jute string in a sunny window my Thai red chillies. When I went to bag them up I realized some of
them were going pale brown to black in some cases, but
still dry. Are they still good to use or
am I throwing half my crop out? Thanks K. |
While some chiles do come
very dark when dried, I did a Google image search of
"dried Thai red chiles" and it seems that they remain a
bright red. You know what I would do? Take some of them
to a Thai restaurant and ask the chef what he thinks.
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I live in Eastern Pennsylvania. My
established in-ground Rosemary crop looks brown and dead
at the bottom of the plants, like it is dead from lack
of water. But many of the branches have green and alive
top section (maybe 3 inches of the top) are alive while
rest of branch looks brown and dead. We have had very
bad summer weather. First, two months of extreme heat
and drought and then a month of extreme record setting
rain. Do you think all these plants are dead from a
disease/blight, or are suffering from weather? Is there
anyway to save them if only the tops remain green with
whole sections are brown and dead-looking? I have
managed to winter over these plants for three or four
years now, even in zone 6. This is very devastating.
Please help. DDB |
Rosemary is a rugged plant
and it sounds like yours is bouncing back after a rough
summer. I would leave it be for now, any sort of
trimming may stimulate tender growth that would be at
risk in the cold, and then evaluate the plants in the
spring.
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I have a young chive plant that
has small black pods on the tips of some of the stems. I
have no Idea what they are. Help. Thanks KCR |
My first thought is that
your plant is about to bloom. Chive flower buds are
usually pink or purple, though, so it may be some sort
of insect. I suggest you take it to a garden center or
your local Master Gardeners' office for an
identification.
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Hello! My husband has grown a big
beautiful basil plant out front in a pot that sits on a
tall stand. Recently, a white thick web looking
substance has started growing on the stems. Do you know
what this is? Will this kill the plant? Lowes told us it
was some kind of bug and recommended a product but that
did not work. Please help! What can we do to get rid of
the white stuff? CY |
You might look into webworms
or spider mites to see if that could be what it is.
Oftentimes, just a strong spray of water will take care
of a pest infestation. I think that's always the best,
safest way to start the battle.
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How do you tell expiration
dates on your spice jar? JB |
In the last couple of years
some spice producers have begun to put "best by" dates
on their jars, but spices don't really go bad so many
companies don't bother. Poppy seeds and sesame seeds are
an exception in that they will go rancid. One good whiff
is all you need to be able to tell if they have gone
bad. It's a very acrid aroma.
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I'm never sure what is meant when
a recipe calls for one shallot. Most I buy have
two or more cloves....when a recipe calls for one
shallot does that mean 1 clove or the entire bulb? GP |
In my mind, one shallot is a
single clove that when minced would equal about a
Tablespoon. They do vary so much in size it is helpful
when a recipe writer specifies an amount rather than a
number.
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I have made several mustards and a
few have turned out very runny. How can I thicken them
up? GB |
Sounds like too much liquid
so one option might be to prepare the same recipe with
less liquid and then combine the two.
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How much habenero sauce can be
substituted for the actual peppers in a raspberry/habenero
jam recipe that also calls for green sweet and red sweet
peppers and fresh raspberries. Thanks SH |
I wasn't sure this was a good
substitution until I checked Yvonne Tremblay's
250 Home Preserving Favorites: From Jams and Jellies to Marmalades and Chutneys. She
writes that you can use dried chiles in place of fresh
as well as use hot pepper sauce to "turn up the heat."
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I live in South Louisiana. Will a
bay tree grow down here? CS |
I should think it would
thrive. Bay laurels can't tolerate the cold but I don't
think your climate would pose any problem.
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If a US recipe says gum, what is
it? KB |
I suppose it could refer to
some sort of gum additive that is used as a thickener or
stabilizer, but I should think they would specify which
one. I am aware of gum arabic, guar gum and xanthan gum;
some cooks are using them in vegan and gluten-free cooking.
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When a recipe calls for a sprig
of ? can you sub. the same thing that is dried? I hate
going to the store and buying 3 or 4 different herbs and
using
very little of any of it. And how do you determine how
much to use? Thanks, SK |
This is such a common
question to our inbox and there are so many variables
that it is difficult to answer definitively. Sprigs are
meant to be removed before serving and since the herbs
aren't chopped, less of the flavor is being dispersed.
Therefore, we would want to use a lighter hand with the
more potent dried herb. As for making the substitution,
we need to think about how much fresh herb we would have
if we stripped the leaves from the stem. Very, very
generally, we could say that if we took the leaves from
a 6-inch sprig, we would probably have about a
tablespoon. (This of course would vary from plant to
plant.) So to substitute the dried counterpart we would
use one teaspoon, but given the first point, we might
want to make it more like three-quarters of a teaspoon.
