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Sorellina's Basil Forest 2009

I too have to ask what is Thai basil, I can find a few different kinds here. Ok best I can make out, Ive got monk basil, hair basil, sweet basil, Do they taste different ?

I'll have to look around Thailand more maybe I can get Cinnimon basil, Cinnimon trees are to much work.
 
Exotic,

I can't tell you exactly what Thai Basil is, but I can tell you that handling the leaves and sniffing what your fingers smell like will almost get you high. The stuff is 10 times as aromatic as Genovese!

Mike
 
Hmmm I don't think I can say that to the girls at the garden store here, they may get the wrong idea. But thanks for the info wordwiz. I'll look for genovese,,.. Oh my wife just told me there alot of different types of Thai basil ?
I give up, I just look and grow what I can.
 
Ciao all-

Yes, Siam Queen is indeed a variety of Thai Basil. I use it primarily in any Asian dishes from stir fries to phad thai to Vietnamese pho soup to tom yum soup. It's used mainly as a garnish but it really punches up the flavour.

Exotic, I'm not familiar with some of those varieties, but I say go ahead and grow some of them to see what they're like and report back! Be adventurous.

By the way, growing a cinnamon tree sounds so exciting, even if it is a lot of work.
 
Exotic Island said:
I too have to ask what is Thai basil, I can find a few different kinds here.
Click to expand...

The two main kinds in Thai cooking are "Horapa" or Thai Sweet Basil and "Grapow" or Thai Holy Basil.

If you say Thai Basil, it's usually means Horapa. This looks a lot like the Siam Queen and Anise Basil in Sorellina's pics. It's very easy to grow, just be sure to remove the flowers quickly and harvest often.

Grapow or holy basil has a stronger, medicinal taste. The leaves and stems are fuzzy and more serrated. This looks a little like the "Blue Spice Basil" in the pics. It's a little more sensitive and slow growing. It is related to the Indian Holy Basil or Tulsi. I've also heard it called "Hot Basil".

Both types will form roots in a cup of water. Just find a basil you like at the market and put a few cuttings in a cup of water.

I've also heard of Thai Purple Holy Basil, but I've never seen it in person.
 
Is there a good site that anyone can recommend that specialises in herbs?

I come here for pepper guidance and go to Tomatoville for toms, so I'm hoping there is a good herb forum out there...;)
 
Ciao all-

Thank you very much, Exotic for the descriptions on those Thai basil varieties. I love my Blue Spice basil for many reasons, including the thicker cuticle and hairy leaves/stems which seem to afford it some bug and cold resistance. It's always the last one to succumb to a hard frost in the garden and the least likely to get bug-eaten in Spring.

Huntsman, I can't recommend a forum that specializes in herbs but the gardenweb has many individualized forums for all sorts of different needs. I hang out in the Harvest section a lot at this time of year. You're also welcome to ask me about herbs here. I grow a lot of them, not just basils.
 
Hey Sorrelina ~

Thank you for the info and kind offer. :-)

I know even less about herbs than I do about tomatoes, so I'm afraid the questions might seem idiotic...LOL!

EG Which part of the herb is harvested? Only the leaves?
 
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