1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to save your prediction of iHeartRadio. I'm 2 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: Annie and I'm more. 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 2: In Vogelbaum, and today we have a classic episode for 4 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 2: you about. 5 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 1: Basil or basil. 6 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 2: Uh huh yep. So this is one of the episodes 7 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 2: that really cemented our mythology that Annie is a sleeper 8 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 2: agent for the British Empire, and you know that's what's 9 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 2: going on with her. 10 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's what's just going on. I have to say, 11 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: because there's been several instances after that. Paprika Paprika was 12 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: another one. I have now started to say basil and 13 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: basil because I think I've gotten really in my head. 14 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: But I feel like I'm in a strange state. I'm 15 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: gonna I don't know, like something in my brain will awaken, 16 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: but I do say both alternately. Now, was there any 17 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: particular reason this was on your mind? 18 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 2: Lord now? No, The episode originally aired in June of 19 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 2: twenty eighteen, and I was just kind of going through 20 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 2: our older archive and I was thinking about the basil 21 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 2: plant that I killed over the winter, and it was like, 22 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 2: that sounds like a good topic. I wonder if it's 23 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 2: still pleasant to listen to, and it was, this is 24 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 2: a super fun one. 25 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: It was a really fun one. My basil plant. See 26 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: this is the issues I always pause before it. Now, 27 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: I'm like, which one are you going to say? It died? 28 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: I oh, oh, I'm sorry. Tragedy. 29 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 2: Oh nice. 30 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: Ants came in out of nowhere and they killed the 31 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: plant and then they left. I thought I thought I 32 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 1: was gonna have a big ant problem, you know, And 33 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: I'm glad that I didn't. It seemed that they just 34 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: came in to kill this plant, and. 35 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 2: They just marked the plant and then left. Yeah okay, all. 36 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:10,839 Speaker 1: Right, sure vacated. This episode does remind me of one 37 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: of the funniest, in my opinion, complain to listener mails 38 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: we ever got, which was why didn't you talk about pesto? 39 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 2: Oh? 40 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: That was sort of the heart of the message. And 41 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:29,920 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, yeah, okay, but we could just 42 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 1: talk about pestal later. 43 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, we could do a whole episode 44 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: about pasto. I mean we probably should. 45 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: We probably should. 46 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:38,399 Speaker 2: It was just lutest Yeah. 47 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: This person was very seemed very passionate about pasto. 48 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 2: You know, we appreciate passion around here. 49 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: We do. I'm not mad about this message. I just 50 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: remember kind of being taken back. 51 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, just just like, oh, oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know. 52 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 2: I didn't know that this was so dear to you. 53 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 2: I would have, I didn't. I meant to no pesto offense, 54 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:00,679 Speaker 2: you know, yeah. 55 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:07,959 Speaker 1: Never, never any pesto. She's just funny because at the 56 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: time I don't think i'd had pasto. I either hadn't 57 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: had it or I just didn't know i'd had it. 58 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: I definitely did had not knowingly had it. But I 59 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: had a friend who had a lot of basil plants 60 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: and she made some homemade pesto from them, and then 61 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:29,839 Speaker 1: after that I was sold, and I was really mad. 62 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: I hadn't been. 63 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 2: Joining eaten more of it, but previously Yeah, sure, share, yes. 64 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: Okay, well, I guess we should let past Annie and 65 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: Lauren take it away. Hello, and welcome to food Stuff. 66 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 2: I'm Annie Reeve and I'm more in volba bam and 67 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 2: today we're talking about one of my favorite herbs. 68 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: Oh we too. 69 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, well, I think it's basically like everyone's favorite 70 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 2: herb worldwide. 