A fabulous herb that is annual. The plant dies off in early winter and comes to life again in Spring. There are many different varieties, green being the most common. Basil loves warmer weather to grow and so becomes plentiful in late spring and early summer. This year, summer was late arriving so we are getting a huge supply a little later than normal. This would be the week to make your pesto sauce for the year, we are definitely doing it up at our farm.
An absolute essential in Italian cooking! The best results come from adding the herb towards the end of the cooking process. Basil is on special at all Harris Farm stores in NSW this week.
HOW TO PICK
When buying fresh basil, look for bright green leaves that are not browning or dried on the edges.
HOW TO STORE
Pick the leaves off the stems and lay them in a single layer on a paper towel. Roll up the towel around the leaves and put the roll in a plastic bag. This method keeps the leaves hydrated but not wet or damp. Of course, if you have purchased one of our swag bags this would keep even better.
