I don't see many recipes calling for stems, but I do use them when I'm
creating a stock. I take all the stems from things like oregano, thyme,
etc. and put them in a plastic bag in my freezer. When I boil up stock I
then take all those stems and toss them in, it makes a richer stock.

Philip
"Frogleg" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 12:26:00 -0600, John DeBoo
wrote:

I'm starting to dry my plants by hanging them upside down, outside
in a semi shaded area. Many of the plants have gone to seed, at
least have flowers etc on them. Any reason I shouldn't crush up the
flower stems (tops) as well as the leaves? I'll pass on the regular
stems/stalks as they are pretty hardy and look like they'll be hard
to crush and to eat later. TIA

Do you eat many foods with basil flower stems in them? No, I wouldn't
save stems of any sort. Fresh stems of cilantro and parsley are
reasonably flavorful for use in stews or stocks, but it's the leaves
of most herbs that are used for cooking.