Lemon Verbena Trimmings To Enjoy

My first Lemon Verbena cuttings of the season, saved from trimming/pruning the plants in our commercial nursery. Washed and lightly dried, they stay fresh in the refrigerator for a couple days, but I usually process them right away. I let them dry naturally or pick off individual leaves, place them in a plastic bag and freeze them.

You'll be astonished how quickly and easily Lemon Verbena cuttings dry naturally in your home, without any special equipment. No dehydrator, no oven, nothing. Just let them dry in normal room temps, 70 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.  

You can place the leaves on a kitchen cooling rack, trays from a dehydrator, a sweater drying rack or simply on a tray or counter top. Letting a bit of air flow from underneath is ideal, but not necessary.

Keep your drying leaves out of direct sunlight and away from heat or air registers, fans or air conditioners. Moving air isn't needed at all. The leaves will even dry well in the dark. You'll know they are dry when they feel very crisp. 

Remove leaves from the stem if you didn't remove them prior to drying. And store them out of the light for best taste and flavor retention.

Or, freeze whole leaves in sturdy plastic bags for tossing into the blender with salad dressing, smoothies and baking mixes. Blend well for best flavor without stiff herbal flakes.

Lemon Verbena is a bit stiff, more so than oregano or basil. That's why blending up the fresh and frozen leaves works best, either in a blender or in a food processor.