What is it?
The term herb is sometimes mistakenly extended to flavorings that don't quite fit the definition. Herbs are the fragrant leaves (or stalks, as with chives) of plants whose stems are not woody (like those of trees or shrubs). Spices, on the other hand, are derived from the bark, buds, fruit, roots, seeds, or stems of plants and trees.

Making the Cut
To chop herbs easily, place the leaves in a measuring cup and snip with kitchen scissors. If your recipe calls for a large amount, do this in several batches.

Another effective tool for chopping herbs is a mezzaluna, a curved blade that chops as you rock it from side to side on a cutting board.

Recipes often call for a chiffonade of herbs—especially basil. To make a chiffonade, stack the leaves, roll them cigar style, and cut the roll into thin slices.

What to do about those Stems
Don't worry about stemming cilantro, dill, or parsley; their stems are tender and can be chopped and used with the leaves.

Strip rosemary and thyme leaves from their tough, inedible stems by pulling in the opposite direction of the way the leaves grow.

Basil, mint, oregano, sage, and tarragon leaves are large enough to pick off their unusable stems one by one.

Don't throw those stems away. Use them to flavor soup, or throw them on the coals to flavor a grilled dinner. If rosemary stems are straight and long enough, you can use them as skewers for chicken, lamb, or beef to impart wonderful flavor into the center of the meat.

Keeping Fresh Herbs Fresh
Loosely wrap herbs in a damp paper towel, then seal in a zip-top plastic bag filled with air. Refrigerate for up to five days. Check herbs daily, as some of them lose their flavor after a couple of days.

Store herbs bouquet-style when in bunches: Place, stems down, in a jar with water covering 1 inch of the stem ends, enclose in a large zip-top plastic bag, and change the water every other day. Most herbs will keep for up to a week this way.

Many supermarkets carry herb plants in their produce sections. Snip off as much as you need, and the plant will last for weeks or even months.

To revive limp herbs, trim 1/2 inch off the stems, and place in ice water for a couple of hours.

Wash herbs just before using; pat dry with a paper towel.

In most cases, heat kills the flavor of fresh herbs, so they're best when added to a dish at the end.

Preserving Fresh Herbs
If your herb garden is full at the end of the summer, preserve that freshness into winter with these two freezing techniques:

Blanch the leaves by placing them in boiling water for 15 seconds. (If you don't blanch them, the leaves will turn black.) Remove from water with a slotted spoon; immediately place in a bowl of ice water to prevent them from cooking any further. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange whole or chopped leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet; freeze. When frozen, transfer to a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag.

Blanch 1 cup packed herbs. Place in a blender with 1/2 cup water; pulse until finely chopped. Pour into an ice-cube tray; freeze. Remove frozen herb cubes from tray; store them in the freezer in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Toss cubes into soups, stews, or braises.