Genovese basil
Encyclopedia
Genovese basil is a cultivar
of Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil). It is one of the most popular basils for culinary use, particularly for its use in pesto
, the traditional genoese
sauce.
The name "Basilico Genovese" is protected by the European Union
with the Denominazione di Origine Protetta certification. Genoese basil is produced in the provinces of Genoa
, Savona
and Imperia
.
The best genoese basil is said to be grown in Prà, a western delegation of the city of Genoa
, close to Cornigliano. The nearby presence of a large steel mill
from the 1950s to the 1980s threatened the cultivar, said to be necessary to produce the "real" genoese
pesto
. Now the threat is mostly gone with the dismissal of the mill and the conversion of the remaining lines to less polluting productions.
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
of Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil). It is one of the most popular basils for culinary use, particularly for its use in pesto
Pesto
Pesto is a sauce originating in Genoa in the Liguria region of northern Italy , and traditionally consists of crushed garlic, basil and pine nuts blended with olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano and Fiore Sardo...
, the traditional genoese
Génova
Génova may refer to:* Spanish spelling of the city of Genoa, Italy* Génova, Quindío, a municipality in the department of Quindío, Colombia* Génova, Quetzaltenango, a municipality in the department of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala...
sauce.
The name "Basilico Genovese" is protected by the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
with the Denominazione di Origine Protetta certification. Genoese basil is produced in the provinces of Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Savona
Savona
Savona is a seaport and comune in the northern Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea....
and Imperia
Imperia
Imperia may be:* Imperia , an Italian city* Province of Imperia, the Italian province of the above city of Imperia* IMPERIA, a vodka produced by Russian Standard* Imperia , a statue in Constance, Germany...
.
The best genoese basil is said to be grown in Prà, a western delegation of the city of Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, close to Cornigliano. The nearby presence of a large steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
from the 1950s to the 1980s threatened the cultivar, said to be necessary to produce the "real" genoese
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
pesto
Pesto
Pesto is a sauce originating in Genoa in the Liguria region of northern Italy , and traditionally consists of crushed garlic, basil and pine nuts blended with olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano and Fiore Sardo...
. Now the threat is mostly gone with the dismissal of the mill and the conversion of the remaining lines to less polluting productions.
See also
- International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated PlantsInternational Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated PlantsThe International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants regulates the names of cultigens...