Pick and Store Basil

Cut the basil above the growing nodes to keep it bushy. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pick and Store Basil

Of all of the summer herbs, basil has to be one of the US favorites, I see it offered for sale at most farmer’s markets and growing in friends gardens.

I love the herb myself so I have my own supply growing where it can do double duty, potted in with my tomato plants. Basil plants (Ocimum basilicum) can help tomato plants overcome insects and disease and can improve tomato growth rate and flavor.

Basil is wonderful both fresh in salads and added to a variety of recipes from soups to breads.

I don’t necessarily remember to keep my growing basil pinched so that it grows bushy but that’s one way to extend the life of the herbs.

Plant basil with tomatoes to enhance tomatoes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pinch off the basil above the growing nodes to encourage more bushy growth.

Once cut, wash with spray water and place in vase with water and allow to dry.

Once cut, keep basil in water in a vase. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pop the cuts into a plastic bag and place the vase with basil in a plastic bag into the refrigerator.

Once covered with plastic, store in refrigerator to keep fresh. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wggins)

The basil will remain fresh and accessible for your use.

Charlotte

Easy Pie Filing Desert

A sprig of fresh spearmint finishes off this serving of key lime pie filling. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Easy Pie Filing Desert

Over the years, I have worked with some amazing cooks especially pie makers. I learned quite early not to even try to match their pie crusts.

One year, I took the plunge and made a pie filing without a pie crust, serving it as a desert. The hack stuck and now I make most of my favorite pie filings for desert without a crust.

Key Lime pie, for example, makes a lovely summer desert. Bake it in a bread pan and double the meringue - 4 eggs whites with 1/2 cup of sugar beaten until the egg white peaks are stiff. Spread over the cooked pie filing.

Bake in oven at 350F for 7-10 minutes until meringue is light brown.

A glass bread pan nicely holds the pie filing to bake the meringue. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

After removing from the oven, let cool before serving. Don’t even try to snatch a taste, the filing will be quite hot. If you need to speed up the cooling process, you can place the glass bread pan in the refrigerator.

You can also bake these in individual ramekins to have ready to serve portions.

Other good pie filings to make include lemon meringue, chocolate and yes, even apple and cherry pies. I wouldn’t add meringue to the berry pies but whipped topping is handy to have when they cool off.

Charlotte