Basil: varieties, care and use
Etymology and history
The name derives from the medieval Latin basilicum, with origin from the Greek basilikon ("royal, majestic plant") and from basileus "king". Although the complete etymology is quite uncertain, some believe that it was so called because it was used to produce perfumes for the king or in reference to the "sacred use of the ancient Hindu populations.
See also
In history, basil has not distinguished itself so much as a food - the first texts that speak of its use as a food date back to the end of the 18th century - as it has accompanied many superstitions among the populations of Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
In the days of the ancient Greeks and Rs, basil was considered a diabolical symbol of bad luck and hatred. Pliny the Elder even attributed to the plant the ability to generate states of torpor and madness.
Later, in the Middle Ages, the plant was used to heal wounds, but it did not completely lose its magical aura: in the miniatures of some manuscripts of the time it is in fact represented as a symbol of hatred and of Satan.
Basil, to be grown in the garden or in a common pot on the balcony, grows well when the sun is abundant and the temperature between 20 ° C and 25 ° C, as in the Mediterranean climate. It should be watered frequently and regularly, but you will have to pay attention to keep the soil well drained, as stagnant water is harmful to its roots.
The best time to sow it is spring, around March-April, and flowering occurs between June and September. Basil plants must also be regularly topped, to allow for lush growth and to extend the life cycle, which ends with the production of seeds.
Being a plant sensitive to diseases caused by fungi and parasites (Fusarium oxysporume and Botrytis cinerea in the first place), you will always have to keep the leaves under control: if these are covered with gray rot, it will be good to run for cover.
In cooking and medicine
It should be remembered that basil must be used fresh and added to dishes at the last moment. Cooking quickly attenuates its flavor until it is neutralized, leaving little of its unmistakable scent. When dried, it completely loses its flavor, while frozen it keeps it unaltered. even for several months.
Together with cheese, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil, it is the basic ingredient of Genoese pesto, the excellent sauce typical of Ligurian cuisine, but it is also commonly used for salads, seafood, scrambled eggs, white meats and tomato sauces.
In Asian cuisine, especially in Taiwan, it is used frequently in soups and the whole leaves often accompany traditional fried chicken.
Basil is also traditionally used in some popular medicines: the leaves and flowering tops are in fact used to prepare infusions with a sedative, antispasmodic, digestive, diuretic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action.
