h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In all my years as a culinary expert(ie the last ten minutes since I read this article) I have found that herbs, especially, are at their very best when fresh. I always try to keep a few plants near my back door so that I can pick whatever comes to mind. Of course in winter this is not such a simple thing as most herbs either die back or die altogether during the cold months. In a few cases you can still buy fresh herbs in pots from supermarkets and these do quite well on the kitchen windowsill. As an alternative to this I have found that herbs, such as coriander, parsley and many others can be chopped finely when fresh in summer and then placed in sealable containers and stored in the freezer. They will keep for quite a long time in this frozen state and, when needed, can be added staight to the dish without defrosting. My favourite sandwiches are tuna and mayonaise. Have you ever tried them with some finely chopped oregano mixed in. Absolutely delicious!

I'm right with you - fresh is best. But what to do in the winter months?

My personal tip - take it or leave it - is to enjoy the seasonality of foods. Supermarkets try to insulate us from this by providing everything all year round, but that spoils the fun, and ultimately divorces us from the true source of our food.

Winter vegetables tend to be substantial, so (for example) basil and (green) coriander are not ideal anyway. Sage, rosemary, bay, thyme - the evergreens - work best. Meats are the same; game and juniper berries, for example. In the summer, you can have classic combinations like peas and mint, or tomatoes and basil, and know that everything is as fresh as it is meant to be.

Mother Nature is a fine cook!

Simple solution to your winter problem - move to Australia. The only thing that I can't get to last all year around is Coriander, but then it never makes it through summer either.

Although when I did live in cooler climes, I kept all of my herbs in pots and used an aquarium turned upside down to act as a hothouse. It kept the frosts off, but still allowed any sun to get through