In the first unit of my humanities class, which is called Food for thought, the class learned about the process of agriculture and cultivation of many of the foods that we find useful today. For our first action project in this unit, we were assigned to pick one ingredient that our family uses for a dish and track what that ingredient went through in order for it to get to our plate.That includes its center of origin, what climate it can grow best in, and what that ingredient can be used for. The ingredient I chose was Basil. I chose Basil because it amazes me how one small herb can change so much about a dish. Since doing this project I have learned a lot about my family and how they incorporate Basil in what we eat. I didn't notice how much Basil we actually use. I find it in salads, dressings,pastas, and even pizza.
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| The County clerk. "Basil". Flicker. Yahoo!, 7, October , 2009.web. 18 April 2014. |
Hi y’all my name is Ocimum basilicum, but people call me Basil for short. People like to put me in their foods, and grow me in their gardens, but some people have other ideas about what to do with me. Some people use me for witch craft and I used to lay with mummies a while back. The witches are a bit odd if you ask me, and laying next to mummies could get quite boring. I’m considered the queen of herbs because I can be used for many things and because of how healthy I am. People use me in their gardens, as fresheners and the most popular place the kitchen (which also happens to be my favorite.) People say I give off a sweet taste, and that I represent love, but don’t mess with me. The Romans believed that I had the power to cure a dragon’s venomous bite.
I grow best in the warmer places, and the sun is my friend because I’m from the tropical world, so I’m fine when I’m grown in local gardens, but please keep me away from the cold. The other Mediterranean herbs are jealous that I can handle the wet/humid weather. I've been through a lot since getting to your plate. Like I said I’m from the tropical world, more specifically Central Africa and Southeast Asia.
I remember just having a chill day, when all of the sudden some man by the name of Alexander the great picked me up to head to Greece. From there I was brought to England and India in the mid 15oos, and finally the United States in the mid 1600s. I was being cultivated in Egypt, France, Hungary, Morocco, Indonesia, and the U.S, which is how I probably got to your plate. I remember laying in a field with many other kind of herbs and the sun shining right at me, when I just feel a stretch pulling me away. All I remember next was being put into a bin with no light, and being thrown in the back of a truck. The next thing I knew I was laying next to some other Mediterranean herbs in the fresh market. I felt the all too familiar feeling of once again being taken away . This time I wasn't scared because the other herbs were telling me how fun it is to finally be washed up and actually being used. The lady took me along with some of my other fellow herbs. To my surprise some of them went by the window, and to be honest I was quite jealous that they were able to be with the sun, but I was excited to be used as an ingredient. I’m one of the most famous herbs used in the kitchen. Just add me to give an extra kick to your dish. I can be used for salads, dressings pastas, and even pizza. But I can’t forget my favorite...Pesto Pasta. I love being mixed with those Italian herbs, or maybe its just my sweet, yet powerful taste that makes the dish deliciously known.
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| Food tree. RD. Photography. 2014 . Chicago Illinois |
Citations:
"Basil (sweet Basil) Ocimum Basilicum "Sweet Basil" Ocimum Minimum "Bush Basil"" Information on the Herb Basil. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
"Basil." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Apr. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014
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