71 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: Basically we're talking about basil. Basil. I really hesitated because 72 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: I almost said basil. 73 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 2: Uh a bit. Basil is according to BabyCenter Dot com 74 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 2: the twenty six hundred and sixtieth most popular name for 75 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: babies this year. Moving on up, I guess it's actually 76 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: moving on down. It was more popular last year. 77 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: But ah, that's too bad. I wonder where herb or 78 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,119 Speaker 1: herb is on that list. 79 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 2: Oh, research for another day, yes, but no, today we 80 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 2: are talking about basil. 81 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: And what is it? Well. 82 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: Basil is a tender flowering plant with oblong leaves that 83 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 2: are highly aromatic. The species Acamum basilicum is in the 84 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 2: same family as mintce and lots of other culinary herbs 85 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:02,359 Speaker 2: like sage or regano lavender. 86 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: In time. There are over sixty types of basil. Oh 87 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: my gosh, I am saying basil and I. 88 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 2: Don't know why or hell okay, I mean, just roll with. 89 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: It, okay. I you know, some days you say basil, 90 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: some days just say basil, Some days you probably say 91 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 1: a completely different pronunciation. Anyway, there are over sixty types 92 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 1: shades of green to purple to. 93 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,679 Speaker 2: Red, depending on the variety. Basil plants may grow about 94 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 2: one to three feet tall that's up to a meter and. 95 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:38,279 Speaker 1: Taste wise, basil can have notes of lemon, annis, cinnamon, clove, licorice, citrus, jazzmine, 96 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 1: and thyme. Most basil grown in Asia typically has a 97 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: stronger clove flavor. I feel like I need to go 98 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,359 Speaker 1: into a room and like have some kind of speech therapy. 99 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 2: I genuinely can't tell if you're doing this on prime. 100 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: I'm not doing it on purpose. I don't know what's 101 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 1: going on. 102 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 2: This is a terrific like Madonna moment. 103 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: It really is, it really is. Here we go. According 104 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,280 Speaker 1: to what I I read, it's best to pick basil 105 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: leaves before the plant flowers, which means I'm sool because 106 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:10,040 Speaker 1: mine has beautiful, bright white buds. To prevent this, growers 107 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: are advised to pinch it back. Yeah. 108 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 2: For optimal herb leaf growth, you're gonna want to trim 109 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 2: off flowers as they start to grow. However, basil flowers 110 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 2: are also edible. Lots of herb flowers are edible. Google 111 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 2: to be sure before you eat something. But yeah, basil 112 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 2: buds and flowers are a little bit more peppery than 113 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 2: the leaves and are a pretty delightful addition to like 114 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 2: salads and cocktails stuff like that. Bees and other pollinators 115 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 2: also do like them, so leaving flowers on your outdoor 116 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 2: plants can help out some of those local pollinator populations. 117 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: And all is not lost for me because I also 118 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 1: read that apparently basil keeps away cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes. 119 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 2: It's a plant, thinking that can grow pretty well without pesticides, 120 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 2: because yeah, a lot of a lot of bugs don't 121 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 2: like it. 122 00:06:56,200 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: Mine grows pretty well in general, because I'm bad with plants, 123 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: and I had I had eleven like herbs last year 124 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: and now I have only two, the basil and the parsley, 125 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: and they like I've forgotten to water them for weeks. 126 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: Oh sure, and they are still kicking. Yeah, And they're 127 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: both lovely and delightful and probably about the only thing 128 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: I can grow. 129 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 2: I've done that with mint. 130 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, mint is tough. 131 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: Oh yes, it's It's gonna outlast all of. 132 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:36,480 Speaker 1: Us, Yes it will. An African legend asserts that basil 133 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 1: keeps away scorpions, on the other hand, because something we 134 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: learned during the research for this is that basil is 135 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: full of contradictions throughout history. In the sixteen hundreds, English 136 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: botanist Nicholas Culpeper, referring to a French physician, suggested that 137 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: it was understood that smelling too much basil would turn 138 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: your brain into a breeding ground for sus. 139 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 2: So it either keeps scorpions away or merely smelling it 140 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 2: will make scorpions appear in your brain cavity one or 141 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: the other. 