When it comes to basil, I know what you’re thinking. Pesto. Basil is the base ingredient for this popular and delicious sauce that’s combined with parmesan, garlic, olive oil and pine nuts. We’ve got you covered with a great pesto recipe if you like, but let’s explore basil’s intercontinental appeal as one of the most popular members of the mint family, enjoyed across the globe.

It comes in many varieties and hybrids, and shows up in Italian, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and Taiwanese cuisines, just to name some.

There are many varieties of basil each with their own flavor profile and use. Here are a few:

Bush Basil: Ocimum basilicum, the most widely grown basil, and is native to India, Africa, and Asia. There are many variants and cultivated varieties of sweet basil.

Cinnamon basil: Also known as Mexican basil with leaves that have the same chemical as found in the cinnamon spice. This variety is great for recipes with peaches, chicken and even cinnamon basil cookies.

Thai basil: A botanic variety of sweet basil, Thai basil exudes an anise or licorice essence and can sustain higher and longer cooking temperatures. Known and the Siam Queen, it’s different from Western strains and is a familiar taste in many types of Thai curry.

Purple Ruffles and Dark Opal basil: Purple in color and beautiful ruffled edges make attractive and ornamental plants for the garden.

Lemon basil: A hybrid of American and bush basil that has an intense lemony fragrance. It’s used in Asian cooking in stews, curries, stir-fries, and rice dishes.

Holy Basil: Is an annual shrub with spicy clove-like scented leaves that is also known as Tulsi. It’s widely used in herbal tea and sacred to the Hindus and Ayurvedic medicine.

Crab cakes are a super versatile dish making a great starter or main course. Pair with fresh sourdough bread and a simple slaw and you have a wonderful meal. Don’t forget the horseradish cream on the side!

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds crab meat
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1- 2 teaspoons ground dry mustard
• 3 - 4 dashes hot pepper sauce (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• Cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 cup saltine crackers, crushed
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons oil (choose a flavorless oil like avocado or vegetable oil)

Horseradish cream sauce

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons drained, bottled horseradish

Note: You can substitute crab meat for imitation crab meat in equal proportions if needed. The texture and flavor will differ a bit.