Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: If you have stems of basil, trim the bottoms and put in water on your counter for up to four days. If you have basil tips, use immediately. DO NOT put basil in the fridge - it will get brown and weird.

To Dry: Bundle the basil stems with a rubber band and hang upside down in a warm, dry, dark place. Store dried herbs in an airtight container in a dark place.

To Freeze: Wash, drain, and chop the basil. (Tip: Ice trays make good herb freezing containers. They provide ready-made single meal servings.)

Availability

August - October

Varieties of Note

Italian
Italian Purple
Thai
Thai Basil has a sweeter flavor than the Italian varieties, with notes of lemon, cinnamon and clove. It is often used in combination with hot peppers in traditional dishes such as curries and drunken noodles, and the flavor is better able to withstand cooking then the delicate Italian varieties.

Recipes

Peaches and Basil
An amazing combination of flavors, for a mid-summer treat

3-4 Ripe peaches
About ¼ roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
Maple syrup or honey (optional)

Slice the peaches into wedges and arrange on a platter. Sprinkle with the chopped basil and drizzle maple syrup or honey over the top to taste.