Seeds | Basil Mix

The term "basil," which appeared in the French language in 1120, originally referred to a mythical serpent whose gaze could kill, unless it was seen first. The word comes from the late Latin basilicum, which borrowed it from the Greek basilikos, "little king." It was not until 1398 that it began to be used to refer to the aromatic, possibly because, according to some, its aroma is such that it can be found on the table of kings, or because it was traditionally part of an ointment or master medicine.

It also goes by the names "royal herb", "cobbler's orange tree", "sauce herb", and "pistou", the latter word, of Provençal origin, meaning "to crush, to pound", just like pesto, its Italian equivalent.

The only pesto from Genoa
In 2002, the Knights of the Pesto Brotherhood proclaimed the Genoa region the "Republic of Pesto" and obtained a Designation of Origin (DOC) for their product. This protected their "green gold," called alla genovese, which has always been prepared with a variety of basil that grows in the region and local olive oil.

Basil is thought to have originated in central Africa and been domesticated in India or Southeast Asia, from where it spread throughout Asia. It was brought to the West by the soldiers of Alexander the Great around 300 BC. The Greeks adopted it immediately, followed by the Romans.

It was cultivated throughout the Mediterranean basin. However, it only appeared in France in the 12th century. In America, it was cultivated as early as the 17th century. Today, it is produced almost everywhere in the world, for sale fresh or for the production of essential oils.

There are about 50 known species of Ocimum and dozens, even hundreds, of varieties.

Selected from various parts of the globe, they have specific characteristics, notably their essential oil content, which can vary considerably from one variety to another and strongly influence their flavor.

This is the case with Thai basil, which is predominantly licorice-based. There are also varieties with aromas of cinnamon, lemon, lime, and camphor. The size of the leaves also varies, ranging from the lilliputian leaf of Greek basil to the immense leaf of lettuce basil, which can reach 10 cm.

As for the color of the leaves and flowers, it ranges from pale green to purple-red through many shades, which makes some varieties splendid ornamental plants. Others, with an unpleasant flavor, are used for their medicinal properties.

This is the case of basil from West Africa, appreciated in this part of the world for its antiseptic properties (due to its high thymol content). Finally, a variety called holy basil is used in India in religious rituals dedicated to the god Vishnu.