Content
- Better dry or freeze lemon balm?
- Here the aroma says goodbye to Nevermore
- Freezing preserves the aroma
- Tips & Tricks
Better dry or freeze lemon balm?
A well-kept lemon balm delivers up to 4 crops per season. In order to preserve the harvest surplus, hobby gardeners vacillate between drying and freezing. Which method better conserves the aroma, we have found out for you.
Here the aroma says goodbye to Nevermore
The traditional method of preserving plants by drying them in the air leads to almost complete loss of aroma in lemon balm. Since the taste is based on the high content of essential oils, they evaporate during the 14-day period. The same applies if lemon balm is preserved in the oven or dehydrator.
You will not be able to conjure a refreshing tea from dried lemon balm. For spice on hot and cold dishes, the leaves are also no longer suitable. Nevertheless, the balm has not lost its healing power. For the preparation of ointments or as an infusion for inhalation of cough, the herb plant is still recommended.
Freezing preserves the aroma
Frozen lemon balm, the growth of microorganisms within the plant tissue is almost stopped. The slower aging of the herbs is not only associated with a long shelf life, but the greatest possible preservation of the taste. These procedures have proven themselves:
Freezing as a single sheet or dice has the advantage that the lemon balm is added portionwise from the freezer in the food or drink. An intermittent thawing is unnecessary, so it also can not come here to a loss of the bouquet.
Tips & Tricks
The aroma content of melissa is at its highest level shortly before flowering in the morning hours. If you plan further processing immediately after the harvest, only a minimal amount will be lost. In the ecologically managed hobby garden, washing is only necessary for heavily polluted plants. If this can be dispensed with, this measure additionally contributes to the preservation of the valuable ingredients.
GTH