142 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: Basil has a surprising amount of connections throughout history to scorpions. 143 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: Another superstition of the time was that if you left 144 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: a leaf of basil underneath the pot, it would transform 145 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 1: into a scorpion after enough time had passed. A sixteenth 146 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 1: century Flemish doctor warned that if you crushed a basil 147 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: leaf between two bricks, you'd have a scorpion on your hands. 148 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: Were people doing this on mass leaving basil between bricks? 149 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 2: And I think it just gets left there and sometimes 150 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 2: scorpions show up later. I'm you and your logic, Lauren, sorry, 151 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 2: speaking of logic. 152 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: Basil nutrition, Yeah. 153 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, in it, okay, in the amounts that you would 154 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 2: eat basil, it's essential nutritionally, moot okay. I mean you know, 155 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 2: I guess it's it's got some fiber mm hmm. If 156 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 2: you eat about two chopped tablespoons of basil, you're giving 157 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 2: yourself about five percent of your daily recommended in take 158 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 2: of vitamin A. 159 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: Two chopped tablespoons. Okay, that might. 160 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 2: Be yeah, depending on how much you're eating. 161 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:19,320 Speaker 1: I'm not sure. 162 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 2: Herbs in general are a wonderful addition to foods because 163 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 2: they pack a lot of flavor without adding sugar or fats. 164 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: I have been known to just I guess it's not 165 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 1: like I'm not frying them, but I'll make them crispy, 166 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: like I'll just oh, yeah, a pan, I'll just eat 167 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 1: the leaves. Oh sure. Chemically, basil has a lot of 168 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:45,439 Speaker 1: interesting stuff going on. That hint of clove comes from eugenol, 169 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:49,199 Speaker 1: the same chemical that gives clove it's clobiness. There's higher 170 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: levels of citral or lemonol along with the terpeen chemical lemonine, 171 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,560 Speaker 1: and this is the same thing that's behind lemon peel scent. 172 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 1: Those chemicals are present in high levels and lemon and 173 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: lime basil. The same is true for the chemicals behind 174 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: liquorice for liquorice basil, cinnamon for cinnamon basil, so on. 175 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: There are so many types that have kind of similar. 176 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, flavor profiles to something else exactly. 177 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 1: Throughout history, basil has been used for a plethora of 178 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 1: medicinal purposes. Bronchitis insect bites, cold muscle pains, aeruvetic medicine 179 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: employed basil seeds. Current studies are looking into basil's potential 180 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: anti cancer, antimicrobial, anti accident, and anti viral properties as 181 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: well as well. It also has a known carcinogen called estragol, 182 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 1: but studies and rodents show that you need to take 183 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: in about one thousand times what's considered a normal amount 184 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:45,319 Speaker 1: of basil before it'd give you cancer. An entry I 185 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:51,959 Speaker 1: found on the supernatural uses of basil included love, wealth, cheerfulness, flying, production, 186 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: and extracism. Oh yeah, so let's talk about some production, 187 00:10:57,360 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: shall we Yeah. 188 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 2: If you want to get all of those all those benefits. 189 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 2: Although basil plants will survive year to year, as you 190 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 2: have found ani in warm climates or kept indoors, they 191 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 2: are generally treated as an annual crop for production. Replanted 192 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 2: every year, they will not survive a frost. Farmers can 193 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 2: harvest up to five crops from the same plants in 194 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 2: a single growing season. Once harvested, basil has to be 195 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 2: treated pretty carefully to avoid damage. It's usually refrigerated immediately 196 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 2: like in the field if possible, after harvest. Even when 197 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:32,319 Speaker 2: it's dried, it is treated very gently heated to no 198 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 2: higher than about ninety degrees fahrenheit about thirty two degrees 