“The smell of basil is good for the heart—it taketh away sorrowfulness which cometh of melancholy and maketh a man merry and glad.” - Gerard

We grew two different basils this year, one licorice flavored, one purple, both in containers in which the plants do wonderfully.

Our purple basil suffered the loss of one of it’s branches due to a sudden drop in night temperatures. This combined with the natural end of its growing cycle forced us to harvest our beautiful purple basil last weekend.

Uniquely different than sweet basil in appearance, purple basil has serrated leaves tinged purple when the plant is kept in full sun. It’s flavor, however, is much the same as sweet basil and it can be used in the kitchen in the same ways.

Purple pesto, anyone?

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup Olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 3 garlic cloves

Finely chop basil leaves, pine nuts and garlic and place in a small bowl. Add about 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese and mix while slowly pouring in 1/3 of the olive oil. Mix well and repeat with remaining cheese and oil.

A smooth, thick past will be the result and is delicious over pasta or atop toasted slices of Italian bread.

Pesto will keep in the fridge for about a week or it can be frozen to enjoy in the depths of winter when a spicy, fiery flavor is desired…say, right around February Eve?

A few basil branches have been hung to dry and some fresh made for a fantastically flavored basil wine and added a pungent tang to salad greens to celebrate the autumn equinox.

Magically speaking, projective basil is associated with fire and the warrior planet Mars. When basil is used in cooking, all of these are brought forth into the food, along with basil magical association of purification, protection and luck. Basil is also a funerary herb and its oil once burned on the funeral pyres of revered monks in Sri Lanka.

Basil is probably most often used to purify or cleanse and can be used to asperge the temple area, as was done by King Solomon or it can be blended into incenses intended to cleanse the self of fear.

Planted in the garden, Basil is said to defend the home from all forms of evil and draw luck toward the home and its occupants, but do make sure to curse while planting basil next spring since, according to the ancient Greeks and Romans, cursing is sure to make the plant grow.

In fact, I have a few cuttings that require some cursing right now… :)

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