Basil - my favorite herb

Basil- Have you ever thought about herbs and spices? I guess at the basic level the difference between an herb and a spice is an herb uses the leaf and a spice is the seed (OK before you all email me I know, cinnamon is spice and it uses the bark not the seed). We even have the same plant named twice - coriander for the seed (spice) and cilantro for the leaf (herb)... OK no more ramblings... Now to Basil....

I started thinking about this tonight as I was making a grilled pizza - how much I have come to enjoy Basil - I grew 6 different varieties in my aerogarden one winter - Man I was putting basil in everything.. (it was the ONLY thing I could grow well in that machine a testimony to the herb's hardiness I am sure). Anyway, I was thinking, where would we be without it? No Margarita Pizzas, no Bruschetta, and no Pesto. Red gravy (sauce) would never taste the same and I think between that and garlic an entire cuisine would be crushed if not for them. I really enjoy the fresh and earthy flavor of basil when combined with a ripe Roma tomato, fresh buffalo mozzarella, a splash of extra virgin Olive oil fresh cracked black pepper and some aged Balsamic vinegar. A Caprese Salad - Another of my favorite things.... Chinese cuisine has ginger, French has tarragon, but the Italians, they have Sweet Basil.... mmmm

Oh one last little tidbit of info - recent studies have shown the plant is toxic to mosquitoes - like we need another reason to grow, eat and enjoy Basil...

Here's a basic recipe for Pesto....

1 cup (packed Basil Leaves)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Pine nuts

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic (if you really like garlic maybe a little more)

Incorporate dry ingredients in food processor and then drizzle in the olive oil

Store (even freeze) in an air tight container... up to 3 months (frozen) - but I bet it won't last that long.

Try it over gnocchi with a little of the starchy cooking water to thin it out. Or even rev up a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich by spreading a little pesto on the bread before toasting.