Gifting fragrant greenery to cooks you care for

LYNETTE McClenaghan’s green thumbs are playing an important role in how she keeps in touch with loved ones far away.

As a member of the Ballarat Community Garden, she’s been busy outside, and in the kitchen, inspired by the many herbs in her plots.

Stripping and drying rosemary, parsley, sage, spearmint, basil, basil mint and oregano, and putting them in basic envelopes, Ms McClenaghan has posted and gifted the plants to those she cares about, so they can enjoy their home-grown, fragrant flavours while cooking in self-isolation.

A former Melbournian, she said Ballarat’s climate is “fantastic” for growing herbs and anyone could try their hand at growing, or drying, successfully.

“I started growing herbs because I thought, if I couldn’t grow those, I’d struggle growing anything else. They are pretty tough, a lot of them grow all year round, and I was way more successful than I expected to be,” she said.

“It takes a little bit of patience, but I discovered, through trial and error, that the best, most time efficient way to deal with herbs, like basil and rosemary, is to pick the herbs and strip all the leaves off.

“I chuck all the stalks out, then wash the herbs, put them in a colander outside on a clothes hoist and let them dry as much as I can, then I roll them through a tea towel.”

Ms McClenaghan ensures her produce is as dry as possible before she puts them in the oven.

“Each person’s oven will be a bit different, but I turn it on a preheat of 120 degrees.

“I put baking paper or old brown paper bags onto trays, sprinkle the herbs onto them, put them into the oven and check them every 15 minutes, until about 35 minutes,” she said.

Wetter plants, like basil, may take a bit longer, but as all herbs start to dry, Ms McClenaghan scrunches them with clean hands to aid the process. Once they’re properly dried, they’re put straight into clean jars.

For a journey through the post, she puts herbs into snap lock bags and then into regular sized letter envelopes, which are light and cheap to send.

“People are really delighted to receive them,” she said.

“Just as excited as if someone came and delivered a box of chocolates. The fact that it’s been handmade, it’s the thought that counts.”

While she can’t head to any swap meets, Ms McClenaghan has harvested all her green tomatoes to make relish, which she has exchanged with neighbours while checking in.

She also makes vegan chocolate, which can be mailed safely in the cooler months, and sometimes adds herbs to it.