Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) originated from India and Iran. Basil found its way into Italy brought by early travelers via the Mediterranean. After that it spread throughout Europe, North America and the Caribbean.
Sweet basil is a versatile herb with a wealth of culinary use. Its sweet smelling leaves are delicious in stews, soups, salads and pizzas. It is also an essential ingredient in Italian sauces for pasta and pesto.
Basil grows well in a pot and can be placed in a sunny corner by the kitchen window or on the patio. It can also be planted outdoors in window boxes and pots in a sunny corner. It can be grown from either cuttings or seeds. At first basil grows slowly, so pinch the top so it bushes out. This encourages good leaf growth, and after all, it is the leaves that you really need. There are several varieties of basil including Thai and lemon basil.
You can always preserve the extra leaves which you do not need by freezing them in containers, or you can try blending the leaves and pouring the mixture into an ice tray, so that you can have frozen cube basil. This is easy to store in a container as well, and you now only have to take one out at a time to use.
In the Caribbean we have a variety commonly called married man pork, which has a very strong fragrance and taste and is used to make green seasoning and is a main ingredient in black pudding. Can you imagine black pudding without married man pork? It also makes an excellent seasoning for seafoods.
Until next week, happy gardening!
