Favorite Basils

[shelleybean]

I was just wondering what basil varieties you all are growing and how you use them. I am again growing Lettuce Leaf basil that I mainly use for pesto. This is a smaller plant than the Genovese basil but I think you get more bang for your buck with this. Not quite as aromatic as some of the others but I like it.

Next, another favorite is Greek basil. It's a tiny plant, great for pots, with small leaves that don't even need to be chopped. Once you chop them, they quickly turn black at the edges anyway. I like this on sliced tomatoes and any tomato or cucumber salad. It has fairly strong flavor so it's good that the leaves are tiny.

Several years ago, I grew Dark Opal basil and am trying it again this year, though it's off to a slow start. I like this mostly for the way it looks. It's both pretty and tasty in pasta salad and the small bunches of whole leaves make a nice garnish.

I have not grown Thai basil or cinnamon basil or lemon or lime basil and was wondering what others have to say about those. What's your favorite basil and how do you use it??? Thanks!

[Dunkel]

I'm growing Genovese (repeat), Red Opal (new), Magical Michael (new and hate the name LOL), and Lemon Basil (repeat). Genovese was great to add fresh on pizza, or in any tomato dish. The lemon basil I really liked and would pluck a leaf or 2 when out in the garden just to munch on. I liked it in fish dishes too.

[nctomatoman]

I've tried many types over the years - Thai, African Blue, Holy, Genovese, Bush, Lettuce Leaf, Dark Opal, Red Rubin, Lemon, Lime....once I got over the novelty of trying whatever I could find, I got down to sheer useability, and find that good old Genovese works for everything we need - torn leaves in salads, sauces, omelets, as well as loads of pesto. The plant that is really very cool indeed is Greek Columnar, in that it simply doesn't go to flower - just grows upward and fairly narrowly to about 3 feet or more tall and about one foot wide. Since it typically doesn't flower, it is acquired by a cutting. It is a great all purpose basil, with slightly smaller foliage than Genovese.

[Suze]

I wouldn't be w/o Genovese. Reason: flavor. If I could only grow one variety of basil, this would be the one.

I also like Spicy Globe (hybrid), both for the taste and for the leaf size. You don't have to dice it, just tear the leaves directly from the stem and add it to your dish.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/926

Genovese and Spicy Globe are probably the two main favorites I use for everyday cooking. They are also the two main ones I put up for the winter (by freezing into ice cubes).

Lemon Basil - nice for teas, also for Asian cuisine (I like it for stir fry). And the smell is heavenly -- even if it didn't taste good, I would still grow it for the scent.

Cinnamon Basil - very pretty in flower arrangements, also nice smell. Has a bit of an anise undertone to my tastebuds.

Red Rubin - I don't get the name, because it's purple, but I really like having it in my garden. Very ornamental w/tall lavender bloom spires. Also tastes good. Purple Ruffles is nice appearance-wise, but I prefer Red Rubin for taste.

[Fert1]

I tend to like the Asian basils better than the Italian basils. The Italian basils tend to be a little strong for my tastes. I wasn't crazy about lemon basil though. I grew a very good one last year, called Queen of Siam or Siam Queen or something to that effect. I thought it had a very good flavor without being overly strong. I also grew Lettuce Leaf basil. It was also relatively mild, and grew like a weed. It was the hardiest of the lot. I had tons and tons of it. It out produced the other 2 by tenfold, but I liked the flavor of Siam Queen a little more.

[mdvpc]

I am growing San Valentino, Sicilian and Napoletano this summer.

[mresseguie]

I'm growing three kinds of basil this year-two of which are Asian. The Asians are "Siam Queen" and something simply titled "Oriental Basil" (Although, 'Holy Basil, Green Leaf' is also checked.), the third variety is "Sweet Basil". The oriental variety is an experiment on my part.

My wife, who is Taiwanese, says Siam Queen or nothing, because of its rich flavor. I grew Magical Michael last year, but it didn't stand out as extra delicious.....despite it's AWESOME name lol.

[montanamato]

Genovese and Thai Basil are planted every year.

JEanne

[shelleybean]

Thanks for the replies. A friend of mine is growing some Thai basil this year. Maybe she'll give me a little to try.

[honu]

Shelley, Ask your friend for some cuttings, clip them below a node, strip off all but the top leaves, and they will root easily in water or moist soil. I started many Thai Basil from extras I took home from eating pho at Vietnamese restaurants. Some basils are better if you keep pinching off the tips and harvest all the time... keeps the plant bushy, the leaves stay big and good tasting before they flower. With Thai basil, I found it didn't matter as much. Also, for me, Thai basil leaves are thicker and more hardy against insects here, and the Thai taste best in my stir fries, especially with eggplant.
I ordered pretty much all the different basils that Seeds of Change had in their catalog a few years ago, and they have been growing wild in my yard ever since. I love the aroma when I brush against them, and the bees love them. I especially like the fragrance of cinnamon basil, but I usually stick to harvesting leaves from either Genovese for bruschetta or Thai for almost everything else.

[Fert1]

Looks like I'm not the only one here with a taste for the Asian basils.

[Miss_Mudcat]

Another vote for Genovese! I just returned from the garden to cool off - phew it's hot today - I sowed a 100' row of Genovese alongside a row of tomatoes. It is a staple here. We use it for Caprese, on homemade pizzas, for Pesto, and lastly we dehydrate oodles of it for using all winter.

I grew Greek last year and didn't like it much at all... tho' it was very pretty!

Lisa

[bugsy]

Interesting how consistent the answers are.

I've grown the gamut including but not limited to: Marseille, lime, lemon, red ruffles, red rubin, lemon, mexican (cinnamon), spicy globe, greek, sweet nufar, vietnamese, siam queen, genovese. I know I'm forgetting some.

And...Genovese and Siam Queen are my overall favorites too! lol.

I still have my packet of Genovese basil that I got from Home Depot when they discontinued their organic Pennington seed packets in 2002. I got a bunch of packets for 1 cent each. The basil seeds are still good and I have a bunch growing right now. How long is basil seed generally viable? Good thing I didn't trade or throw this one away.

[David52]

I've sifted through just a dozen varieties of basil, and have settled on one from Territorial Seeds called "Swiss Sunset", a dark purple variety with a very intense flavor.

I grow it in containers on the west side of the house where it gets very sunny and hot in the summer. Most basil I've tried will flower quickly, and is very difficult to keep trimmed of the seeds and keeping the green growth. Not this one. It flowers, and still grows good leaves. One planting will last all summer.

[GManess]

My top 3 fav's are Violet Aromatic, Genovese, and Nopolentano Bolloso in order of taste preference. Violet Aromatic although smaller leaved than the two others, has a much stronger aroma and flavor to me. While Nopolentano has humongous leaves, it's flavor and aroma are not as heavy as the other two. Included are two pics of Violet Aromatic and Nopolentano Bolloso (note the variegated leaves on the V.A. even though the balance of the plant is dark violet).