199 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 2: celsius to preserve the oils in it for growing at home. 200 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 2: If you ever buy fresh basil that you really like, 201 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 2: try trimming like a centimeter or so of the stalk 202 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,319 Speaker 2: off of a sprig and then just putting it in 203 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 2: water in a sunny spot. Basil is pretty good at 204 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:54,319 Speaker 2: growing from cuttings. Once a couple of centimeters worth of 205 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 2: roots grow, you can just plant it in soil, but 206 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 2: it also does grow pretty well without soil. It's one 207 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 2: of the plants being experimented with in hydroponic and aquaponic 208 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 2: studies investigating alternatives to traditional farming, which could become more 209 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 2: important as climate change affects our farmlands. Indeed, one study 210 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,359 Speaker 2: I found was testing out basil's growth in water inhabited 211 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 2: by crawfish, and it did really well. 212 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: Aw food stuff, food stuff past and present into twine 213 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 1: mm hm. 214 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 2: And speaking of hydroponics, one of the best ways to 215 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 2: keep basil fresh once it's been cut off of a 216 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:31,959 Speaker 2: plant is to place the stems in water and keep 217 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 2: the vase of basil that you've got at that point 218 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 2: in the fridge. Just change out the water every day. 219 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 2: You might want to cover the whole thing in plastic. 220 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 2: Your results may vary. Separate leaves, once they're d stemmed, 221 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 2: can be layered with paper towels to keep them fresh 222 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 2: a little bit longer. Some guides say that the paper 223 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 2: towels should be damp again. Your results may vary by 224 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 2: the numbers. Basil numbers are difficult to track because a 225 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 2: lot of it is fresh and that's generally used locally, 226 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 2: like pretty quickly after the harvest. But France, Italy, India, Thailand, 227 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 2: and Egypt grow a lot, producing just amongst themselves thousands 228 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 2: of tons per year. Hundreds of tons of dried basil 229 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 2: are imported to the United States and various European countries 230 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 2: every year, and basil oil is also a major production. 231 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 2: As of the mid nineteen nineties, about forty three tons 232 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 2: that's two point eight million dollars worth of basil oil 233 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 2: were in production every year. 234 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,439 Speaker 1: Basil is used in various delicious ways and cuisines all 235 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: around the world. Thai Laoshan, Vietnamese, Italian, Mediterranean, Chinese, Indonesian, 236 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: Indian basil chicken pestoke, praise all my favorite pizza, the 237 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:52,599 Speaker 1: margarita deep fried basil alongside fruits and desserts and cocktails. 238 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: That dessert we had at Food and Wine it had basil. 239 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, the key limeon watermelon wind. 240 00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 1: Yeah. And it's an ingredient in shaw. 241 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 2: True, it's one of the things that makes it green. 242 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: I did not know that. I have no idea what 243 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: I thought chartreuse was, but I never would have guessed 244 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 1: that add basil in it. 245 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 2: Basil seeds are also eaten. If you soak them in 246 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 2: water for like a couple minutes up to thirty minutes, 247 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 2: they'll they'll plump up with a gelatinous coating, the same 248 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 2: way that the chia seeds do. What's happening here is 249 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 2: that the outer layer, the outer skin of the seed, 250 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 2: contains mucilage or muselage, perhaps the sticky stuff that expands 251 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 2: and becomes sort of jelly like when it absorbs water. 252 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 2: And this is helpful to seeds because it means that 253 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 2: when they encounter moist soil that that mucilage grabs up 254 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 2: water for the seed to use and also kind of 255 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 2: sticks it in to the soil. It's also rad for 256 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 2: eating because it's texturally interesting. You get a little bit 257 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 2: of chew and like this burst of mild floral flavor 258 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 2: and then a crunch from the seed within. Bloomed basil 259 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 2: seeds are incorporated into cold drinks and chilled and frozen 260 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 2: desserts in and Southeast Asia. 261 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: Oh I bet that's good. Oh yeah, so. 262 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 