It’s that time of the year when the local farm markets are bursting with fresh homegrown produce and fruit. Extend those delicious fresh tastes by storing them properly but remember, however you store your produce, always wash it well before eating!
Potatoes
Never refrigerate potatoes – it will turn their starch to sugar. Brush off any clinging soil, and store in a dark, cool place that is about 40 degrees. Don’t store apples and potatoes together; the apples give off ethylene gas that will spoil the potatoes.
Onion and Garlic
Never put onion or garlic in the refrigerator. Store them in a dry, cool, ventilated place (40 to 50 degrees). It’s best to store in mesh bags to get that ventilation. Do not store onions near potatoes, they are not friends.
Beets, Carrots, and Parsnips
Root crops should be brushed clean of any clinging soil and stored in a cool, dark place. Clipping the tops off will keep them fresher longer.
Hot Peppers
Store the old fashioned way by threading on a string and hanging until dry. Peppers need to have good air circulation and not touch each other to dry properly.
Tomatoes
Store at cool room temperature out of direct sunlight. Any unheated room or airy cellar will do. If tomatoes are green, layer in a shallow box, separating each tomato with paper, and the tomatoes will ripen. Never refrigerate fresh tomatoes if you want to keep that fresh off-the-vine taste.
Apples
Store apples in refrigerator for the short term. It helps to have a fruit drawer and a damp paper towel nearby to increase humidity. Never leave apples in a bowl on the counter if you want them to keep. Apples ripen about 4 times quicker at 50 degrees than at 32 degrees and become overripe very quickly at 70 degrees.
Herbs
Dill and parsley will keep for about two weeks with stems immersed in a glass of water tented with a plastic bag. Most other herbs (and greens) will keep for short periods unwashed and refrigerated in tightly-sealed plastic bags with just enough moisture to prevent wilting. For longer storage, use moisture and gas – permeable paper and cellophane.
Fresh Herbs
Basil, parsley, cilantro, mint and dill are best kept in a glass of cool water, like a bouquet of fresh flowers. Trim the ends and change the water every couple of days. Just harvest (pinch off) as you need them. Herbs can also be dried, frozen or preserved in vinegar, oils, and pesto.
Rosemary, thyme, chives, sage and oregano can be stored in the fridge, loosely wrapped in a damp paper towel.
Information gathered from The Old Farmer’s Almanac