basil (vasilikos)

This spicy basil was picked on the island of Crete, the island where the mountain slopes are colored in summer by a carpet of flowering herbs. This wild basil is distinguished by a high content of anise camphor (anethole), which makes the taste powerful and sweet, just like that of Thai basil.

This wild basil comes from the Ocimum basilicum, one of the many herbaceous plants that grow naturally on the island of Crete. Not to be confused with the Clinopodium vulgare, the real wild basil, which also occurs on Crete, and is also used as a herb.

Basil is called the 'royal herb', but the official name is sweet basil. Today we mainly know the plant from the kitchen basil, usually a variety of the Basilico Genovese, the stereotype for the Italian basil.

Sweet basil originates from India, where 'tulsi', the collective name for various types of basil, is a sacred plant that is often planted in front of the house in a specially constructed bed, the vindradas.

Of all basil varieties, these wild-growing basil and Thai basil are the richest in anethole. That distinguishes this basil from the rather faded fresh basil in that respect. Our Cretense basil tastes slightly sweet, but with clear licorice accents, and therefore delicious with stewed fish (such as haddock) and roast lamb, but of course also in pasta and on pizza.

For the famous Pesto Genovese, Italians prefer 'lettuce leaf basil' with its somewhat crunchy and slightly peppery leaves. Although the bite is missing, the wild basil is also very suitable for this dish.

Smell and taste

Only the leaf of basil is used as a herb. The characteristic smell is that of methyl chavicol, which we also know from tarragon and chervil. The broad taste and aroma palette of basil means that it combines well with lemon, lime, mint, cloves, anise and star anise. Some of the fragrances and flavors (essential oils) in basil are:

• methyl chavicol (estragol), aniseed, as in tarragon and chervil,
• anethole, aniseed,
• methyl eugenol, spicy, woody and sweet, as in cloves,
• terpine-4-ol, sweet woody and peppery aroma, as in juniper, 
• linalol, responsible for the fresh floral scent, for the scents of rosewood and coriander,
• methyl cinnamate, fruity, sweetish taste like strawberries, smell of cinnamon,
• 1,8-cineole, eucalyptol, the refreshing taste of myrtle (and eucalyptus oil),
• (E)-caryophyllene, a taste between clove and turpentine, and
• limonene, the scent of lemon peel.

Use

The taste of dried basil is best when the leaves are added towards the end of the cooking time, and are given a maximum of ten minutes to absorb water again, to develop flavor and to share with the dish .

Wild basil can be excellently combined with oregano, thyme, rosemary and fennel seeds. Dosage: Instead of a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh basil, use a teaspoon of dried basil (and vice versa). Basil is used in a 'sea of ​​classic dishes' from the Mediterranean region, as well as in Indian cuisine.

Attributes:

• 100% dried leaf (zipped, virtually no twigs)
• grows in the wild, hand-picked
• origin: Greece (Crete)

Assortment

• available in glass and pouch (no test tubes)
  
• glass jar contains 20 grams
• stand-up pouches with a content of up to 30 to 300 grams
• larger quantities on request

Gift Wrap

• the jar is available in a tasteful gift box, consisting of a cube box filled with black tissue paper
• for an overview of our gift packaging, please refer to the section  gift packaging 
  

Save:

• keep your basil in closed packaging
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• best before November 2024 (11/24)
• this best before date is an indication