From here, we would do what more recipes suggest at the
end: Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
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Is whole allspice a good
substitute for cloves? SG |
I think it is.
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I have a bay laurel tree and this
year it has purple berries. What can I use them for?
Thanks TS |
Bay berries are usually
pressed for oil to be used as a food additive or in
cosmetics. I can't find a single reference for cooking
with them so I can't recommend it.
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Where can I find Colman's
original English mustard? I am in Springfield, Missouri. Dillons, Harter House, or our local Akins Natural foods
didn't have it. help! or what can I substitute for it?
I am making Beef Wellington, and want to try with the
ingredients it calls for. Thanks BP |
You can certainly find it
online at
Amazon.com
and other places. While many people consider
Colman's to be the best, I'm sure other English-style
mustards would be acceptable as a substitute. English
mustards are distinctive in that they are made of a
combination of white and brown mustard seeds.
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Pre-minced garlic often starts out
with a rather mild flavor, but bought in quart sizes it
will abruptly take on a dramatically intensified aroma
after a few weeks in use. I find this preferable, and
have almost never had a problem with spoilage - if
spoilage implies mold. As a precaution, I tend to cook
the more aromatic garlic by adding it to recipes
earlier. The jars typically contain phosphoric acid as a
preservative and remain refrigerated. Just what is
happening to cause such intensification of aroma, and
might it cause any problem? Thank you. RK |
|
I'm no scientist, but I
would guess that it is the allicin, a sulfuric compound
in garlic, breaking down with the introduction of air
into the jar. Be sure to keep an eye on the expiration
date. Or, more preferable to me, use fresh cloves
instead.
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Hi, I was hoping you could help
me. I have begun to grow basil for the first time.
Basically all I did was open a packet of seeds and throw
them into a flower pot that’s about 20cm wide/round. The
seeds have germinated and have started to grow into
about 1cm high little stems. So now when I look into the
flower pot all I see is green (which is the large amount
of stems with little leaves growing off them). My
questions is, can I just leave it how it is and continue
to grow it in this pot or am I supposed to separate the
stems and grow each one separately? I’m afraid that if I
separate them they will all die. I hope someone can help
me. AD |
Now is the time to start
"thinning out" the plants. This means you need to pull
out some of the sprouts (they are edible) to give the
remaining plants room to grow. Sounds like you have way
too many in there right now so you will want to be sort
of ruthless. I would pull out as many as necessary to
leave about 15 in the pot. Later, you will want to
narrow it down even more to about 5, after you see which
ones are the healthiest.
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I am hang drying my first ever
harvest of jalapeno peppers, hanging them both
outside and also in a window. The first batch of 6 had
one that looked like it
had lost a section of the green and turned kind of cream
color on that strip,
but it seems to be drying ok. The 2nd batch of 6 that I
just started a week ago
are all losing the green and turning this weird cream
color instead of red. Any
idea what is causing this and will the peppers still dry
ok? Thanks CW |
This doesn't seem right to
me at all. Once picked, green peppers won't turn red
because this is part of the ripening process, but I
don't think they should be turning this color that you
describe either. Makes me wonder if it is some sort of
deterioration because the peppers aren't drying quickly
enough. You might want to see if you can find a
food-preservation expert, check with your local
extension office, to find out more.
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I love to mince garlic and fry in
olive oil until golden. It is crunchy and good on shrimp
etc. But, sometimes it is too bitter. What can I do to
keep the bitterness down? thanks ACC |
Garlic tastes bitter when it
is burnt. There is a fine line between golden and burned
so it's best to watch it carefully. You also want to
mince it as uniformly as possible. It could be that
while the garlic is golden as a whole, smaller pieces
are burning and turning bitter.
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I have a jar of imported capers
that I purchased several years ago. My question is: are
they still good or should I throw them away? The only
markings on it for expiration is N 2 A 8 141 and under
that is CAPOTE 07:12. MF |
Three years is probably
about the maximum shelf life to ensure good quality but
there are several "ifs" to consider. That is, if they
are packed in brine, rather than salt-packed, and if
they have not been opened. Capote refers to the larger
caper, as opposed to the smaller non-pareil type.
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First, nice web site! Glad I
found it. Can you help me with a canning recipe for
Jalapeno pepper slices (and other peppers of that type)
that give the peppers a sweet taste? I purchased a jar
recently made by the Amish and I love the sweet taste
they have along with the "heat". Thank for your help! LH |
I did a search for Amish
sweet pepper pickles and came up with
this recipe for Pickled Sweet Peppers. I have not
prepared it so I can't vouch for the flavor but it
sounds similar to what you're seeking. You might also
check your library for Amish cookbooks. They would
probably have a wide variety of recipes for something
similar.
