Drying Chives

I have to apologize for being AWOL. One of the kids gave me a bug at school and as with me... I don't do anything half way. I have to do it up BIG! So when I caught the bug I had to not just have "bronchitis," I had to do pneumonia. Spring break was spent in bed, and I only just got back to work this past Thursday. I have tried setting out on our enclosed back porch a couple of times to soak up the heat from the sun, as well as you can with the windows shut to keep the wind out. I was doing just that yesterday when I noticed out of the corner of my eye some tall green something or other in my garden. Well you don't have to tell me twice! I hurried outside to check it out and yep! I have things growing! My chives, rosemary, lavender and rhubarb are all up. I was so excited I was doing the happy dance right there in the yard. (I hope the new neighbors weren't looking.)

"One" of my favorite herbs are chives. They come up early and stay until late in the fall. I harvest them every time they get to be a foot or so tall. Cutting them back to a couple of inches.. then they grow again and I cut them again and this goes on all summer. MAKES ME SO HAPPY! 

I LOVE chives. They are so versatile. I use them in all kinds of recipes... not just as a topper on potatoes. However, I like that too.

I have a couple of chive plants and a couple of wild onion plants that I have transplanted so they are in the same general area. I cut them all at about 2 inches. I rinse them well in the kitchen pulling out errant weeds and dried stems from before. Once I've finished cleaning them out I use my kitchen shears to cut them into small pieces. Once this is done I lay them in my dehydrator, using the solid plastic tray so they don't fall through the holes. Set the heat to 58C or 135F and dry for 4 - 6 hours. I begin checking mine around 4 hours. Depending on the humidity it can take longer. I just make sure to check  every so often.  When they are done. I let them cool for about a half hour then I put them in a container that I keep in my freezer labeled: CHIVES.  I use them as needed from this container.

It's a good thing they have begun coming up. We were getting mighty low on our chive supply. :-)

Enjoy!
Kerri Downey