It’s June—Time for Fresh Basil from the Garden

This past weekend, I went to the farmers’ market looking for some zinnias. The herbs were so fragrant, especially the rosemary. One of the farm stands had several varieties of basil to choose from including the purple (opal) variety. Basil is also easy to find at the grocery year round.

Did you know that basil is a member of the mint family? And like mint, it’s easy to grow and is typically at its peak during the summer months. Look for leaves that are bright green (if buying the common variety), without black spots and that hasn’t flowered yet.

You can keep basil about 3-4 days in the refrigerator if you wrap it in paper towel and store in a plastic resealable bag. In fact, most produce is happy in a plastic bag if you punch 5 or 6 holes in the bag so compounds that increase spoilage go out while oxygen comes in. You can always line the bag with paper towels if the produce was sprayed with water when you purchased it.

Some like it hot:
Tomatoes
Avocados
Eggplant

These three do best on your counter at room temp and typically need to be eaten within a day of two or ripening.

Some like it cold:
Green beans
Corn
Celery
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Radishes and scallions

Keep in the crisper which tends to be the coldest spot. Don’t forget the plastic bag with the holes poked in it.

Some like it lukewarm:
Peppers
Cucumbers
Summer squash

Like the refrigeration but a little less chilly so put them up on the top shelf where it’s warmer (also in the plastic bags).

It’s a good idea to wash your produce right before you use it versus when you put it in the refrigerator—tends to last longer.

Back to the basil, I put some in my food processor along with a little olive oil, rice vinegar, pepper and spicy mustard, and then pureed it for a nice vinaigrette over fresh tomatoes. How about you? What do you make with your basil? Pesto?

Dr. Susan