basil question for probably Gary or Doc or Deanna

[Guest guest]

What is the difference between the various basil's?

Is there one that isn't as strong as the others? I

want a weasker one for a pesto recipe.

Thanks gang,

Chico

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

That's a good question, I always buy what I see and didn't know there

were different types.

GeGee

 

, Chico Juarez

<chico_trucker wrote:

>

> What is the difference between the various basil's?

> Is there one that isn't as strong as the others? I

> want a weasker one for a pesto recipe.

> Thanks gang,

> Chico

>

>

>

>

____________________

______________

> Sucker-punch spam with award-winning protection.

> Try the free Mail Beta.

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[Guest guest]

-Chico,

I have not paid attention to names other than what I have always

called Sweet Basil. It is the best for pesto. When Basil is mixed

with the other ingredients it loses some of it's 'bite'. I have

grown the purple basil but just for looks.

I think Basil is a lot like Cilantro. Either you love the flavor or

you don't.

Deanna

 

-- In , " chilifrenchfries "

<chilifrenchfries wrote:

>

> That's a good question, I always buy what I see and didn't know

there

> were different types.

> GeGee

>

> , Chico Juarez

> <chico_trucker@> wrote:

> >

> > What is the difference between the various basil's?

> > Is there one that isn't as strong as the others? I

> > want a weasker one for a pesto recipe.

> > Thanks gang,

> > Chico

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

____________________

> ______________

> > Sucker-punch spam with award-winning protection.

> > Try the free Mail Beta.

> > http://advision.webevents./mailbeta/features_spam.html

> >

>

[Guest guest]

In my little garden I have sweet basil, spicy globe, purple basil, and

one other kind (with small leaves). the purple seems similar to the

sweet, the other kinds have smaller leaves and are, well, spicy, they

worked in pesto, but not so much in salad because of " bite. "

 

 

, " genny_y2k " <genny_y2k

wrote:

>

> -Chico,

> I have not paid attention to names other than what I have always

> called Sweet Basil. It is the best for pesto. When Basil is mixed

> with the other ingredients it loses some of it's 'bite'. I have

> grown the purple basil but just for looks.

> I think Basil is a lot like Cilantro. Either you love the flavor or

> you don't.

> Deanna

>

> -- In , " chilifrenchfries "

> <chilifrenchfries@> wrote:

> >

> > That's a good question, I always buy what I see and didn't know

> there

> > were different types.

> > GeGee

> >

> > , Chico Juarez

> > <chico_trucker@> wrote:

> > >

> > > What is the difference between the various basil's?

> > > Is there one that isn't as strong as the others? I

> > > want a weasker one for a pesto recipe.

> > > Thanks gang,

> > > Chico

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> ____________________

> > ______________

> > > Sucker-punch spam with award-winning protection.

> > > Try the free Mail Beta.

> > > http://advision.webevents./mailbeta/features_spam.html

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

Most classic pesto recipes actually use Genovese

basil. I grow it and the normal sweet basil

(Ocimum basilicum). I like them both. They're

similar in flavor, I think. Genovese might

make a slightly tastier pesto. See this page

for a discussion:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/herbs/msg07033302740.html

 

Lemon basil has a lemony flavor. The strength

of flavor can vary depending upon plant, soil,

and other conditions. Cinammon basil - slightly

cinammon taste. Holy or Sacred basil has a more

intense flavor. See a whole list of cultivars

here:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_basil_cultivars

 

A few other web pages about basil:

http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Ocim_bas.html

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1999/v4-499.html

 

Gary

--- Chico Juarez <chico_trucker wrote:

 

> What is the difference between the various basil's?

> Is there one that isn't as strong as the others? I

> want a weasker one for a pesto recipe.

> Thanks gang,

> Chico

[Guest guest]

I am not Doc or Gary or Deanna...but....we grow a lot of diffferent

types of basil. The Genoa basil is traditionally used in pesto, I

have also used the opal or purple basil with very good results for

pesto. I would stay away from Thai, cinnamon basil or licorice

basil, or lemon basil for pesto. Genoa is good, purple (Opal) is

also good.