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Can the contents of a fresh
herbal tea bag be used in place of a spice, for ex. if I
do not have any fresh ginger could I use the contents of
a ginger tea bag? I am talking about quality teas, like Tazo, Traditional Medicinals, etc. Just curious. My
sister gave me some licorice tea and it has a wonderful
aroma and I think it might go well in a dish I plan to
make. Thanks, JS |
You can certainly use tea in
cooking. I have a recipe for Green Tea Cupcakes in my
new book
Spiced Right, as
well as a sidebar called Tea as an Herb? I'm not sure if
tea would make an acceptable substitute for an herb or
spice from a strength point of view. Fresh ginger would
have a much stronger taste than the dried ginger in a
tea bag. It's a very interesting idea that would make
for fun experiments.
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I have just bought a house
surrounded by established beds with a variety of local
plants [Houston, TX] I was delighted to find a rosemary
bush tucked in with all the other stuff. My teen has
already used it in one dish [lamb chops] with satisfying
results. Tonight I went to cut some for the pork chops,
and notice a sticky feel to my fingers, and pine-like
smell. Seems I have the “pine-scented” variety. However,
upon closer inspection, I find the leaves appear to be
‘dusted’ with a whitish or whitish-yellow substance. It
does not brush off or scrape off easily. Is this the
mildew I have read about on the web? Or perhaps
spider-mites? Or something else I don’t know about. My
plant knowledge is limited and my reputation with plants
in general is dismal. What do you think it is? Will it
hurt the plant...or me if I eat the rosemary? How to get
rid of it? Thank you very much, AM |
Rosemary generally has
that pine scent and is somewhat sticky, however, the
condition you describe is most likely powdery mildew. It
is a fungal disease caused by lack of air circulation
and/or hot, dry weather. The
Colorado State University Extension Office provides a
good online article about the subject. Personally, I
don't think I would eat the rosemary until the condition
has cleared up.
|
Hi, I have mint growing in a
pot a bought from my supermarket, and after about 3
months it has been growing bulb like white fluffy tops.
Should I cut them off, the other leaves are very small
now.
thanks VB |
Your plants are beginning to
flower, a natural part of their life cycle. You could
trim them off, if you wish, to stimulate more foliage
growth.
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Our fennel plant does not have a
bulb. It looks more like a root. Is this a different
type? If so, what are its uses? B3 |
Apparently you have what
is known as Leaf Fennel rather than the bulbing type.
Your plant is used for its anise-like foliage and seed
production. My Johnny's Seeds catalog says the leaves
and stems should be harvested before plants begin to
flower and that the roots are edible in the first year
before flowering. Read more about both types in the
article "All About Fennel."
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I have been given dried basil
which has leaves at the bottom then seed leaf pods at
the top...I am thinking I just use the leaves at the
bottom and not the stem or seeds. DR |
I think I would go with just
the leaves as well, but you could taste the seed pods
and, if they have good flavor, would be edible as well.
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I don't have cinnamon sticks to
use in my pickled beets that I am canning. Can I
substitute ground cinnamon? LK |
You got me really curious
about this so I looked around at many different sources.
I came up with different reasons not to make this
substitution: 1) Ground spices will discolor canning
liquids and sometimes the pickles themselves. 2) Most
recipes call for cooking the whole spices in the brine
and then removing them. 3) Ground cinnamon is
potentially less potent than sticks (depending on how
long it has been ground) so it would be very difficult
to adjust the measurements to get the desired flavor.
But, like I always say, I'm no canning expert so I would
be happy to be corrected or amended.
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I have a jalapeno plant that has
been doing great but today I noticed a white hair like
growth (about one inch long) growing on the back side of
the leaves. What could this be and is it safe to eat the
jalapenos? Please help! SR |
Yikes, sounds very odd and
I'm guessing fungal. Better take a sample to an expert
in your area, like Master Gardeners or a professional
nursery, just to be sure the peppers are safe.
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I have a new Bay tree in a 6” pot
and wonder when is the best time to prune it? I would
like a bushy plant rather than a tall tree. It is on a
balcony in Victoria, Canada. Thank you DM |
You can prune a bay at just
about any time of the year. They are fairly slow growers
so you might want to wait until it reaches the height
you prefer and then snip from the top first. This will
encourage more bushy growth.
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My boyfriend's aunt used to
make her own Zatar blend and no one has been able to
recreate the mix since she passed away. We still have
some of her recipe. Are there any companies that break
down the ratios and ingredients in spice mixtures? It's
a much loved family recipe, so I'm trying to figure out
how to recreate it. Thanks! Your site is great. AA |
This is fun detective
work. I came up with
ABC Research Corporation's website. They bill
themselves as "problem solvers." If they can't help you,
maybe they could point you in the right direction.
