Basil. Just the smell of it reminds me of my summer spent in Acquedolci, Sicily. Close your eyes and visualize it. Waking up and eating sweet strawberry granita followed by bargaining with street vendors at the local markets. Endless days spent on the beaches of Capo d'Orlando jumping off high rocky crags and landing in balmy, crystal-blue, salty Mediterranean sea. Taking naps simply for the sake of relaxing. Evenings dedicated to walking down cobblestone streets exploring neighboring towns and villages. I remember my great aunts would prepare homemade pasta (the thickest most delicious noodles I’d ever tasted!) for lunch with fresh tomatoes and basil. The sights, the sounds, the smells—I was in heaven. And now, how my heart aches for Sicily! There is a common Sicilian/Italian saying (and I believe the stunningly beautiful Sophia Loren said it best), “dolce far niente,” translated “the sweetness of doing nothing.” That summer taught me how to live by this mantra and showed me the beauty of never having to apologize for it.
Basil has been used since the most ancient of times as a culinary herb and medicinal plant. The name basilicum (Greek basilicon) derives from the Greek word for dragon or basilisk. In Mediterranean countries basil has been used before bed to relax the brain and nervous system in order to treat insomnia. Additionally, upon waking, it is used to promote alertness. According to The Earthwise Herbal, basil is used to treat depression, melancholy and even nervous tension. Interestingly, in India basil has been reported to treat neurological disorganization and emotional distress sometimes seen in patients with long histories of marijuana use. Its volatile oils can remove toxins from the blood, liver, lungs and intestines. Further, it has been used to remove medical and chemical drugs that sequester in fat cells. Basil is high in beta-carotene and vitamin C as well as numerous phytochemicals that are believed to decrease inflammation in the body.
Sometimes, when my current world becomes too chaotic, I close my eyes and go back to those Sicilian streets. A romantic guitar plays. An older woman is sweeping the sidewalk and stops to scold noisy children playing football in the street. Shrines dedicated to the Madonna decorate windows. The sky is blue and the sun is on my face. I take a deep breath and inhale the smell of the ocean, fresh pasta, tomatoes and basil. I can taste the salty sea on my tongue. Dolce far niente. –A xo
Wood M. The Earthwise Herbal. North Atlantic Books: Berkeley. 2008.
Basil has been used since the most ancient of times as a culinary herb and medicinal plant. The name basilicum (Greek basilicon) derives from the Greek word for dragon or basilisk. In Mediterranean countries basil has been used before bed to relax the brain and nervous system in order to treat insomnia. Additionally, upon waking, it is used to promote alertness. According to The Earthwise Herbal, basil is used to treat depression, melancholy and even nervous tension. Interestingly, in India basil has been reported to treat neurological disorganization and emotional distress sometimes seen in patients with long histories of marijuana use. Its volatile oils can remove toxins from the blood, liver, lungs and intestines. Further, it has been used to remove medical and chemical drugs that sequester in fat cells. Basil is high in beta-carotene and vitamin C as well as numerous phytochemicals that are believed to decrease inflammation in the body.
Sometimes, when my current world becomes too chaotic, I close my eyes and go back to those Sicilian streets. A romantic guitar plays. An older woman is sweeping the sidewalk and stops to scold noisy children playing football in the street. Shrines dedicated to the Madonna decorate windows. The sky is blue and the sun is on my face. I take a deep breath and inhale the smell of the ocean, fresh pasta, tomatoes and basil. I can taste the salty sea on my tongue. Dolce far niente. –A xo
Wood M. The Earthwise Herbal. North Atlantic Books: Berkeley. 2008.
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