Oh My God. On Saturday we went to our local specialty market and splurged on several mouth watering treats. The most delicious was fresh {as in green, crisp and fragrant} basil. Another thing it had going for it was that it was grown in Canada. So at least it wasn't super un-local. We love basil. We love to make pesto. So we planned an easy but delicious pesto pasta and salad dinner and we just had to share with someone so we invited our dear friends over. It was fun. It was a treat because normally we don't eat things out of season, like basil. Now I'm totally mentioning this from memory, but in her book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle", Barbara Kingsolver mentions something along the lines that it's not about becoming fanatical or completely idealistic about eating, but more simply about becoming conscious about where your food comes from...to know what journey it has taken to be on your plate...that not all foods are naturally available year round...to actually know that carrots grow in the ground and pineapples on trees thousands of miles away. By becoming aware and conscious about our food, it becomes easier to eat healthier and make more sustainable, eco-friendly choices. And so if you do make the choice to eat something like basil in the dead of winter, you know very well what it's costing to get that tasty treat on your plate.
So, we truly did enjoy every aspect of the experience, from washing the basil, to preparing the pesto, to savoring it. Oh man, even thinking about it is making me salivate. Even the kiddos enjoyed it. One thing's for sure, we can't wait for spring so we can start planting our own!!!
That's one thing I absolutely have to grow every year: basil. It really is an amazing experience, the smell, the taste, the beautiful deep green. Thanks for reminding me of it even in this cold heart of winter!
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