2: It's sort of like a like tapioca, yeah, bubble tea. Yeah. 263 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: I have a friend. This reminds me because I was 264 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: thinking about this like two days ago. I have a 265 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: friend who is a She used to have a pretty 266 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: substantial fear of eating anything with seeds. Oh yeah, in 267 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: it like she won't eat strawberries. Oh wow, okay because 268 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: the little tiny sure, because she thought she knew it 269 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: was ridiculous, but she said she couldn't shake the idea 270 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 1: that would like sprout her stomach and kill her. And 271 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: I've been made to follow up because I was eating 272 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: pumpkin seeds the other day and I was like, I 273 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: wonder if this counts or if it's a specific type 274 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: of seed. I like to know more about people's fears 275 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: of things. I'm one of those weird people, So I'm 276 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 1: glad I have this reminder to follow up. To follow up, Yeah, 277 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 1: to follow up. I just want to understand. 278 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 2: If it's only whole seeds or yeah, if you crunch 279 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 2: the seed, then clearly you're killing it, I think, right, 280 00:15:57,960 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 2: I mean. 281 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, how how far does this seed phobia go? That's 282 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 1: all I need to know. But that's a project, that's 283 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:10,560 Speaker 1: a side project I'll do on my own time, absolutely 284 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: for now. Yeah, we're talking about Basil, which has been 285 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: a symbol of love in Italy and on certain Portuguese 286 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 1: holidays it makes up a part of a gift to 287 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: a loved one. Please, if there's any listeners in Portugal, 288 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear more about that. Yeah. But throughout 289 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 1: its history, as we sort of alluded to, Basil has 290 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: represented everything from hatred to royalty to satan, sometimes all 291 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: at once. Yeah. 292 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 2: So we're going to get into that confusing mash of 293 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 2: legend and history. But first we're going to get into 294 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 2: a quick break for a word from our sponsor, and 295 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 2: we're back. Thank you, sponsor, Yes, thank you. All right, 296 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 2: So Basil history is tough to track down, it is, 297 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 2: but we have tried to make sense of the confusing 298 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 2: history that we have uncovered, and we will present it 299 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 2: to you as unconfusingly as possible that that is what 300 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 2: we promise, that is the foodstuff guarantee we do our best. 301 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 1: So basil has been cultivated for about five thousand years 302 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: or so and most likely originated in India or around there. 303 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: It was found in the tombs of mummies, and historians 304 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 1: think it was used in embalming and preserving an ancient Egypt. 305 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 1: Some of the first records written records of basil came 306 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: out of Hunan, China in eight hundred and seven CE, 307 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 1: so that's pretty newish relatively, Yeah, relatively, I'm used to like. 308 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 1: Back in six thousand BC, whatever, whatever happened, the ancient 309 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,640 Speaker 1: Greeks associated basil with mourning, referring to it as the 310 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: royal herb, possibly because of the Greek word basilius, meaning king, 311 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:14,399 Speaker 1: and the French still call it the herb royal. 312 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. The ancient Greek term for basil was basilicon phyton, 313 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 2: a royal plant. 314 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,640 Speaker 1: The Oxford English Dictionary entry on basil recounts it might 315 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: have been quote some royal ungent bath or medicine, and 316 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,920 Speaker 1: that might be where the name came from. Another possible 317 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 1: etymological origin, though less likely, suggests that the Latin basilicus 318 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 1: as the root word for basil, basilicus, meaning dragon, the 319 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:49,200 Speaker 1: same word for basilisk. Yeah, this is less likely, but 320 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 1: anytime we can bring up a basilisk, gonna. 