Are you knee deep in basil?

Did you really mean to plant, buy, beg, borrow or steal quite so much of it? It’s like something just came over you right?

Well you are not alone. There is an Old Italian saying, “make pesto while the sun shines”.

It’s a rather astute observation. It is not merely a common sense roadmap for dealing with summer’s great affluence of basil. Which is, after all, summer’s boldest herb.

On the surface, sure it’s a good idea to make pesto right now. Something you could can or freeze. This path will certainly ensure you access to the bright zesty influence of basil even in the darkest depths of winter.

Today I have another classic cocktail using my favorite spirit, gin.

And, it’s a gimlet. And not just one gimlet but three gimlets. Not that I am encouraging you to drink three gimlets, but I am offering three versions of a gimlet.

In case you did not know, a gimlet is a lime-a-licious gin-based drink stirred or shaken over ice. Then strained into a cocktail glass and served “up”. Though I have seen them prepared over rocks with a splash of club soda.

The original cocktail was brought to the world by the gin loving British. Those crazy Brits must have considered gin medicinal, because British sailors used this cocktail to ward off scurvy . Yesterday's gin and tonic was insurance against malaria. It really brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “take your medicine”, doesn’t it?