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I bought some Pimento Especial
and Picante spices when in Spain. Have you any good
recipes to use them in? JE |
Chances are good that
these are both paprika, one of them hot (picante). Find
out why and more about the spice at "All
About Paprika."
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|
Hi I was wondering if you could
help me indentify what's going on with my lavender plant
and my peppermint plant. I'm not sure what's going on
with the lavender plant but I believe what is going on
with the peppermint plant is rust. It's kinda brown
orange spots but it's just not on the bottom of the
leaves. I don't want to get a new plant so what can i do
in order to save it? Last time i used an incenctical *
soap it made my plant taste nasty, is there anything I
can do about that? It also appears that my lavender is
not flowering yet I believe its called silver or Spanish
lavender (all my other lavender are already flowering).
NM |
Mint plants are prone to
rust, which is a fungal disease. Insecticidal soap is
used to kill bugs so it would have no impact on rust.
The best way to prevent rust is to make sure the plants
have good air circulation and avoid wetting the leaves
when watering. If you have a large infestation, you
might want to cut the plant to the ground and see if it
will grow back rust-free. Some lavenders don't bloom in
the first year or bloom later than others. Overfertilizing can also result in more foliage and
fewer flowers.
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|
Hello! I have a spearmint plant
that has been growing on my western window sill. (We
also have a lot of trees in our yard, so it does not get
much direct sun.) For a while it did all right, but the
leaves have always been very small. It tends to shoot up
long stems with small leaves space far apart. Lately
some stems have been dying. What do you suppose it
needs? MG |
Generally, when plants
become "leggy" it is because they are reaching for
light. While mint does well in partial shade, maybe
yours is too much in the dark.
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Can you tell me what pepper I
can use if I cannot find Habanero Peppers. I am trying
to make Jerk Chicken and have not been able to find the
3 Habaneros I need. Thank you. LS |
You would probably have
good luck in finding serrano chile peppers, as most
supermarkets seem to carry them. They aren't nearly as
hot as Habaneros, however, so you might want to use more
than three.
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Hi I have today pick my
fresh turmeric from the garden. There is far too much to
use in the short term. What is best method for storing?
SLY |
You might want to check with
other growers in your area. I've never grown it but it
is so similar to ginger, I would handle it in the same
way. Lately I've learned that the best way to hold
ginger in the refrigerator is unwrapped in the vegetable
bin.
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|
I was looking over some
German/winter thyme that I planted a few months ago and
noticed that a couple of the thicker sprigs have begun
rooting. They look almost runners, but I can't find any
mention of the plant doing this normally. The thyme
shares a raised bed with several other herbs; it's
already about 18 inches across and I'm worried it might
crowd the other plants out if it spreads much further.
Should I transplant these "runners" elsewhere, or do you
think the plant will more or less stay put? Thanks. CP |
I don't think your plant
will get much bigger than it is. I've noticed that my
thyme has a tendency to root this way as well. You could
snip them off and transplant if you want, otherwise
you'll have two plants side by side.
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When should fresh herbs be
added when cooking? HN |
It's best to add fresh herbs
near the end of the cooking time. You can also get a
nice balance of flavor by adding half of your fresh
herbs early in the cooking and then adding the rest at
the end.
|
|
We have juniper berry trees. How
do we dry them? MB |
After you make absolute
sure that you have an edible juniper, some are
poisonous, and you have read "All
About Juniper Berries," to make sure you are able to
eat them, the best way to dry the ripened berries would
be to spread them out on a screen and allow them to dry
in the sun. The screen is for good air circulation so be
sure to put it in a spot where the air can circulate.
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|
I have mint drying in a dark
closet but the leaves are turning brown. Is this common.
When I dry my catnip doesn't turn brown it stays green.
Am I doing it the wrong way to dry mint. Any help in dry
mint would be appreciated. TIA S |
I looked at the peppermint
from my garden that I have dried and noticed that the
leaves are purple on one side and stayed green on the
other. If you are drying your mint in the same way you
dried the catnip, I'm thinking maybe it is a problem
with the mint leaves to begin with. Perhaps they didn't
dry quickly enough in the beginning and actually died
before the process began. You might want to try a new
batch and see if you get similar results.
|
Hi there! My son and I both buy
basil plants from the grocery store. Mine thrive for
months on end, but his always develop brownish and
silvery streaks on the leaves and die quickly. I'm
house-sitting for
him now and closely examined his latest plant. When I
shook it, loads of tiny grey/brown bugs fell off. They
do not fly and are almost microscopically small. These
have to be the source of the problem,
but why does he have them and can he get rid if them?
His nearby parsley and thyme plants may have the same
problem. Many thanks! A, London, England |
It is difficult to identify
a problem without seeing it in person. I recommend that
you take the plant, bugs and all, to a local nursery or
greenhouse where an expert can give you good advice.