 

 

, Chico Juarez

<chico_trucker wrote:

>

> What is the difference between the various basil's?

> Is there one that isn't as strong as the others? I

> want a weasker one for a pesto recipe.

> Thanks gang,

> Chico

>

>

>

>

___________________

_______________

> Sucker-punch spam with award-winning protection.

> Try the free Mail Beta.

> http://advision.webevents./mailbeta/features_spam.html

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[Guest guest]

I've had luck with two other varieties that I picked up from my garden centre:

Globe Basil

(grows in a round clump with tiny light green leaves) & Lettuce Basil (grows in

stocks with

expansive dark green leaves).

 

Hope that helps

Denise G.

 

 

-----

From : cabrita_trl[roseta_lleo]

Sent : 7/11/2007 12:40:05 PM

To :

Cc :

Subject : RE: Re: basil question for probably Gary or Doc or

Deanna

 

I am not Doc or Gary or Deanna...but....we grow a lot of diffferent

types of basil. The Genoa basil is traditionally used in pesto, I

have also used the opal or purple basil with very good results for

pesto. I would stay away from Thai, cinnamon basil or licorice

basil, or lemon basil for pesto. Genoa is good, purple (Opal) is

also good.

 

 

, Chico Juarez

<chico_trucker wrote:

>

> What is the difference between the various basil's?

> Is there one that isn't as strong as the others? I

> want a weasker one for a pesto recipe.

> Thanks gang,

> Chico

>

>

>

>

___________________

_______________

> Sucker-punch spam with award-winning protection.

> Try the free Mail Beta.

> http://advision.webevents./mailbeta/features_spam.html

>

[Guest guest]

I do not know about how basils compare according to taste. Health

wise, I would pick " sacred basil " . Many, many benefits are attributed

to it's use. It is more pungent than other basils. Here is a link:

http://www.botanicalpathways.com/pdfs/11.pdf

 

GB

 

, Chico Juarez

<chico_trucker wrote:

>

> What is the difference between the various basil's?

> Is there one that isn't as strong as the others? I

> want a weasker one for a pesto recipe.

> Thanks gang,

> Chico

>

>

>

>

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____

> Sucker-punch spam with award-winning protection.

> Try the free Mail Beta.

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[Guest guest]

Greetings Chico -

 

Ah, nothing quite like fresh Basil pesto from the garden! Milli made

some served with brown rice penne' last night... drizzled with a

little warm EVOO infused with garlic and some finely grated Asiago

as usual it was so delicious, simple and fresh - hard to beat on a

warm summer evening...

 

Chico, we have grown several varieties of sweet basils over the

years, and in agreement with what everyone has written - we've grown

a couple of purple varieties and a lemon ones as well(these we use

more as medicinal herbs, ie: tintures, essential oils, etc.) -

however our personal favorite for pesto making, in salads and, as

well for drying the last 10 or so years has been Siam Queen - it is

a profilic annual herb 18-24 " tall, that winters over very well here

in the hill country where we have few below freezing winter nights,

it also produces mountains of huge 3 " + light green leaves,and if

picked regularly, easily produces 1-2 pounds of leaves per plant per

season minimum, it is a little lighter in flavor as well than the

colored basils and the varieties with smaller dark green leaves,

these varieties, in my opinion, make for a heavier-spicier pesto,

and we are partial to the lighter flavor as well, and the fact that

is does not take as many leaves to get a nice sized bunch. It was an

American award winner a few years back (95?) and you should be able

to find it through maybe Territorial Seeds? - If not email offline,

I have 1000's of seeds and can send you enough to get you started...

then all you have to do is let a few plants go to bolt and you'll

have seeds running out of your ears too! Blessings to all - doc

 

, Chico Juarez

<chico_trucker wrote:

>

> What is the difference between the various basil's?

> Is there one that isn't as strong as the others? I

> want a weasker one for a pesto recipe.

> Thanks gang,

> Chico