Bountiful Basil

Kitchen Hints

• Basil is easy to grow, and indeed a container of it should be a fixture in every kitchen. Not only does the sweet herb help purify the air, it also protects against troublesome flies and mosquitoes, which shun its scent.
• Try different types of basil. Interesting varieties include lemon, red, anise and cinnamon basil. Dwarf basil (O. minimum) has small leaves and is especially prized by chefs for its pleasant aroma and fine taste.
• To store fresh leaves, wrap them in paper towels and place them in plastic bags in the refrigerator. for longer storage, put the leaves in a container, cover them with olive oil and refrigerate for 10-14 days.
• To freeze the leaves, puree them in a blender or food processor. Place the basil puree in an ice-cube tray and add a little water to cover.
• Store dried basil in a tightly closed container in a dark place at room temperature. This prevents any flavor loss. Use within a year.
• Add fresh basil to foods just before serving. Basil complements pasta, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, zucchini, rice, beans, meat, fish and poultry.
• Use basil to season foods if you are sensitive to strong spices, such as pepper, paprika or garlic. It has a mildly spicy flavor.

Magickal Uses

Folk Names: Albahaca, American Dittany, 'Our Herb,' St. Joseph's Wort, Sweet Basil, Witches Herb
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Deities: Vishnu, Erzulie
Powers: Love, Exorcism, Wealth, Flying, Protection

• Basil is used to prevent inebriation
• Do you want to know if someone is chaste or promiscuous? Simply lay a sprig of fresh basil on their hand. It will immediately wither if that person is 'light of love.'
• Basil brings wealth to those who carry it in their pockets, and is used to attract customers to a place of business by placing some in the cash register or on the doorsill.
• The scent of fresh basil is said to cause sympathy between two people, and this is why it is used to sooth tempers between two lovers.
• It is added to love incenses and sachets, and the fresh leaves are rubbed against the skin as a kind of natural love perfume. In Eastern Europe it was once thought that a young man would love any woman from whose hand he accepted a sprig of basil.
The copyright of the article Bountiful Basil in Herbal Lore is owned by Ellen Lord. Permission to republish Bountiful Basil in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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