When basil was 'very in' and caught the eye of Midday
CBC program looked to greengrocer Pete Luckett to talk about the apparently then-trendy herb
In 1986, basil was "very in," according to Midday — a statement that will make today's foodies wonder how the savoury herb could ever have been out.
As usual, the long-running current affairs program looked to its resident greengrocer, Pete Luckett, to talk about what was new on his shelves.
"It's an absolutely delicious herb — it's very tender, it's very delicate," said Luckett, when discussing the fragrant herb commonly found on top of Margherita pizzas.
"If you're buying it in your fancy herb stores, when you're taking it home, remember to take great care because it bruises and these leaves will go black very quickly, especially if they get too cold."
Lots of uses
Luckett raved about its wide applications in cooking.
"You can use it in lots of different ways, anything from salads to soups to nice sauces."
He pointed to sweet basil as a route to making a simple pesto, which could be used to coat pasta, to top a pizza or to dollop on top of zucchini.
