Well, I was a bit late on making the first pesto of the year, but basil late than never, right?

Basil has reported been cultivated for over 5000 years in its native India, where it was revered and thought of as sacred. That elevated status earned it its regal “basilicum” name in our part of the world, which is derived from the Greek word for “king” or “royal.”

If Wikipedia is to be believed, basil supposedly grew at the spot where St. Constantine and Helen discovered the Holy Cross, but I’m skeptical. I mean, seriously — who would have jotted down that little culinary tidbit in the midst of finding one of the world’s most significant religious relics? “Oh look, this is the spot where Jesus was crucified and here’s the cross on which he was crucified, but wait … anyone up for some pesto?”

According to the Our Herb Garden website, basil has been thought of as many disparate things throughout the centuries. Because it was thought to “wither in the hands of the impure,” it was a method of determining chastity, yet it was also thought of as a love token to place at gravesites. Also, smelling it might either clear your brain, or cause scorpions to grow in your brain.

Thankfully, we see basil these days as the wonderful culinary herb that it is. Part of the mint family, it loves some heat and plenty of water while growing. I have mine in a spot where it pretty much sits in a little bit of standing water all the time, so I have me some happy little Ocimum basilicum plants.

I prefer to make my pesto pronto in late spring, giving the plants a pretty severe crew cut. By doing that, they’ll bush out even heavier in coming months. Just make your snips low on the stalks, and right above where at least two leaves are branching out from the main stalk. Those will then grow into two separate stalks, which you can trim in the same way when they get a little bigger.

When I’m making pesto, I always make a too big batch so I can throw the extra in some ice cube trays and freeze for later use. Typically, I omit the cheese for this so the cubes are a little more versatile for tossing in salad dressings, etc. You can always add the cheese in later for pasta or pizza topping. (Check out the latest Saveur issue for tons of pesto history and recipes.)

Basil is also showing up as a versatile mixology ingredient too, especially in any drinks using things like cucumber, tomato or even strawberries. Because it’s akin to mint, it can be used almost anywhere where mint would be. I doubt Basil Juleps will be showing up at the Derby anytime soon, but a Basil Mojito is a refreshing twist.

Hhhmmm … is it five o’clock somewhere yet?