ALL ABOUT BASIL

by Sandra Bowens

Other cultures in other ages have associated basil with scorpions.  A Medieval superstition suggested they would breed under pots of basil and later it was feared that even smelling the sweet aroma of basil could cause scorpions to grow in your brain.   

Today, basil or Ocimum basilicum is loved by cooks and gardeners.  Although indigenous to India, Africa and Asia, this bushy member of the mint family is grown now in nearly every temperate climate.  The available varieties are seemingly endless and easy to grow from seed.  Early Greeks and Romans believed that shouting and cursing while sowing the seeds would insure a healthy crop but all you really need to do is provide well-drained soil in full sun where the temperature doesn't fall below 50 degrees F.  Most basil plants are annuals, however, so you will see them wane at the end of each growing season.  Keep the flowers pinched back and prune often to extend the growing period.  

Pruning the leaves is the cook's favorite part.  Whether you have lovely broad purple leaves or petite green foliage, basil will enhance a wide range of dishes. This aromatic herb with a sweet odor and pungent flavor is used in both the dried and fresh forms frequently. Known as l’herbe royale, or the King of Herbs, it is found in so many tomato dishes that it is also called THE tomato herb.   

Basil is one of the few herbs that the flavor actually intensifies upon cooking.  Use it in any Italian dish, especially combined with oregano, or to flavor meats, vegetables, fish and soups.  Toss handfuls of fresh leaves into salads and use the tiny flowers as a garnish.