October 28, 2011
I recently discovered a flavorful year-round basil bush. With a name like holy basil bush, how can it not offer some divine praise? It also makes for great dinnertime giggles with the kids—try saying it five times fast!
My holy basil is not only growing, but thriving, even as the months turn colder. It has smallish leaves, purple stems and a lovely spicy fragrance. As far as taste, it’s a bit stronger than your average basil (this is holy basil, after all). It carries the taste of spiced clove, which I like for these cozier times of year.
Because of its strong flavor, I use just a tad less than recipes call for, like in my chicken chili, using 3/4 of the recommended amount. This basil is also excellent in ethnic meals like curries because the flavor doesn’t get lost in the mix of other strong ingredients. We also really like it on pizza because it holds up well under the heat of intense cooking.
