As a plant it is know for its rich, spicy and mild peppery flavour.  It is part of the mint plant family which is why it has a hint of mint and clove flavour in it.  There are over 40 known varieties of basil including some very unusual ones which have flavours including cinnamon, lemon and anise.  The most common type of basil is the Sweet Basil also known as ‘Ocimum Basilicum’ (the Greek term meaning ‘to be fragrant’.  The fragrant oils can decrease if too much fertiliser is used!! It grows best in warm tropical climates such as in Asia and India and is a perennial plant.  In terms of cuisine, it is a herb that is traditionally used in Italian, Mediterranean and Thai cooking.

Basil can also be preserved by freezing in ice cubes.  I prefer to chop the herb and then I spread it out on a flat dish ready for the freezer.  Once it has frozen a little bit, I scoop it up and put into little boxes or plastic bags and put into the freezer. This procedure allows the herb to remain separate rather than forming into frozen lumps.

And here’s a couple ridiculous facts;

The ancient Greeks and Romans thought basil would only grow if you screamed wild curses and shouted intelligibly while sowing the seeds. They also believed if you left a basil leaf under a pot, it would turn into a scorpion. Many believed that even smelling the leaves would cause scorpions to grow in the brain! Salome hid John the Baptist’s head in a pot of basil to cover up the odor of it’s decomposition.