Basil Organic

Ocimum basilicum

basil leaf

In the ancient world, basil was reserved for royalty, as evidenced by its common name that was taken from the Greek basileus that means "people's leader." The French refer to the herb as herbe royale and in Germany it is known as Königskraut, both of which translate to "herb of the king".

Basil was introduced to North America in the in the 17th century when it was procured for Thomas Jefferson by Bernard M’Mahon, a renowned horticulturalist appointed as one of two nurserymen to become curators of the seeds and roots collected by Lewis and Clark. Curiously, despite enjoying widespread popularity in the New World, the herb fell out of favor in the 1800s until its revival as an exotic ingredient deemed necessary in cookbooks published in the late 1960s and early 1970s that featured Mediterranean and Asian cuisines. The renewal in popularity has since led to the development of more than 50 varieties of basil, including several lemon-scented basils.

In addition to Italian foods, basil is widely used in Asian cuisine. In Thai cooking, for example, the herb is added vegetable stir-fries. Basil’s flavor profile is particularly suited to dishes that contain cabbage, peppers and eggplant. It’s also an excellent seasoning for dishes that feature tofu or fish.