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|
I was given quite a bit of
chocolate mint stems which I’m using for sun tea and
also drying for future use. There are a number of small
blossoms on the stems. Can you steep the blossoms along
with the leaves or will they adversely affect the taste?
I just found your site today and have really enjoyed it!
Thanks so much! LL |
Mint flowers are edible and
I don't think they would make any sort of impact on the
flavor of your tea.
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|
Hi this is a great site, very
helpful, I was wondering if there is a way for me to
keep fresh dill weed from my garden, till I am ready to
can my pickles, I was looking into freezing it, but will
it loose it taste when I am ready to can? LN |
I'm not sure how long it
would last but you might try cutting it and keeping in a
glass of water like you would do with a bouquet of
flowers. Dill doesn't seem like a good candidate for
freezing but you could give it a try with a small amount
and see what you think.
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I love Morton's chili blend,
but I am having real problems finding it online to
order. Where can I find this? MAC |
Hmmm, I thought I found
it a couple of times but everyone seems to be out of
stock. Amazon.com lists it for sale but currently
unavailable. They do have a sign-up sheet so they can
alert you when it does come in.
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I was recently at the west coast
and had delicious pickles that I would like to make....I
need oil of cinnamon and oil of cloves but in Winnipeg
Manitoba Canada no one seems to carry the
products....Any suggestions as to where I could purchase
these oils, or are there any substitutes
available?...Thanking you in advance. DT |
Have you checked the
health food and/or craft stores? I looked at the
Canadian version of Amazon.com and both are available
there as well.
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Hello Apinchof, I need to have
some knowledge about growing thyme here in my country
because I am desperately want to use it as fresh. I have
small thyme here from seeds and it grow about 5 inches.
But when I take it out around 8 in the morning it
suddenly wilted a little bit and under its leaf
displayed a purple color. Is it because its very humid
here in the Philippines? If i place it in a shady part
of my garden, is it okay? And I am also concerned about
the rainy days here.. what should i do? Hoping for your
reply and I love your site so much. Thanks Truly, EC |
I really enjoy fresh thyme
too. Sometimes plants need to be "hardened off" as they
transition from an early life indoors to an outdoor
environment. If it's not too late you can do this by
exposing it to just a bit more, say half an hour, of sun
each day. Thyme likes full sun and not too much water.
It needs to be in a pot of sandy soil with good
drainage. If possible you might want to put it in a
place where it gets plenty of sunshine but is protected
from the rains.
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Hi, hope you can answer my
question. For the first time I've managed to grow
something! I've got a few Thai basil plants grown from
seed and they've been doing well until now (4 months old
approx) I may have been overwatering sometimes, as the
leaves had turned greyish/speckled in the past- now
they've all turned like this, but I found very tiny/
brown/rusty coloured bugs on all the leaves-how can I
get rid of them, or is it too late? (the plants have
been kept indoors) I have'nt treated them yet with
anything. Thanks (I live in Spain, if that's a help) ES |
Congratulations on your
initial success. Now I have homework for you. I suspect
the grayish speckling may be downy mildew and the bugs
are aphids but you must do the research to see if I am
correct. An easy way to do this is go to
Google Images and put in your search words. Tons of
photos you can compare will pop up and you can follow
the correct one to websites that will help you decide
how to treat the problems.
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Hello! Are there any herbs or
spices that can be stored in a salt & pepper shaker
(besides salt and pepper) and still retain their
freshness? Thanks! JS |
This is a good idea that
would work with any spice you use frequently and that
will fit through the shaker holes. You might want to
fill them only half way to keep the bulk of the spice
container at peak freshness.
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What can I substitute for cardamom
in my berry pie? LS |
I
am especially fond of cinnamon with berries, but I'll
bet a light touch of nutmeg or allspice would also be
nice.
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My wife and I love cinnamon but no
matter how much dry cinnamon we use in pancakes we can
never taste it. We mix it with other dry ingredients,
then add the liquid to the dry to make our batter. Do
you have any suggestions? Thanks, LM |
Take a tip from Indian
cookery and put the cinnamon in your melting butter.
Many spices "bloom" when toasted or added to hot fat.
Allow the cinnamon-butter to cool before adding to the
batter.
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I planted basil with chives
rosemary and mint, please advise, thanks for your great
information. CM |
It's the rosemary you'll
need to worry about in this mix. The other three plants
like more water than rosemary does so watch that it
doesn't get "wet feet."
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I live in California and have
grown basil before, this year my lovely, bushy basil
plant has been infected by a leaf miner. My question is,
can I eat the leaves with the squiggly line damage??? I
don’t see any bugs or anything on the leaves… I washed
the leaves and pinched of some of the more unappetizing
ones. But a lot of the leaves still have the squiggly
lines and I want to use them. What is the answer???
