Basil is a wonderful accent to many of a dish that needs a touch of herbal with soft bite. Added to a tomato based sauce or making home made pesto, the flavor is perfect for pasta or in fresh baked Italian breads for a rustic artisan flavors.
It's also used in many medicinal purposes and It has compounds that can help to alleviate anxiety and depression, increase your ability to think clearly, and lower the risk for age-related memory loss. Essential oils in basil, including eugenol, linalool, and citronellol, can help to fight inflammation in the body.
A cup of basil tea used to be drunk by many a Medieval lady for it's relaxing properties. Monks in Period times used to serve basil tea to many a Pilgrim in their hostels on their way to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.
There are many rituals and beliefs associated with basil. The French sometimes call basil "l'herbe royale" ("royal herb"), while Jewish folklore suggests it adds strength while fasting. In Portugal, dwarf bush basil is traditionally presented in a pot, together with a poem and a paper carnation, to a sweetheart, on the religious holidays of Saint John and Saint Anthony. However, basil represented hatred in ancient Greece.
Basil has religious significance in the Greek Orthodox Church, where it is used to sprinkle holy water. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox Church, Macedonian Orthodox Church and Romanian Orthodox Church use basil (Bulgarian and Macedonian: босилек; Romanian: busuioc, Serbian: босиљак) to prepare holy water and pots of basil are often placed below church altars. Some Greek Orthodox Christians even avoid eating it due to its association with the legend of the Elevation of the Holy Cross.
In Europe, basil is placed in the hands of the dead to ensure a safe journey. In India, they place it in the mouth of the dying to ensure they reach God. The ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks believed it would open the gates of heaven for a person passing on.
It's also used in many medicinal purposes and It has compounds that can help to alleviate anxiety and depression, increase your ability to think clearly, and lower the risk for age-related memory loss. Essential oils in basil, including eugenol, linalool, and citronellol, can help to fight inflammation in the body.
A cup of basil tea used to be drunk by many a Medieval lady for it's relaxing properties. Monks in Period times used to serve basil tea to many a Pilgrim in their hostels on their way to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.
There are many rituals and beliefs associated with basil. The French sometimes call basil "l'herbe royale" ("royal herb"), while Jewish folklore suggests it adds strength while fasting. In Portugal, dwarf bush basil is traditionally presented in a pot, together with a poem and a paper carnation, to a sweetheart, on the religious holidays of Saint John and Saint Anthony. However, basil represented hatred in ancient Greece.
Basil has religious significance in the Greek Orthodox Church, where it is used to sprinkle holy water. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox Church, Macedonian Orthodox Church and Romanian Orthodox Church use basil (Bulgarian and Macedonian: босилек; Romanian: busuioc, Serbian: босиљак) to prepare holy water and pots of basil are often placed below church altars. Some Greek Orthodox Christians even avoid eating it due to its association with the legend of the Elevation of the Holy Cross.
In Europe, basil is placed in the hands of the dead to ensure a safe journey. In India, they place it in the mouth of the dying to ensure they reach God. The ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks believed it would open the gates of heaven for a person passing on.