[Herbalist] BASIL OIL:: more questions

[Jenne Heise]

> Thanks Jadwiga,
> Do you have to do something to your basil before you freeze it? Blanch it or
> something?

You can blanch basil but I wouldn't recommend it.

> How awful do you think it would be if I kept the oil in the fridge until I
> used it? Or should I just make pesto and keep it in the fridge until I use it?

Pesto freezes beautifully, and apparently it's a great deal safer than the
oil (botulism is a an anerobic creature -- exposed to air, it goes
dormant).

I don't know how severe the danger of getting botulism spores in your oil
is-- there seem to have been only a limited number of cases. I do know
that if you do get botulism spores in your oil, keeping it in the fridge
isn't that much help, and botulism has a high fatality rate.

If you are going to use it for salad dressing, perhaps you could make
basil vinegar instead?

--
Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise	      jenne at mail.browser.net
disclaimer: i speak for no-one and no-one speaks for me.
"Well," the Goddess said, "your heart didn't heal straight the last time
it broke. So we'll break it again and reset it so it heals straight this
time." Diane Duane. _Door into Shadow_