There are so many positive reasons to buy fresh produce, but how do you preserve it so it lasts throughout the week? I know I can't go through my entire farmers market haul in just 2-3 days. I buy a lot of fresh greens and they should be used right away because they start to wilt very quickly.
My mother and brother in law have been going to the farmers market longer than I have, so they started rinsing their produce with vinegar and water. I finally decided to try it and I was impressed by the results!
I didn't have a large bucket so I improvised with a large stock pot. You need something large enough to fit quite a bit of liquid, and room to fit the produce.
What You Need:
1 cup white vinegar
Approximately 1 gallon of water
1 large bucket or stock pot
Directions:
Fill your pot or bucket with the vinegar and water
Add your produce (don't overfill and spill the liquid)
Let soak for 15 minutes
Remove and rinse with cold water
Dry completely
Store where appropriate
After completing my own rinse, my cilantro did not start to wilt for at least a week and my cucumbers stayed fresh. My berries, which normally start to go bad in a day or two after purchase, stayed fresh much longer.
Does anyone else rinse their fresh produce? If you have any tips or tricks, feel free to share!
