GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

William L. Rose · 03-08-2006, 06:40 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible

In article . com,
wrote:

Penelope Periwinkle wrote:
On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 03:40:19 GMT, "Claire Petersky"
wrote:

"sueb" wrote:

Basil plants don't last that long anyway. Once they start to flower,
there's not much you can do.

So, you pinch 'em back when they start to flower, to keep 'em going. They
can grow to be the size of small bushes under the right conditions.

I can't wait until I get some flowering basil again. The flowers are
ever so sweet tasting, and taste wonderful in a sanwich with cheeses
like gruyere, masdammer, leerdammer and jarlsberg cheese.

Amen sister. Besides all that "dammer" cheese, if you want the basil to
stand-up to the garlic in your pesto, pick the floowers first and make
up the difference with the leaves. Bella-bella. It would be a little
awkward with bruschetta though, not impossible, just awkward. Pesto,
green salad, and melon, followed by a cheese plate (if your cardiologist
allows) make for a great meal (al fresco if possible), especially on a
hot day . Chardonnay (or other dry white) with the pesto, red with the
cheese (If the cheese is really funky(gruyere, limberger, a really good
camenbert), make it a Pinot, he said parenthetically.). What ever you
do, use the basil flowers. They are too pungent to toss.