Basil. To eat, to cook, to plant. Or something completely different!

Thea, you say you love basil. Does that mean you've been making kamaki with my husband, because his name is Basil! I'll have to give him a stronger dose of Calming Down Pills, I think. His mother christened him Basil because she was a big fan of the filmstar Basil Rathbone, but he's always been known as Tony. I like basil shredded in pasta - that's the leafy sort, not my husband. He doesn't like pasta, and he's even less keen on being shredded. Hey, this is turning into a Panda Spanking discussion!

In my country, Basil is mostly used in religious rituals. Most of the people of Romania are orthodox Christians. Here, a bouquet of dry basil is used by the priest during Mass or during other religious ceremonies (Marriage, Baptism, Burial, etc...). The priest dips the basil in holy water and sprays it over the people attending, as to purify them and bless them. Basil bouquets are also found next to the icons on peoples' houses. Basil is also used by unmarried girls in one special night. It is said that if you put a small branch of dried basil under you pillow that night (I can't remember on which night - I believe it's on the summer solstice) they will dream the boy they are meant for.

LOL. What timing with this post. Just this morning I was looking at a terrible overflowing pot of basil that I've got on the go right now. I really have to sit down and trim it down and transplant it but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. It's the only pot that started at all this year for some reason and boy has it ever grown. I don't do much with it really. Pluck a few leaves once in a while for a dinner. Lately, I've just put the little pot in front of the fan and had a nice basil smell floating through my house. Different but nice :)

oh i love basil! we have something called pepper basil around here that is just awesome for cooking. i've been meaning to get some seeds for it.

I just been to a garden museum today, there was a herd garden, one of them was basil, I never look it as a plant or cooked it before until today. I don't know what I would do with it besides cooking them on pasta, it is what my mother in law told me how I could cook with it.

Hi, friend. That`s really poetic and is a great story. But, i have got some more things to tell you about the basil plant. In India, Basil is called Tulsi. It is of great medicinal use in effects of cold, infection, and immunity depletion (they are all scientifically proven) as well as many more. It is used in tea, in cooking and can be used with nearly everything. Well, Ancient Indians recognized its importance thousands of years ago and it is considered the the plat with the highest medicinal value. Although, all plants are highly regarded in India, but basil reserves a special place among them. There are numerous stories associated with it, it is considered to be a form of God and is worshiped by a majority of Indians. Actually, this great regard for plants and trees has kept them safe here in India unlike other parts of the world and that me really happy among various disappointing facts. Happy Mylotting!!

I am hoping you posted the picture, but if not, I will look it up online. I have three types of basil in my tomato and pepper garden. It is supposed to enhance the flavor of your tomatoes to grow basil with it. Basil is traditionally said to repel flies.I believe it. I like to take sprigs of basil and throw on the fire in the fire pit, it seems to keep the mosquitoes away and it is very aromatic.

I use basil in cooking fairly frequently as it can go fantastically well in soups or with pasta dishes and chicken based meals. It's an easy enough herb to come by these days too as my local supermarket doesn't sell all available herbs but it does stock this one. I am reminded of Basil Brush, a character from a childrens TV show, when I hear the word Basil and I always want to say "boom boom" which is his catchphrase.

maybe you could smoke it?

Basil is Italy. Basil is summer. Basil is a salad with mozzarella, tomatoes and olive oil - so refreshing! I use it everywhere and have some in a pot too. I freeze it and use it in homemade soups all year round. A tip: when frezing it, dice it up and add it to a small amount of water. Then play it in the ice cube tray in the fridge. When the cubes are redy place them in freezer bags and youhave portion sized basil cubes for whenever you need them.

I love the odor of basil, I love to grow it, and its just delicious in pasta sauces and in almost any kind of meat] dish. i have read the poem called The Potof Basil and it is really great. somewhere I saw that painting too. that story is a bit grisly,poorIsabella she really really loved Lorenzo.wonder if she thought maybe the basil would revive him some how, oh my just a thought. wow. I mean she did have his head ,maybe she felt basil would magically restore the rest of him.

In India we call it "Tulsi". Basil basically belongs to tulsi family. It is good to eat raw and many a dressing is done with this basil leaves. Although i have never tried it any of my recipes i have seen it a lot in the cookery books and shows. The tulsi we use can be used to make concoctions with dried ginger powder, honey and turmeric powder for a cough or sore throat. The tulsi leaves also known as basil leaves has its mythological stories about its presence on earth in our Indian fables. It is mostly planted in all Hindu houses. Happy mylotting.

Basil is used in pastas there right? Here in indis, we have a medicinal use of it. When you catch cold or get your nose bloced, we make this medicine which made with basil , tender guava leaves, pepper freshly crushed, mollasses. You boil it together and intake the steam, and later drink it. It is a good medicine for cold if taken fequently for 2-4 days.