Tarragon

Let me tell you about tarragon, and why it deserves a place in your fridge, not just a shelf in the pantry.

Buy it close to the day you cook it, and keep it cold and slightly damp until then. Choose it by nose, not by the size of the bunch: good tarragon smells sharp, almost like anise, with a green bite behind it. The leaves should be narrow and lively, not limp. Crush one between your fingers and smell it; if there's nothing there, put the bunch back and look for another.

Some people say tarragon is just "another herb for garnish." No! It carries a real anise note that changes a sauce, not decorates it. Add it near the end of cooking fish or chicken, or use it fresh and raw in a sauce or a salad, and that anise bite comes through sharp and clear.

The mistake this misconception leads to: people throw tarragon in at the very start and let it boil away with everything else, and by the time the dish is done, that bright anise note is gone and all that's left is a faint, tired green taste. Add it at the end; let it finish the dish instead of cooking through it.