As a rule, mission – "ideal dish" follows only after completing the mission of "ideal products", which requires a sharp eye and sensitive nose. Sometimes inspired by fresh and colorful herbs we are buying more than it's necessary for a certain meal and another culinary adventure leaves us stuck with leftover herbs that need correct preservation.
In order to avoid losing enthusiasm of cooking after seeing yellow, withered herbs, apply the following rules to your housekeeping routine:
First of all, get rid of the spoiled leaves as this is the case when "spoiling is contagious". If you are not planning to use your leftover herbs in coming couple of days, keep them with their stems (do not cut it or pick it). No matter if you are going to wash the herbs before preserving them, make sure that their leaves are all dry at the moment of placing in the fridge. Moreover, you'd better wrap the herbs first into the paper napkin before putting in a container or a plastic bag. If you have to lodge a lot of herbs, it's better to spread few layers of paper napkins in between the layers of herbs. You can also wrap your herbs into a towel or a tea cloth.
The key is to preserve the herbs at a cool, semi-humid environment. Also, fewer herb wraps you make, better the result is. When placing in the fridge, make sure that the stems are directed towards the fridge walls, as the walls are too cold for thin and delicate leaves.