Easy Herbs: 13/15: Basil

Fifteen Easy Herbs
No. 13 Basil
Talk about trendy! And pronunciation disagreement! Wide choice of types. Where to start?! The seed catalogs –which may list as many as 13 different varieties--will tout this one or that one as the best for pesto, the best for tomatoes, and you would have to grow them all to discover your favorite. Here is my short list: Sweet Basil, Genovese Basil, and Thai Basil. The cutesy mini basil is a no-starter—too tiny, who wants the smallest of anything? But then I also shun the highly acclaimed giant-leaved or lettuce-leaved basil, because the flavor is bland. Who wants the blandest of anything? But the most useful all around are the sweet and Genovese types.
How to grow it:
Life is too short to plant seedlings in little pots & then set them outside, if you can just as easily direct sow them. Sweet basil planted when the garden soil is very warm will mature in time for the tomato season—and that’s exactly what you want. When the first 3 pairs of leaves have emerged (the first pair of seedling leaves, and 2 pairs of true leaves) pinch out the top pair of leaves. Keep this up, and the basil will branch out and flourish, and confound your efforts to keep track of which one you pinched last time. Doing this constantly will keep you ahead of the bolting process (blooming and going to seed), as will maintaining constant moisture. Don’t let the plants get stressed in the heat of the day. Drying in the heat is the signal for the plant to set buds for blossoms, and then it is downhill for the flavor of the annual moist herbs. If the constant pinching provides too much fresh basil, then dry the leaves. You’ll need them for red tomato sauces next winter.
How to eat it:
Lemon basil is good cooked with pot roast or made into tea with or without other lemon-flavored herbs such as lemon verbena, lemon balm, and lemon thyme. Thai basil is a bit spicier, and great in Asian recipes. Use the Sweet or Genovese varieties for pesto and Mediterranean foods. Use basil fresh or dried. Get points at an appetizer party: Bring the beautiful presentation below.
Herb for the ages next: The wisdom of Sage.

Pesto
2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup elephant garlic cloves
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts

In a food processor whizz the basil leaves, garlic, cheese, and oil until well blended. Add the pine nuts and blend another 10 seconds. If not using immediately, pour into a container with a tight lid (or use tight plastic wrap). Before sealing it for refrigeration or freezing, cover the surface of the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil. This will help to prevent oxidation. When serving or using the pesto, stir the top oil layer into the mixture.
Note: For a thinner sauce, add more oil when processing. The amount of cheese can be altered to your taste, or to suit the dish being served.
Basic: Serve with pasta, pizza, bruschetta, meats, vegetables, soups and salads.
Beautiful presentation: Arrange slices of tomatoes on a platter; lay a thin slice of mozzarella cheese on each tomato slice, topped with a dab of pesto.