Keeping Herbs

Regarding “Life and Thyme” by Marion Cunningham (Oct. 8): Try sticking a container of water and herbs into a long plastic bag (open end up), then closing loosely with a rubber band and refrigerating. I have had herbs last up to two weeks using this method.

It’s important that the bag be wide enough that the leaves are not pushed up against the plastic (they’ll get wet and rot). The plastic bags given to customers at farmers markets are perfect; they have handles that can be tied and are just long enough and wide enough to give the herbs sufficient room.

Instead of a glass, I use an ancient plastic container designed to hold a pound of brown sugar. It’s wide enough to accommodate lots of stems (both a bunch of parsley and a bunch of dill at the same time), and the center of gravity is such that it doesn’t tip over when I bang into it when looking for something in the fridge.

MELINDA SIEGEL

Los Angeles