In the ancient world, basil was reserved for royalty, as evidenced by
its common name that was taken from the Greek basileus that means
"people's leader." The French refer to the herb as herbe royale and in
Germany it is known as Königskraut, both of which translate to "herb of
the king".
Basil was introduced to North America in the in the 17th century when it
was procured for Thomas Jefferson by Bernard M’Mahon, a renowned
horticulturalist appointed as one of two nurserymen to become curators
of the seeds and roots collected by Lewis and Clark. Curiously, despite
enjoying widespread popularity in the New World, the herb fell out of
favor in the 1800s until its revival as an exotic ingredient deemed
necessary in cookbooks published in the late 1960s and early 1970s that
featured Mediterranean and Asian cuisines. The renewal in popularity has
since led to the development of more than 50 varieties of basil,
including several lemon-scented basils.
In addition to Italian foods, basil is widely used in Asian cuisine. In
Thai cooking, for example, the herb is added vegetable stir-fries.
Basil’s flavor profile is particularly suited to dishes that contain
cabbage, peppers and eggplant. It’s also an excellent seasoning for
dishes that feature tofu or fish.
