Genovese basil

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Genovese basil is a cultivar of Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil). It is one of the most popular basils for culinary use, particularly for use in pesto, the traditional genoese sauce.

Genovese basil (in ligurian language baxaicò or baxeicò) has also played a role in many cultures. In Italy, it is considered a sign of love. Women who are ready to receive a suitor might put out a pot of basil as a sign of their willingness. In France, it is called herbe royale referring to the relation of its name with the greek "Basileos" (= King). It is widely mentioned in literature, such as in Boccaccio's Decameron.

The very best genoese basil is said to be grown in Pra, a western delegation of the city of Genoa, close to Cornigliano. The nearby presence of a large steel mill from the 1950s to the 1980s threathened the cultivar, said to be necessary to produce the "real" genoese pesto, now the threat is mostly gone with the dismissal of the mill and the conversion of the remaining lines to less polluting productions.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ Genovese basil. Sara's Super Herbs. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.