Just look at all of that glorious herb. I'm sorry, but what's not to love about the stuff that makes sauce taste Italian and gives meaning to all summer dishes.
And Wikipedia says that extracts of basil are very toxic to mosquitoes. BIG WIN.
This morning Nonna got up with the early birds to harvest 4 cups of fresh basil leaves for some fresh pesto.
I've been eating pesto since I was in nappies but this is the very first time I've ever seen it made. Actually I have a feeling our whole family still thinks pesto is born in the freezer. Nonna has been producing yearly supplies of basil-green sauce for years without anyone seeing the transformation from leaf to fragrant mush until this moment.