Basil Basil basil!

guido · Site Admin Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 390 Location: Italy

It's harvest season for sweet basil, one of America's favorite herbs, so now is a great time to enjoy it.

This member of the mint family brings plenty to your dinner parties. It adds vivid color and aromatic complexity to simple dishes such as omelets, and it has a marked affinity for the Italian flavor palette, fitting right in with ripe tomatoes and olive oil -- and the pasta sauces based on them.

Basil is famous for its starring role in classic pesto -- that marvelous deep green condiment that also features Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic and pine nuts. (Pistou is the French version, made without pine nuts.)

This herb is believed to have gotten its start in India, and there are several varieties now: lemon basil, which has a lemony scent and flavor, and opal basil, a deep purple color, are two that are available here in addition to sweet basil.

Any of these, rolled and sliced into a chiffonade, dress up a plain green salad.

Bon Apetit.

Guido
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In vino veritas!