[We've been stuck in holiday frantic-ness so I haven't written in LONGTIME, but now we're rapidly approaching New Years its all underway again.]
HELLO NEW ZEALAND SUMMER! It's stonefruit season! Which means for the next month or so we are brimming with fresh cherries, apricots, peaches and nectarines, as well as fresh berries. And it is also the best time to get fresh basil.
In Chinese Philosophy, peaches are a symbol of/and are eaten for Longevity and Good Health, which is great to remember for the new year.
ALL ABOUT BASIL:
Basil would defiantely be one of my favorite herbs, and it is so versatile, it can be used for sweet and savory, in food and drink, as well as being used for natural medicine. It is belived to have originated in India, where it was believed to ward off evil spirits and misfortune. It is placed in hindu temples, and is also know to have preserving qualities. Basil was used to help preserve mummies in egypt as well as said to be found in the tomb of Jesus Christ. It has been used in the Greek Orthodox Chuch with the making of Holy Water, and in Italy, Mexico, Romania, Iran, Egpyt and many other countries it is considered a token of love or used to find a suitor.
However in Ancient Greece and Rome, Basil had mostly negative connotations as it was thought to be associated with the Devil, poverty and bad luck. Another myth is that Basil was a symbol of chastity. If an person held basil and it withered, they were considered impure and discarded as a marriage prospect.
Basil comes from the Greek "Basileus", which means "King", and is representative of scorpions. It was taken to Europe around the 16th Century where it gradually became well know in mediterreanean cuisine. There is even a passage from the Rig Veda concerning the Lord Vishnu... basil is a supremely scared herb for Hindu people.
TYPES OF BASIL:
From left to right Mediterranean (“sweet”) basil, African Blue, lemon basil (O. americanum), spice basil, Thai basil (Siam Queen) and tree basil (O. gratissimum), upper and lower sides.
At Goodluck we use a lot of Thai Basil (or Bai Horapa, in Thai). If you pop down to the bar, you can ask for a Thai Berry Baby, but today we're giving recipes for two other drinks:
1. For Summer Freshness: Peach, Ginger and Basil Cooler
2. A Cure for the Seasonal Hangover: Bloody Mary (Asian Influenced with Thai Basil)
PEACH, GINGER AND BASIL COOLER
- 45ml Cachaca
- Fresh Peaches
- Basil
- Lemon Juice
- tsp Palm sugar
- Small chunk of ginger
- Gnger beer
- Soda
- Muddle two or three peach slices with palm sugar and ginger
- Add two leaves of basil, cachaca and lemon juice
- Shake
- Gently rub a small handful of basil and put in a tall glass with ice
- Strain peach concoction over this
- Top with soda
- Garnish with a peach slice (optional)
BLOODY MARY (with Thai Basil)
- 45ml Absolut Peppar
- Pickled Onion
- Thai Basil
- Corriander
- Worchester sauce (You could substitute soy sauce, but remember its very salty)
- Hot sauce (I like tobasco, its simple and reliable)
- Grinded Salt and Pepper
- Muddle pickled onion, add vodka, hotsauce, worchester, some corriander and thai basil to taste. Grind salt and pepper.
- Add ice and shake.
- Strain over ice into a tall glass, fill with Tomato Juice.
- Stir to blend ingredients
- Grind salt and pepper
- Garnish with some cucumber strips and thai basil.
Further Things To Check Out:
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