Basil- A Tomatoes Best Friend!

I live in the South, and one of the many joys of summer is fresh tomatoes. Some of my earliest memories are of my Grandmother harvesting a tomato crop so large that we ate them at every meal. She still had enough left over at the end of summer to can as stewed tomatoes or use in her incredible vegetable soup to last all winter.

I remember that even as delicious as they were fresh, everyone still passed the salt shaker around to make them taste even better. Salt, as it turns out, intensifies the taste of a Tomato, something my pallet had become accustom to.  

As I began to learn to live without my “three teaspoon of salt a day” (see last posting)  I looked at the foods I used the most salt on...and anything with tomatoes quickly became my focus.  I tried going cold turkey, and just use pepper, but I could not get satisfied, until I discovered  Basil...A Tomatoes Best Friend!   

It didn't take me long to learn that using a little basil ,olive oil and pepper in or on anything with tomatoes taste fantastic , all without adding any salt.  Here are a few ideas that I use: 

• An hour before dinner, cut your tomatoes and marinate them in a small dish with Olive Oil, Balsamic , Basil and a dash of pepper, then mix them into your salad  or eat by themselves. 

• Slice tomatoes and fresh mozzarella  and layer each other with Fresh basil [or sprinkle a good Sweet Basil] and drizzle with Olive Oil , Balsamic and a dash of Pepper  for a wonderful Caprese Salad.   

• Have you tried making Bruschetta? Its easy. Dice Tomatoes, and mix with fresh garlic, basil olive oil and balsamic to make this fantastic appetizer. Just toast sliced baguette French bread top with the Brushetta mix and top with grated parm cheese.

Just experiment and you will find hundreds of uses for basil and you will soon learn why it is one of the most popular herbs in the world. 

Remember...The more seasonings, herbs and spices you use in you meals, chances are the healthier you will be eating. 

SpiceMan

What is the connection between Graduation and Bay Leaves ?

Its graduation season , a time when cultures all over the world celebrate academic achievement. So, you ask, What is the connection between the Bay Leave and Graduation? 

It is the Baccalaureate ! 

To better understand the connection, lets look back in history.

Bay leaves, also known as Sweet Laurel, are one of the worlds most commonly used herbs. Its history dates back to the legends of the Greek god Apollo, god of prophecy, healing and poetry. Apollo was madly in love with a nymph named Daphne. She wanted no part of his affections and turned herself into a bay tree to hide from him. When he found out he declared the bay tree sacred and wore a wreath of its leaves on his head in her memory. In this same manner, crowns of Bay Leaves were given to the victors in battle and sporting events in ancient Greece and Rome. Later , Poets received the similar honor as a poets laureate  and Scholars received their honors in a ceremony called the  Baccalaureate.  

Turkish and Greek Bay Leaves are the know best in the world.  Grown wild in the  mountains , the winds blow across the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, picking up moisture and dropping it on the growing trees.  By the end of the summer the wind changes direction and comes from the south. Before it reaches the growing regions , the wind passes over several mountain valleys and ridges making it hot and dry, perfect for quickly drying the leaves with a minimum of flavor loss.  Because of the dry conditions, the winds create a high risk of forest fires , which can effect the bay leaf harvest and leave size.

Another form of Bay Leaves can be found occasionally on grocery Store and Culinary Spice and Herb racks. The California Bay Laurel has a bright green waxy coating and is very uniformed in size. They look beautiful, but cooks beware.  If you try to use this leave, be very careful as its strong and astringent flavor can overpower your dish. I would not suggest using more than 1/2 of a leave in any sauce or dish that  you plan to simmer . This leave is best used to garnish a dish. 

My preference is the traditional Mediterranean or European Leave. 

The flavor of Bay Leaves is perfect for adding to roast pork or chicken, pot roast, turkey, or ham, use 2-3 leaves and remove before serving. Bay Leaves are also perfect for spaghetti sauce and chicken soup, use 2 per quart. A great health tip is a surprising fact is that Bay Leaves improve the flavor of salt-free dishes with their rich flavor. 

The more you use Herbs and Spice to prepare you meals , the healthier you become. 

Enjoy!