321 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 2: Show Yeah, it's it's probably definitely not the root of 322 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 2: the word basil. But at one point the Latin term 323 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 2: for basil and the Latin term for basilisk were the 324 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 2: same basiliskus. Yes, the French words for basil and basilisk 325 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 2: are still the same basilic And this might be where 326 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 2: the connection to scorpions comes in. Oh okay, So, the 327 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 2: ancient Greek word basiliscus, meaning little king, was the term 328 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,639 Speaker 2: for a type of bird that had this golden crust 329 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 2: of feathers on its head. The word could also refer 330 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 2: to a kind of poisonous snake that had a spot 331 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 2: on its head that supposedly resembled a crown. Pliny talked 332 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 2: about this and might have been referring to king cobras. 333 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 2: From these creatures we got the mythological basilisk, the venomous 334 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 2: lizard or serpent type being, and part of the myth 335 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 2: of the basilisk was that basil was a cure for 336 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 2: its venom. Oh herbalists were already using basil oil topically 337 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 2: to treat insect bites. And furthermore, the basilisk and the 338 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:01,440 Speaker 2: scorpion were associated with one another because they were both venomous. 339 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 1: A Greek legend gives basil its scientific name after a 340 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:11,400 Speaker 1: Greek warrior, Alchemis, was killed by a gladiator, basil grew 341 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:14,880 Speaker 1: where he fell. There's a similar Ish legend that has 342 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 1: basil growing on the spot where Helen and Saint Constantine 343 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: found the Holy Cross. 344 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. Some medieval legends describe Helen following a trail of 345 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 2: basil up to the cross, as the herb had apparently 346 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:29,920 Speaker 2: sprung up wherever Jesus's blood had fallen to the earth, 347 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 2: and one legend in particular says that basil was growing 348 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,879 Speaker 2: on the cross itself. This might have come from what 349 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 2: John wrote was inscribed on the cross Jesus of Nazareth, 350 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:44,360 Speaker 2: king of the Jews. The Greek version of that inscription 351 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 2: uses the word Basilius for king. 352 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: Hmm. 353 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 2: And another name for Basil is Saint Joseph's Wart, named 354 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 2: after Mary's husband. 355 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:58,200 Speaker 1: I didn't know that. I feel like a fool. Saint 356 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: joseph Wart Yeah is basil. 357 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:02,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, not Saint John's wart, which. 358 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 1: Is totally Okay, that's what I'm to go. 359 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:10,400 Speaker 2: Okay, few, yeah, the one with all the mental properties 360 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 2: is Saint John's wart. The one that's Basil is Saint 361 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 2: Joseph's wart. 362 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: The ones the one that's Basil, Okay, that makes more sense. 363 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,440 Speaker 1: From India and through the Middle East, Basil made its 364 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:24,640 Speaker 1: way to Europe in the sixteenth century, although European accounts 365 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: of it of it exist before then. Oh yeah. From there, 366 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,639 Speaker 1: it made the jump across the Pond to the Americas 367 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:31,880 Speaker 1: in the seventeenth century. 368 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think it was definitely in southern Europe 369 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 2: way before that. Yeah, by northern. 370 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: Europe it made its way out too, Yes, yeah, exactly. 371 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: Basil shows up in Jewish folklore granting strength during fasting. 372 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 1: European lore took a slightly different track, occasionally using Basil 373 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: as a symbol of Satan. Ancient Greeks and Romans believed 374 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:58,479 Speaker 1: that Basil only flourished when abuse was a factor, and 375 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,400 Speaker 1: because of that belief, they is so siated it with hate, 376 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:06,159 Speaker 1: bad fortune, poverty, and Satan himself. This connotation with Basil 377 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: was so strong that some Greek farmers may have let 378 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:15,359 Speaker 1: cursewords fly when planting basil, and inspired the French to 379 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 1: come up with the phrase similar basilica as a slang 380 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 1: for slander. I can only hope there were farmers. 381 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:30,640 Speaker 2: Just cussing out their basil plants as they were sewing. Yeah, 382 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 2: I can only. 383 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 1: Hope this whole satan thing stuck around to In the 384 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 1: sixteen hundred's Natural History, published by Lord Francis Bacon, he 385 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:46,879 Speaker 1: posited that a basil plant left in the sun for 386 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:50,680 Speaker 1: too long would turn into time courtesy of the devil. 387 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:53,440 Speaker 1: It's time like evil or something. 