The law of diminishing returns is taking hold. Not only as the main harvest season comes to a close, but also as I try to preserve things; especially herbs.

It was a great pleasure this year to grow three French Tarragon plants.  French Tarragon is more flavoursome than the (Russian) tarragon sold in the supermarkets.  But it’s so difficult to grow from seed that most growers, myself included, start with small plants from a nursery.  Indeed they grew very well and the handsome leaves have added a delicious herby/aniseed/mint nuance to chicken and fish dishes alike.

Determined to preserve what I could before trying to overwinter the delicate plants, today I filled a 10″ bowl with leaves and dried them for several hours in the oven.

Eventually they crumbled perfectly and I funneled them into a recycled herb jar: the grand quantity of one inch deep. Yes, all those leaves made that tiny amount.  It is a wonderful herb though, so I’ll enjoy it for as long as it lasts.