The Elegant Way To Keep Fresh Herbs In Your Kitchen That Makes Them Impossible To Ignore

Learning about different herbs and how to use them is a massive upgrade for your cooking. From dill to mint, herbs bring beautiful complexity to even the simplest dishes. They may already be a part of your meal-prep routine, but for many of us, this means we just buy certain herbs for certain recipes. In reality, the best approach is to have fresh herbs within reach, easy to see at all times. If you have the space, you can start your very own herb garden inside. But there's one novel approach that's even more versatile, whether you grow herbs outside or buy them at the farmer's market. Simply create a flower-like herb arrangement to display.

The idea is simple: gather an assortment of fresh herbs and fashion them into a bouquet, keeping them in a vase near your cooking area in the kitchen. We love kitchen decor that's actually useful — space is at a premium in the kitchen, so doubling up on form and function is a win-win — and herb arrangements are possibly the best example. They're as pretty as flowers, bringing fresh nature vibes and fragrances into the room. You can pluck away for every meal you prep and even find meal inspiration from the sights and smells. Before you know it, you'll be popping mint or rosemary into all kinds of different dishes, and you'll notice how much tastier everything is with minimal effort.

To make your own herb arrangement, start by curating your assortment. Prioritize herbs with versatility so you can use them in plenty of dishes, like basil and thyme, but remember you also want variety and visual interest. For example, the longer, broader leaves of sage, plus feathery cilantro or parsley, and pine needle-esque rosemary all create an artful contrast of textures. Additionally, it's important to wash your herbs before storing them. This makes sure you're not letting any dirt hang around or bacteria fester on leaves and stems, which can lead to premature rotting.

It also further boosts the chances of you popping herbs into everything, as you've already eliminated the steps of washing. You want to strike a balance between too wet and too dry — the former can cause the herbs to decay, and the latter can, well, simply dry the plant out. After washing, dry your herbs gently with paper towels. Then fill your vase (or vessel of your choosing) about a third of the way up with water, so just the ends of your trimmed herbs' stems get moisture.

Keep this arrangement away from direct sunlight and change the water every couple of days. Depending on the types of herbs, they can last a week or two like this. The entire point, though, is that you'll likely go through this arrangement quickly, as you'll be spotting, snipping, and using fresh herbs more frequently than ever. As the arrangement diminishes, create more, using the same herbs or switching things up.