Thank you! MB |
I wouldn't eat them. The leafminers make those tunnels as a place to lay their
eggs. The larvae emerge after a couple of weeks and get
into the soil. I just think that makes the tunneled
leaves rather unappetizing.
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I am trying to make a natural
repellant for insects. In one of my recipes it uses
garlic powder. My question is, how long is garlic powder
good for if it is used as a repellant? How often should
I change the garlic powder that is used outside the
container to be effective as a repellant? VN |
Seems to me that as long as
the garlic powder is good for eating (that is, still has
a strong scent) it would serve well as a repellent, too.
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Dear A Pinch Of... I own a raw
foods deli and I was wondering is mint worth juicing or
will it just be a waste of time? M |
I like this idea. From
what I can gather after a quick look around the net is
that success depends largely on your juicer. Seems to me
if you can juice wheatgrass, you could juice other leafy
herbs. If you can't get just the mint leaves to make it
through maybe you could add them along with other fruits
and vegetables that mint would complement.
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Can you tell me what the yield
would be from 1 pound small fresh chilies to dehydrated?
Thank you! NA |
I couldn't come up with an
exact answer especially since each vegetable gives a
different yield. Cornell University does tell us that 25
pounds of fresh veggies will result in 3 to 6 pounds
dried. I'll let you do the math.
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Hi, There is an herb that is
used widely in Mexico called "epasote" which is used in
cooking beans and in quesadillas. What is that name of
this herb in English please. Thank you. EGdA |
Most people say epazote
although there are many other terms for the plant as
well. See the article "All
About Epazote" for more information.
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Hello, I'm American but reside in
Egypt. Will blueberries grow in SAND? Also, I'd love to
plant coriander, basil, mint, etc, will they thrive in
sand? What spices would you recommend for such soil?
Many thanks, CJ |
Most plants enjoy a sandy
loam so if you work some compost into the sand you will
probably have more success than straight sand. I think
you would better try woody herbs like rosemary or
tarragon, even lavender, rather than the tender leaf
ones you mention. It certainly couldn't hurt to try to
grow whatever you want. If they fail, then you'll know.
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Hi. By looking at the shape,
texture, structure, 'colour', growth pattern, etc. of
the mint plant that we've been given; How would we know
which type it is? I'm 100% certain it's either
peppermint or spearmint; but how to be sure! We would
appreciate any info. CJ |
Mints can be confusing. The
best key to determining whether you have peppermint or
spearmint is the color of the flowers. Peppermint has
purple blossoms while spearmint flowers are white or
pink. I've also noticed that the peppermint I grow has
much darker green leaves than spearmint does.
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Can you tell me what would chop
off basil plants about 1/4" above the soil, but not eat
the plant? My basil plants were doing wonderfully one
day and the next they were lying on the ground! This
also happened to to my cilantro plant and four small vitex plants - but the entire plants went missing. These
plants are all potted. It looks like they were cut with
a razor. Thanks! NM Great website! |
Sounds like the work of
cutworms, however, I'm surprised that they would be in a
potted plant. Do some research on the subject and if you
agree, you might want to treat or discard that soil as
they pupate in soil so they are probably still in there.
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Hello, I just purchased and
planted a rather big Italian basil plant. Today I made
pesto (same recipe I always use) but it is very bitter.
Is there a way I can sweeten the pesto so it's not
bitter? Is there anything I can do to the plant to take
the bitterness away? Thank you, LC |
The general consensus is
that basil leaves get bitter as the plant ages. I don't
think there's any way to change the plant, some
varieties are more bitter than others. You might try
adding just a pinch of sugar to the pesto that you make
from it.
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Is it best to steep mint in
water or can you just soak the leaves in water in the
refrigerator? PGG |
It is best to introduce heat
to the liquid when you want to infuse the flavor of
herbs.
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I have a recipe that calls for 3/4
cup of fresh sage. I usually buy fresh sage is 1.5oz
packages. How many packages do I buy? Thanks, SA |
I went out and picked a
quarter cup of sage leaves and they weighed in at less
than one-eighth of an ounce so you should be safe buying
just one package.
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Hello, I grow basil every year and
I am a bit confused. When flowers start I always cut
them off so the plant continues to grow??? I have
followed suit with this from the advice of a friend for
years and never questioned it. Now I do. PLEASE advise.
Thank you, Best regards, SL |
By snipping the flowers from
basil you can extend the life of the plant a bit longer.
This is because it is an annual plant's job to grow
leaves, flower and put out seeds all in one season. It
can't produce seeds if it's not allowed to flower so you
can sort of fool it into producing extra foliage.
