×
  • Home
  • Daily
    • Composting
    • Container Gardening
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Garden Design
    • Garden Tools
    • Growing Fruits & Berries
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Pests & Diseases
    • Seeds & Seedlings
    • Soil & Fertilizer
    • Spice & Herb Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Watering & Irrigation
  • Freebies
  • Videos
  • Magazines
    • Food Gardening Magazine
    • RecipeLion Magazine
  • Guides
  • Cookbooks
    • Beverages
    • Bakery
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizers
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Soups
    • Entrées
    • Side Dishes & Sauces
    • Desserts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Affiliate Program
  • Sponsor Program
  • Give a Gift
  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
  • Manage Account
  • Authors
  • Keyword Index
  • Join

Food Gardening Network

Growing Good Food at Home

Join
Mequoda Publishing Network
  • Daily
    • Composting
    • Container Gardening
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Garden Design
    • Garden Tools
    • Growing Fruits & Berries
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Pests & Diseases
    • Seeds & Seedlings
    • Soil & Fertilizer
    • Spice & Herb Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Watering & Irrigation
  • Freebies
  • Videos
  • Magazines
    • Food Gardening Magazine
    • RecipeLion Magazine
  • Guides
  • Cookbooks
    • Beverages
    • Bakery
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizers
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Soups
    • Entrées
    • Side Dishes & Sauces
    • Desserts
  • Sign In
  • Search

Introduction to Basil

Introduction to Basil

By Norann Oleson

Basil plants

Basil plants

Basil plants

Basil is one of the most common herbs grown by food gardeners and is enjoyed by cooks to flavor everything from spaghetti sauce to salads, vegetables, and pesto.

With its origins thought to be a native plant to Southeast Asia or perhaps parts of Central Africa, basil has been cultivated for more than 5,000 years and has even had uses besides food—including for medicinal, cultural, and religious purposes.

A Brief History of Basil

In ancient Egypt, basil was used during embalming—basil has been discovered in Egyptian tombs and mummies. In ancient Greece, basil symbolized grief and mourning and was known as basilikon phuton, meaning “royal herb.” And in ancient India, basil was used in the traditional medicinal system called Ayurveda—meaning “the science of life” in Sanskrit.

In Jewish folklore, basil is believed to add staying power while fasting. In Portugal, basil plants are special gifts for a romantic lover on religious holidays.

Today, basil is grown all over the globe, having migrated westward since plants could easily be grown indoors to avoid cold and harsh weather and climates.

Basil is called by many names like sweet basil or even Thai basil, but all of its common names refer to the herb’s botanical name, Ocimum basilicum. Basil is a member of the large mint family, or Lamiaceae family, along with other culinary herbs like rosemary, sage, and lavender. It is believed that basil has origins in India, but the herb has been cultivated for over 5,000 years with its reach spreading to all corners of the globe. There are some indications that basil may have originated even farther east than India with ancient records from 807 A.D. suggesting that sweet basil was used in the Hunan region of China at that time. Basil eventually migrated westward as whole plants as it could be grown easily indoors and away from exposure to cold climates and frost.

With its wide culinary reach, different varieties of the basil plant have been adopted into the cuisines of various cultures. The flavors of sweet basil are all too familiar to Italian dishes where it is used liberally, whereas Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora), lemon basil (O. X citriodorum), and holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) have become a staple in many Asian cuisines.

Uses of Basil Today

Basil continues to have diverse applications in modern kitchens and science labs. In cooking, basil is most commonly used fresh in cooked recipes. More often than not, the fresh leaves are added at the last moment, as cooking can quickly destroy the herb’s distinct flavor. But today, basil is not only used as a food flavoring, but also in perfumes, incense, and herbal holistic remedies.

Basil Harvesting Bonus Tips: Basil needs to be regularly harvested, so the plants don’t “go to seed”—that means clipping leaves from the tops of plants on a regular basis (the leaves will grow back and thrive and produce even more basil). What to do with all the extra basil? Make pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays—individual frozen cubes of pesto can be added to dishes to flavor just about anything from vegetables to soups and pastas. Too much basil to handle? Wash bunches of basil leaves, dry them, and package them nicely in an attractive bag as a gift to a neighbor or friend.

Basil is so revered that there’s an annual festival to celebrate it. Held in San Antonio every spring, Basil Fest honors the “herb of summer” that reigns king in gardens and kitchens. The festival is dedicated to learning about, cooking with, and enjoying basil—and every year a Basil Fest Champ is crowned, based on public voting of chefs’ basil dishes.

Have you ever visited Basil Fest in San Antonio, Texas? Please tell us about the unique ways you use and celebrate basil!

« Introduction to Blueberries
Introduction to Garlic »

Tags

basil, common herbs, culinary herbs, mint

Comments

Click here to cancel reply.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Give a Gift

FREEBIE!

With your FREEBIE, you’ll also receive regular email messages from the Food Gardening Network. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Your email address is private. We promise never to sell, rent or disclose your email address to third parties.

Freebies

  • How to Grow a Vegetable Garden
  • 15 Easiest Fruits to Grow at Home
  • Growing Vegetables Indoors for Beginners
  • How to Master Spice and Herb Gardening at Home
  • The Best Way to Grow Tomatoes
  • Recipes from Your Garden
  • How to Start a Freedom Garden
  • Gardening in Every Season
  • Planning Your Perfect Food Garden
  • Plants for Bug Control Chart

Browse Topics

  • Composting
  • Container Gardening
  • Easy Healthy Recipes
  • Food Preservation
  • Garden Design
  • Garden Tools
  • Growing Fruits & Berries
  • Indoor Gardening
  • Pests & Diseases
  • Seeds & Seedlings
  • Soil & Fertilizer
  • Spice & Herb Gardening
  • Vegetable Gardening
  • Watering & Irrigation

We will be attending the following shows in 2023:

  • MANTS in Baltimore, MD
  • Connecticut Flower Show
  • Vermont Flower Show
  • Philadelphia Flower Show
Click here to schedule a time to visit with us at the show!

Enter Your Log In Credentials

This setting should only be used on your home or work computer.

  • Lost your password? Create New Password
  • No account? Sign up

Need Assistance?

Call Food Gardening Network Customer Service at
(800) 777-2658

Food Gardening Network is an active member of the following industry associations:

  • American Horticultural Society
  • GardenComm Logo
  • MCMA logo
  • Renewd logo
  • Manage Account
  • Join
  • About Food Gardening Network
  • Contact Us
  • Affiliate Program
  • Sponsor Program
  • Give a Gift
  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

Food Gardening Network
99 Derby Street, Suite 200
Hingham, MA 02043
support@foodgardening.mequoda.com

FREE E-Newsletter for You!

Discover how to grow, harvest, and eat good food from your own garden—with our FREE e-newsletter, delivered directly to your email inbox.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Powered by
Mequoda Publishing Network
copyright © 2023 Mequoda Systems, LLC

Food Gardening Network® and Food Gardening Magazine® are registered trademarks of Mequoda Systems, LLC.