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The name Basil (Ocimum basilicum) comes from Greek “Basilikos” which translates as “Herb worthy of kings”.
Ancient Egyptians used it together with other aromatic plants for sacrificial offerings. Today, it’s still widely used
in therapeutic remedies of herbal medicine, but most of all in the kitchen.
Basil is also one of the most representative and typical crops of Liguria Region. Its centuries-old cultivation has become increasingly popular in recent years, thanks to the ever-growing appreciation of its enriching aroma, and its simple, high-quality tradition embedded with this very part of Italy.

The original production was limited in the Genoa area from where, thanks to favourable market opportunities, it extended to the whole region. Needless to say, the latter provides ideal environment features to grow it.

Genovese Basil (“Baxeicò” in Ligurian dialect) stands out for its soft green, medium-small size leaves, oval and convex shaped. Its scent, especially when compared to other varieties of basil, it’s delicate and absolutely devoid of that minty fragrance often found when it is grown in other places.

In 2008, the “Consortium for the protection of Genovese Basil” was acknowledged by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, and almost all the producers of Genovese DOP (protected denomination of origin) Basil became part of it. The leaves are a basic ingredient of Genovese “pesto”, a typical sauce which is now exported all over the world.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)