Since you probably can't tell from the photo, I'll explain that this is a mint ice cube. I know, not an original idea, but a handy one when you're trying to live more simply and be a good steward of the harvest God has graciously given you. I literally picked the leaves, washed them off, spun them in the salad spinner, placed equal amounts in each compartment of an ice cube tray, covered them in distilled water and slid the tray in the freezer.
In just a few hours, you have mint ice cubes ready to be used in a smoothie, a glass of water or tea or even a tasty mojito. But that's not all...several months ago on Facebook, someone posted how to do the same thing with savory herbs and olive oil.
I used basil and olive oil ones that turned out really well. They are ready for winter use in a saute'. My understanding is that this could be a great way to use up any extra herbs to save for later. Then, you can throw them in a soup, let them thaw along with meat in a bag for marinating or my favorite...a combination of herbs in dipping oil for a crusty loaf of bread.
However you use them, keeping that freshly picked herb taste alive through the winter is worthy of the tiny bit of work this takes.
***Note of caution: My second batch of basil oil cubes were mushy. I presume that I didn't spin out enough water from the herbs. If you garden or eat herbs and greens, a good salad spinner is a must-have. Otherwise, patting dry and airing out the herbs will require a little more time, but again, worth the results.***
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