Basil is common component in Italian recipes.
Herbs are just as easy to grow and sell as any other produce you have in your garden. You can sell the fruits (or vegetables and herbs) of your labor to local restaurants, stores and individual shoppers at open markets. It is critical when selling herbs, such as basil, that you prepare and package the product properly. Doing so will allow you to offer a fresh and appealing product. There are steps you should take, from the garden to the marketplace, to ensure you provide fresh, healthy high-quality basil to your customers. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Monitor the basil as it grows to ensure bugs and slugs do contaminate the herb. These creatures are especially fond of basil, so you should monitor it frequently and with scrutiny.
2. Harvest the plant from your garden before it starts to flower. Many cooks believe the leaves of flowering basil have a bitter and less desirable flavor once the plant begins to flower.
3. Trim the herbs with kitchen shears. Leave as much of the stalk intact as possible. Trim away roots, dry stalk material or damaged pieces.
4. Wash the herb carefully under a slow, small stream of running water. Allow the herbs to air dry pat them dry gently with paper towels.
5. Weigh the basil on a kitchen scale so that you can package it by weight. Package the basil in amounts ranging from 1/4 to 4 ounces.
6. Bundle the herbs together, if you are not placing them in plastic containers. Bind the bunch with a twist tie or piece of kitchen twine.
7. Store the basil in plastic packaging, if desired. You can use plastic bags or small, thin plastic containers. Use clear plastic so that customers can see the product clearly. Punch one or two small holes in the plastic before you place the basil in it, to allow moisture to escape. Scissors or a hole punch should penetrate the plastic with ease.
8. Label the plastic containers or your transport container with the date you harvested the product from your garden.
9. Sell the product as soon as possible, preferably within 48 hours of harvest.
Tags: plastic containers, your garden, from your, from your garden