Basil
Nothing says summer like the perfume of basil. Tomatoes never taste exactly right without it, but basil has many more uses. Whether you pluck yours from a garden or buy it by the bunch, now’s the time to enjoy it.
Keep it FRESH
Treat your basil like a bouquet of flowers: Place the stems in water. Cover the leaves loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. It will keep fresh for a week.
DID YOU KNOW?
Throughout history, different varieties of basil have been used as folk medicine to treat stomachaches, colds, gas, warts, infections and even snakebites.
FREEZE
Bumper crop of basil? Chop it fine, mix with enough neutral oil to make a paste, and freeze in ice cube trays for later use.
4
tablespoons of fresh basil delivers more than half of your daily recommended allowance of Vitamin K—a nutrient essential for blood clotting.
KNIFE SKILLS
Stack basil leaves and roll like a cigar. Make thin slices crosswise for the pretty cut chefs call chiffonade. Use a sharp knife for the prettiest effect.
Watch it!
Go to ediblephilly.com to learn how to slice like the chefs.
150
Estimated number of basil varieties cultivated around the world.
PESTO = PISTOU
You’re probably familiar with pesto, the Italian sauce made from basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and Romano cheese. Try the French version of this basil sauce, pistou, which omits nuts and, unusually, cheese.