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Hello, I have a very basic
question. I bought a sweet basil plant from the farmer's
market yesterday, and I am keeping it inside in my sunny
kitchen window (outside is not my property). My question
is how often should I water my plant? Thanks, RL |
All
plants should be watered when the top couple of inches
of soil have dried out. It's a mistake to water plants
on any type of schedule as needs change at different
times in the growing season.
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Hi, I just discovered your site,
and info was so helpful I thought I’d give another try.
This may not be you area of expertise, but I have not
had good results growing catnip, in or outdoors. Can you
offer any suggestions? thanks! SS |
I haven't grown catnip
myself so I checked a few of my resources to see if
anything unusual stood out regarding care. I didn't find
any special requirements for this sort of mint except
that it likes well-drained soil and a sunny location.
One source did state it is much easier to grow from
transplants rather than sowing the seed.
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How long can I keep poppy seed
frozen in the freezer. I have some that have been in
there for years and it still has a fragrance. MR |
Generally, we don't want to
keep things in the freezer for more than a year or so as
quality will begin to decline. I imagine we are all also
guilty of keeping things beyond that deadline so we'll
have to decide for ourselves how long is too long.
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I have dried some mint leaves to
crush over salad. While the mint was drying, little
black particles dropped onto the counter. Are these
bugs? And since so many have abandoned the plants, are
the mint leaves safe to eat? Thank you. LS |
I've noticed this same thing
when I dry a variety of herbs. I'm not sure what the
debris is but I suspect it may be bugs or their
droppings that were clinging to the leaves. I have gone
on to use the herbs I dried with fine results.
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I bought my first basil plant,
but I live in an apartment with limited locations for
the plant. I have had the plant on the patio that is
east facing, but the leaves are turning lighter green.
The only other option would be to keep it indoors at a
north facing window (which does get light longer). Which
would be the best location to try and keep it healthy?
Thank you! EB |
Unless you keep the
apartment quite cool, I think I would go for the window
location since basil does like its light.
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Hello, would you please suggest
the best way to infuse mint for a wafer recipe. I could
not get mint extract or mint oil. I am thinking of
infusing fresh mint in the softened butter. Any idea how
long do I let the mint soak into the liquid butter? Hope
you have the answer. Thank you LG |
Sounds like fun experiment
that might work well. I would start with quite a bit of
mint and and use hot melted butter then let it steep for
about an hour. Let us know how it goes if you try it,
okay?
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My recipe calls for 1/3 cup
fresh cilantro, what can I substitute for this. It is
going into a ceviche. JR |
You could try chopping up
some fresh parsley that has been sprinkled with a bit of
coriander for a similar flavor. Otherwise, basil,
tarragon or dill would give a nice fresh taste although
different flavors.
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Do I need to chop or at least cut
up my fresh rosemary before I measure it for a recipe?
LS |
Most recipes will specify
how the rosemary should be prepared. If a recipe calls
for a sprig, you don't need to chop it, but if it calls
for, say "1 tablespoon fresh," they would mean the
leaves should be removed from the stems and chopped or
minced.
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A few years ago my room mate grew
a rosemary plant from seed. I am not sure which breed.
When he moved he left it with me. I planted it in the
ground last spring. It seems to be doing well despite
the incident with with a lawnmower. This spring I
noticed that some of the leaves are growing bigger and
turning red and brown on the ends. They don't seem dry
and smell normal. Is this a problem? Does it have
anything to do with it never blooming? --Pass some love
around, CR |
Time
will tell, but I suspect the lawnmower incident took off
the forming blooms and resulted in a bit of damage to
the remaining branches. The leaves may be growing larger
this year since the plant has become better established
in its new spot.
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Hi! I have always bought 1-3#
containers of peeled garlic, slow roasted it in the oven
covered with oil, then simply stored it in the
refrigerator together until it was used up. Recently I
decided to try and jar the roasted cloves in oil. But,
as I was doing some research, I found out about the
botulism issue!! I roasted a 3# bag this time and will
never be able to use it all in such a short time period.
Do you have any suggestions on storage? Is it possible
to still jar it together if it is boiled long enough? Or
maybe pureed like peanut butter without the oil, and the
oil separately. Is the oil also a risk by itself? I
suppose, I could always freeze it, but was leaving that
as a last resort. Thanks...CG |
I refer you to this very
helpful article about preserving garlic from the
University of California at Davis. Note that they
suggest canning garlic will take away much of the
flavor.
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Do you know where I could find
Alum Powder in Gauteng, South Africa? I want to use it
to grow crystals for a science project. Thank you, JX |
You could check with your
local pharmacy as alum is sometimes used to treat
shaving nics. You may find alum in the spice aisle or
among the canning supplies of a supermarket as some
folks still use it for pickles.
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I have a large 4' plus tall
rosemary bush which is planted in my garden. It is
starting to split in the middle and lay down and a few
of the branches are
yellowing. Can I transplant the bush, split and break
into more than one plant or would doing so kill it. What
could be causing the yellowing? I live in
southeastern North Carolina so weather is not a factor.