388 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:54,160 Speaker 2: I'm not sure. 389 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: That's a whole other episode. Yeah, I was like, oht 390 00:22:56,320 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: to no them, I must focus my efforts on basil. 391 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:05,120 Speaker 1: I suppose related is the practice of giving young onwed 392 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 1: women a basil leave to carry around if it withered 393 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,439 Speaker 1: before the lady got hitched. Well, I don't have to 394 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 1: tell you. 395 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 2: I think you do. 396 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 1: What did? 397 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 2: What did it mean? I met? 398 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: They were unchased, obviously, and you couldn't marry them? Oh okay, 399 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: I guess that wasn't very obvious. They had different beliefs 400 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 1: back then about basil than we do now. In Hinduism, Tolsi, 401 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 1: our holy basil, is believed to have a connection to 402 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:36,160 Speaker 1: the gods, Vishnu one of them. Holy basil was used 403 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: in the preparation of holy water in the Greek Orthodox Church, 404 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: and rumors of history say that it might have been 405 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: found near the tomb of Christ post resurrection, so not 406 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,400 Speaker 1: satanic like that non holy basil. 407 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. By the sixteen hundreds, people in England would hang 408 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 2: basil in doorways to ward off flies and perhaps evil spirits. 409 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: M Basil is still used when preparing holy water in 410 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: the Serbian, Macedonian and Romanian churches, and some churches have 411 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 1: basil pots under the church altars. When the British controlled 412 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: India tallsa basil was sometimes used in the place of 413 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: the Bible as something to swear on in court. This 414 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,760 Speaker 1: spiritual aspect of basil meant that it showed up in 415 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: a lot of rituals and ceremonies. The ancient Greeks and 416 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: Egyptians thought that basil was the key to opening the 417 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 1: gates of heaven and allowing the dead passage. It was 418 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:30,640 Speaker 1: sort of I think I read somewhere seen as your 419 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: passport to get in. 420 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:32,879 Speaker 2: Huh. 421 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 1: Both the Europeans and Indians have traditions of placing basil 422 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 1: in the hands or mouth, respectively, of the dead or 423 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:41,400 Speaker 1: dying to ensure their safe journey in the afterlife. 424 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 2: It was at one point in Greece or Rome considered 425 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 2: a sacred herb to be picked only by men under 426 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 2: the guidance of priests. Priests like wearing new outfits. Oh, 427 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:56,360 Speaker 2: who had not been hanging around with women unchased women, well, 428 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:58,719 Speaker 2: with women who could have been menstru waiting, because you know, 429 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 2: that's the worst. It's true, super unclean, that's true. You 430 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 2: have to be careful when you're picking your basil, you do. 431 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,359 Speaker 1: It was once believed that a woman on her period 432 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: who called a man would cause him to die. Oh, 433 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: there have been some interesting theories and history about that. 434 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:23,400 Speaker 1: But well speaking speaking sort of related. In the thirteen hundreds, 435 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 1: the Decameron by boca Chio included a Pretty Dark Tail 436 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:32,400 Speaker 1: where basil played an integral role. The story centers around Elizabetha, 437 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:36,359 Speaker 1: whose lover was murdered by her brothers. The lover's spirit 438 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 1: appears to her one night in a dream, and informing 439 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:42,719 Speaker 1: her of where he's buried. She recovers his head and 440 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:45,400 Speaker 1: hides it in a pot of basil that is freshly 441 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,879 Speaker 1: watered with her tears. And her lover's demise. When her 442 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:51,119 Speaker 1: brothers find out, they take the pot from her, and 443 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 1: soon after she dies, overwhelmed by grief. Huh, that's chipper 444 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:02,920 Speaker 1: it is, and it spawned the equal John Keats Keats's 445 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,160 Speaker 1: Isabella or the Pot of Basil. And here I mean 446 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: spoiler alert, here are the last two bits of that 447 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:13,719 Speaker 1: well piteous she'd look on dead and senseless things, asking 448 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: for her lost basil Amorseley, and with melodious chuckle in 449 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 1: the strings of her lorn voice, she oftentimes would cry 450 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:23,400 Speaker 1: after the