Basil (vasilikos)

This spicy basil is picked on the island of Crete, the island where the mountain slopes are colored in summer by a carpet of flowering herbs. This wild basil is distinguished by a high content of anise camphor (anethole) which makes the taste, like that of Thai basil, strong and sweet.

This wild basil comes from the Ocimum basilicum, one of the many herbaceous plants that grow naturally on the island of Crete. Not to be confused with the Clinopodium vulgare, the true wild basil, which also grows on Crete, and is also used as a herb.

Basil is sometimes called the 'king's herb', but the official name is sweet basil. We know the plant mainly from kitchen basil, usually a variety of Basilico Genovese, the stereotype for Italian basil.

Sweet basil comes from India, where 'tulsi', the collective name for various types of basil, is a sacred plant that is often planted in front of the house in a specially created flowerbed, the vindradas.

Of all the basils, this wild basil and Thai basil are the richest in anethole. That distinguishes this basil from the rather bland fresh basil in that respect. Our Cretan basil tastes slightly sweet, but with clear liquorice accents, and therefore delicious with stewed fish (think haddock) and roast lamb, but of course also in pasta and on pizza.

For the famous Pesto Genovese, Italians prefer “lettuce leaf” basil, with its somewhat crunchy and slightly peppery leaves. Although it lacks bite, wild basil is also very suitable for this dish.

Smell and taste

Only the leaves of basil are used as a herb. The characteristic smell is that of methyl chavicol, which we also know from tarragon and chervil. The wide  Basil's flavor and aroma palette makes it a good match for lemon, lime, mint, cloves, anise, and star anise. Some of the flavors and aromas (essential oils) in basil include:

• methyl chavicol (estragole), anise-like, as in tarragon and chervil,
• anethole, anise-like,
• methyl eugenol, spicy, woody and sweet, like cloves,
• terpine-4-ol, sweet woody and peppery aroma, like juniper,
• linalool, responsible for the fresh floral scent, for the scents of rosewood and coriander,
• methyl cinnamate, fruity, sweet taste like strawberries, smell of cinnamon,
• 1,8-cineole, eucalyptol, the refreshing taste of myrtle (and eucalyptus oil),
• (E)-caryophyllene, a flavor between clove and turpentine, and
• limonene, the scent of lemon peel.

Usage

The flavor of dried basil is best experienced when the leaves are added toward the end of the cooking time, and allowed to absorb water, develop flavor, and be incorporated into the dish for a maximum of ten minutes.

Wild basil combines well with oregano, thyme, rosemary and fennel seeds. Dosage: use a teaspoon of dried basil instead of a tablespoon of chopped fresh basil (and vice versa). Basil is used in a 'sea of ​​classic dishes' from the Mediterranean, but also in Indian cuisine.

Features:

• 100% dried leaf (zipped, almost no twigs)
• grows in the wild, hand picked
• origin: Greece (Crete)

Assortment

• available in glass and stand-up pouch (no test tubes)
  
• glass jar contains 20 grams
• stand-up pouches with a capacity of up to 30 to 300 grams
• larger quantities on request

Gift wrapping

• The jar is available in a tasteful gift packaging, consisting of a cube box filled with black tissue paper
• For an overview of our gift packaging, please refer to the section gift wrapping
  

Save:

• store your basil in closed packaging
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• at least good until November 2025 (11-2025)
• This expiration date is an indication

Batch number

The batch number helps us trace which supply an item originates from. It is stated on the packing slip and the invoice