Pesto, Pistou, Pistu

So what is in a name?  Or in this case what is in this delicious and highly versatile PlannedOver.  Summertime here in South Cackalakie and you know what that means, it’s Basil time.  As a southern woman, or a transplanted southern woman in my case, of a certain age, it is practically mandatory to grow something in the summertime.  It doesn’t have to be a lot.  No need to go all Laura Ingles Wild.  But a small plot, or some herbs, and of course the requisite tomato.  Because as we all know there is nothing, wait, no nothing quite like an honest to goodness homegrown tomato.  Eaten the southern way between two slices of white bread, generously schmeared with mayonnaise, accompanied solely by a light sprinkle of salt and pepper, it epitomizes the taste of summer.

I started innocently enough with tomatoes and slowly and surely each and every year, what I plant and how  I plant has grown. This year is my most ambitious yet, with me even planting from SEEDS.  Seeds.  I find it highly remarkable that I am able to stick a shriveled up, dry, brown seed into the ground, wait 2 months and viola, green beans. That you can eat.  Roasted, nonetheless.  It is a pretty amazing process and I am thoroughly enjoying every little surprising moment of it.  Including the fact,  it turns out I seem to be pretty GOOD at growing things.  Which is quite contrary to what I believed about having or not having a green thumb.  I found out last summer that I am particularly good at growing Basil.  A LOT of Basil.  So I am not going to reinvent the wheel by sharing that when you have a boatload of basil and you don’t have a ginormous Italian family to feed, you make pesto.  Or pitou.  Or pistu.  Anyone of which, when frozen in ice cube trays and popped into a freezer zip lock will allow you the taste of summer, hopefully all year long.

So what’s the difference?   Pesto hails from Genoa in Northern Italy, generally meaning to pound or crush, as in mortar and pestle.  The typical  traditional preparation  method., done by hand would include, basil, pine nuts, oil, and Parmesan cheese.  Pistou, on the other hand, came from the Provincial area of neighboring France and is unique in that it contains neither pine nuts or cheese.  And I know, I rarely can find a reason that you should not include cheese, ever, but there are actually times that it is better not to have cheese.  Such as when making a basting sauce for the grill.  

Freezing In Ice Cube Trays makes storage a snap

Epicurean Table has several, although not particularly visually, appealing versions to peruse, and what you can do with either creation is practically endless.  Pesto can be mixed into pasta, for a simple, yet delicious classic dish. Mixed with mayo it forms a delectable sandwich spread.   Pistou swirled into Minestrone soup is also a classic, swirled into eggs would be equally good,  and as aforementioned...it is excellent when used as a base for a grilling baste.

Happy Eating!  Enjoy!