By the time I get home from grocery shopping, I just want to put things away and get on with the rest of my day or evening. But if there is cilantro or parsley in my shopping bags, I force myself to wash them immediately and set them to dry in a colander for the rest of the day–and even overnight—in the fridge.

I turn the bunch a couple times to dry it as much as possible, then I place in an airtight storage container. This process has several benefits:

• The herbs are all ready for use when I feel like having them top a dish,
• Once dry, they last a fairly long time without getting slimy and rotting, and
• Most importantly, they are really easy to chop.

If you’ve ever tried chopping a soggy bunch of just-washed cilantro, you’ll know what I mean!