Ocimum tenuiflorum – Holy Basil

October is here and we are into Autumn

As the season changes, it’s a time to appreciate the beauty of our natural environment.

As frosty mornings lead to bright crisp days, the countryside is awash with colour – and it’s the perfect time to get out and about and enjoy the great outdoors!

It’s also a great time to think about cooking up heart warming comfort food which harness the benefits and medicinal properties of herbs and spices.

For this edition of Herbs with Barbara, Barbara had been in her kitchen cooking up a batch of Oat and Persimmon cookies. 

Persimmon is a tomato-like fruit which is sweet and aromatic.  Best used when fully ripened, they make a perfect ingredient for these cookies.

What a delight!

Holy Basil

Believe it or not there are as many as 150 varieties of Basil.

Ocimum tenuiflorum is probably better known as Holy Basil and is a much-favoured ingredient in Thai cooking.

This highly aromatic herb brings many benefits – and especially at this time of the year when you have the sniffles.

Simply brew dried or fresh leaves and you have a very pleasant and refreshing tea, which has a slight flavour of peppermint to it.

Be inspired and listen again to the latest episode of Herbs with Barbara.

Barbara Wilkinson is a fully qualified Medical Herbalist and is trustee of the Herb Society.

She’ll next be with us on Thursday 7th November.