pilgrim and his wanderings, to ask him where 451 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 1: her basil was and why twas hid from her? For 452 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:29,879 Speaker 1: cruel tis said she to steal my basil pot away 453 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: from me. And so she pined, and so she died forlorn, 454 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: imploring for her basil to the last. No heart was 455 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:40,479 Speaker 1: there on Florence, but did mourn and pity of her 456 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: love so overcast, and a sad ditty of the story 457 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 1: born from mouth to mouth through all the country past. 458 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:51,199 Speaker 1: Still is the Burthen sung, Oh, cruelty to steal my 459 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:52,879 Speaker 1: basil pot away from me. 460 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 2: This also morphed into another bit of cultural symbolism in Italy. 461 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,160 Speaker 2: If a woman placed a pot of basil on her balcony, 462 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 2: it might mean that she was ready for her suitor 463 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 2: to arrive, and if he showed up with a sprig 464 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 2: of basil, she should know that he was serious. Well, clearly, 465 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 2: I mean obviously he had to go get the basil. 466 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:22,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, show up, two step process. And speaking of tragedies 467 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 1: and basil, if we skip away ahead to the nineteen eighties, 468 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:30,160 Speaker 1: a bulletin on herbs from the British Ministry of Agriculture 469 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: labeled basil as being of quote little or no importance. 470 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:40,360 Speaker 2: Little or no importance. Right, that is tragic, it is 471 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:45,440 Speaker 2: why would you say that, British Ministry culture? 472 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:47,400 Speaker 1: What what are you doing? 473 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:51,200 Speaker 2: Well, I think we're proving them wrong every day, every 474 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,880 Speaker 2: day of our lives. You and I are with one 475 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 2: could praise a salad at a time, one margarita pizza 476 00:27:58,960 --> 00:27:59,360 Speaker 2: per day. 477 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:07,479 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, that's that's the kind of interesting mishmash of. 478 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 2: I had no idea, oh me either, that we're gonna 479 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 2: be talking about scorecorpions so much basks satan. Yeah, well 480 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 2: there you go, there you go, now, you know, and 481 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:29,120 Speaker 2: knowing's half the basil. Oh, I'm just gonna crawl under 482 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 2: the desk after that one. 483 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:36,360 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, guys, Dylan is a plotting quite enthusiastically he. 484 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 2: Is, thank you, thank you, Dylan. Oh well, that brings 485 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 2: us to more or less the end of our basil episode. 486 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 2: But right after we've got a quick. 487 00:28:45,720 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 1: Break for a word from our sponsor, and that brings 488 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 1: us to the end of this classic episode. We hope 489 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 1: that you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed bringing 490 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 1: it back and doing it in the first place. Definitely, 491 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 1: if you have any recipes, because I'm in the springtime 492 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: state of mind, I already have kind of a posta 493 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 1: recipe that I created it last year that I do 494 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:24,520 Speaker 1: for Easter now and it has a lot of basil 495 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: in it. Oh, so if you've got any of. 496 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 2: Those, yeah, yeah, And I still have one basil plant 497 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 2: that I haven't killed, so so good. Note we're rooting 498 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:41,880 Speaker 2: for you, well, thank you, I'm rooting for it. It 499 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 2: was touch and go for a minute there. 500 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 1: Oh, dear dear, Well send send your thoughts for Lauren's 501 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:55,479 Speaker 1: basil plant. But also yeah, you can contact us about 502 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:59,440 Speaker 1: this recipes thoughts for the basil plant at our email 503 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:03,240 Speaker 1: at Hello at savourpod dot com. We're also on social media. 504 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 2: You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at 505 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 2: Saber pod and we do hope to hear from you. 506 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 2: Save is production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from my 507 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 2: Heart Radio, you can visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 508 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,560 Speaker 2: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Thanks as 509 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 2: always to our super producers Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. 510 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 2: Thanks to you for listening, and we hope that lots 511 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 2: more good things are coming your way.