There is nothing that I love more in the summer months than fresh basil.
Legend and lore have surrounded basil for centuries.
In Romania, if a boy accepts a sprig of basil from a girl, it means they are engaged to be married. In Italy, young maidens would wear a sprig of basil in their hair to profess their availability. In modern Greece, basil is used in certain religious rituals as a symbol of fertility.
Of course basil has a dark side as well. In Greek mythology basil was considered to be a cure against the bite of the basilisk. ( a part dragon, part lizard creature) Basil was long thought to be the cure for any venomous bite.
I think that basil is the most refreshing, stimulating and delicious of all the herbs. I use it every time that I am given the chance. I love it torn up in salads, simmered in a good red sauce, eaten as a refreshment between other stronger flavors (like pickled ginger when you eat sushi) and I especially love it thrown in my bathtub. I find it just as soothing as lavender.
This time around I used my fresh basil in a quick pasta salad.
The salad is a very simple one. Extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar are drizzled over cooked pasta. Then fresh torn basil and sliced campari tomatoes are added to the pasta. The salad is finished up with sliced English cucumbers, fresh chopped oregano, Bocconcini and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.
Simplicity at it’s best. I love making these simple salads. They let the beauty of the fresh herbs shine through.
Of course I wasn’t satisfied with just having a fresh basil salad. I had to make a batch of sweet basil soap too.
You can find out more about my basil soap over at Funky Chunks and you can enter to win a Funky Chunks gift basket (containing a Chunk of sweet basil soap) over at Elle’s New England Kitchen!
What are your favorite herbs of Summer?