Thanks. PW |
I had a similar situation
when snow broke my rosemary bush right in half. My
recommendation is to look and see where the break is and
trim off the part that is only hanging on to the trunk.
You won't be able to salvage the broken part just
because that isn't how this plant is propagated. The
yellowing is likely due to the fact that those branches
are no longer attached to the plant. Once you have
established which part of the plant is still attached to
the rootball, it shouldn't be any problem to transplant
that part. My own rosemary is thriving now.
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When recipe asks for a sprig of
Thyme, how much is that in dried or ground? Thank you!
MH |
A four-inch sprig of thyme
would probably be equal to 1/4 teaspoon dried and just a
bit less than that of ground.
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What is the best way to store
sesame seeds? I heard that they can go rancide. Can they
be frozen, if so, for how long? Thank you, A |
Like all herbs and spices,
sesame seeds are best stored in a cool, dark place.
Seeds will turn rancid, one whiff and you will know, so
if you have a large quantity, you could store them in
the freezer for six months or so.
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Hi. I am growing sweet basil,
lemon basil and Thai basil around the same area. Can
they cross pollinate? NP |
Good question. I had to look
it up and found the information at the Clemson
University Extension Office's website. Basil cultivars
will indeed cross-pollinate. To prevent this, they
should be planted 150 feet apart. You may already be
aware that this is only an issue if you want to save the
seeds.
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I planted oregano last year in my
container herb garden, but was a bit disappointed with
the flavor. It did not smell as strong as the dried
(compared, for instance, to the thyme which smells
amazing). Are there certain varieties of oregano plants
to look for which might be more fragrant and more
flavorful? SC |
Many people prefer the
taste of dried oregano to the fresh leaves. As an herb
dries, the essential oils become concentrated--that's
why we use less of the dried herb than fresh. I suggest
you look into growing marjoram. It is a cousin of
oregano that is much more pleasant to use fresh. See "All
About Marjoram" if it is unfamiliar to you.
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I have a rosemary Christmas tree
that my husband bought me but on the back of the
information card reads for decoration only: do not
consume. Is this true? TL |
Your plant was probably
grown with chemicals to stimulate growth and prevent
pests so it is considered an ornamental rather than
culinary plant.
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Hi there. I had a beautiful
rosemary bush until I cut it back. It has been a very
bad winter this year and it was looking really bad. So,
I cut it thinking I was helping it, but I may have
killed it. Do you think there is a chance it will
survive? I have a very large and developed herb garden
and would hate to have to replace it with a young plant.
Thanks, SC |
I think it will come around,
especially since it is an established plant.
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I planted seeds early inside
and they sprouted with little plants of pairs of leaves
only about a half an inch for a total pair. They have
not grown any bigger or taller in about 10 days and they
have no flavor - I am truly wondering if this is even
Basil.... what do you think? I recently moved them into
a larger growing area to start keeping outside more
often now at least during the day, lots of sun and
enough moisture, they don't look bad or like something
is wrong - just that they don't seem to be basil. The
leaf I sampled had no flavor like it was just another
plant and they aren't curved or shriveled like in the
picture or like I have bought plants before. Maybe
I just have to wait a lot longer? :o) I googled and
found your site... what a great site. Thank you. S |
Most basils take 60-70 days
to go from seeds to harvest so you might just need to
wait a bit longer. I am wondering, however, if your
temperatures are warm enough. Basil is a heat lover and
won't thrive in conditions under 50 degrees (F). You
could do a Google image search of "basil seedlings" to
confirm that your plant is what you think it is.
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I didn't see anything like this
in your posts, but there were so many I may have skipped
one. Any who...I have an indoor herb garden set up in an
aqua ponics system. My lavander plant is thriving and so
was the rosemary but it is bending over at the top and
the bottom leaves are browning and falling off. I don't
have lights just the front window. Is my plant not
getting enough light or is it the aquaponics? TPK |
Full disclosure, I know
nothing about this interesting subject of aquaponics. My
first thought about your rosemary is that it wouldn't
like being grown in water. After browsing the web, seems
like plenty of people out there are growing rosemary in
an aquaponic environment. You would probably find much
more authoritative answers by taking your question to
one of the public forums like
Aquaponicscommunity.com.
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I have purchased a large can of
Roasted Red Peppers in olive oil. Question: After
opening how long will the shelf life be- stored in
refrigerator - or at room temperature on the shelf?? CN |
You should definitely store
the extras in the refrigerator but not in the can.
Transfer the peppers to a storage container and make
sure they are submerged in the oil to extend the shelf
life. They really won't hold long, though. I find they
deteriorate or mold after a week or so.
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