Summertime Bounty of Basil

Ask me my favorite thing about summer and I'm likely to give you the obvious answer: three months off from work.

Ask me my second favorite thing about summer, and I'm likely to turn my thoughts to food. Hands down, it's gotta be the basil.

There is just something so refreshing and delectable about this summer herb. A lovely chiffonade of basil confetti just makes me want to throw a party, or at the very least, run my fingers through their verdant leaves.



To celebrate summer's bounty of basil, today I used it in three different applications, just to show my love and commitment to its usefulness in the kitchen.

First I cut and washed some strawberries

Then I added in some basil

Then, the best part of all, I soaked them in some sugar and balsamic vinegar. Oh heaven!


While I waited for the berries to macerate, I made myself a lovely lunch of spaghetti with butter, garlic, and basil


Then to wash it all down, I let some basil steep in a simple syrup

That I added to lemon juice and water to make a delicious Italian lemonade that I enjoyed on my patio.


All in a day's work. Cheers to summer!