Advantages: Fragrant
Disadvantages: Does not last long

...Excuse the title but every time I think of Basil I think of Fawlty Towers and Manuel's pet hamster. Anyway back to the herb basil... Basil can be bought in most major supermarkets either fresh or dried. I prefer the fresh version which can be found in small pots and cost around 50p at Asda. One drawback though is that it does not last very long but I tend to add it to everything when I have it around. The famous combination is basil and tomato which you can understand once you try it. Simmer some tinned plum tomatoes with some sugar, tomato puree, salt, pepper and plenty of basil for half an hour. This makes a lovely simple pasta sauce. There is also the rule that you should not chop the basil but rip it with your hands to keep the flavour. Not sure how this works but I do it anyway. I also like to add some basil leaves to my... Read review

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Advantages: versatile, tasty and easy to grow.
Disadvantages: None - unless you don't like it.

...~:~:~ Introduction ~:~:~ Basil is one of mine and Tim’s favourite herbs. Tim is really fussy with food and basil allows me to add flavour to his otherwise quite bland diet. Basil is also incredibly versatile and although most people would associate it with Mediterranean cuisine Basil is also used in many Asian cultures such as Thai, Chinese and Indian in fact from reading the internet a bit for research it would seem that in the US and Australia more people would associate Basil with oriental and Asian food than Mediterranean; I guess it must be a proximity thing? So let me tell you what I know about Basil. ~:~:~ Meet the Lamiaceae Family ~:~:~ The Lamiaceae family is also commonly known as the “Mint” family and contains so many culinary plants such as basil, mint, rosemary, sage, marjoram, oregano and thyme. In total... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent in the treatment of migraine.
Disadvantages: It should be noted that Basil essential oil should not be used by pregnant women, babies, young children or those suffering from chronic illnesses or epilepsy.

...Basil (Ocimum basilicum) was considered by the Greeks to be a regal plant – the Greek word for Basil is actually King! It is also valued and widely used in traditional Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic Medicine. The essential oil is extracted from the leaves by steam distillation. The oil can be clear or pale yellow, and is very therapeutic. There are many varieties of basil, but French basil is the most commonly used in aromatherapy. This uplifting and refreshing oil has a strong spicy-sweet aroma that is often most appealing in a blend with other oils. It blends well many oils, for example: - Bergamot - Cedarwood - Citronella - Clary Sage - Eucalyptus - Geranium - Juniper - Lavender - Lemon - Lime - Rosemary - Tea Tree Basil is known for its stimulating and antidepressant properties. It relieves mental fatigue, clears... Read review

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Advantages: cheaper than bought
Disadvantages: can be tricky to grow

...Basil is a fantastic herb - but unfortunately it's expensive to buy fresh basil all the time if you want to use it liberally in cooking. This year I am attempting to grow some in pots from seed again - last year I had a go and was only vaguely successful. This is what I've learned: basil is easy to germinate (just in compost in little pots) but hard to grow into a big healthy bush. You need to plant lots, weed out the weediest seedlings and make sure your best ones have plenty of room. Ideally, don't transfer them from pot to pot much - they are sensitive to having their roots disturbed. They hate the cold, like moisture but not too much, but their main requirement is plenty of sunshine. On a warm sunny windowsill you should have no probs, but if it is really hot don't let them get scorched. Last year I lived in a cool stone cottage... Read review

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Advantages: its not overly expensive
Disadvantages: to be avoided when pregnant

...BASIL OIL. Basil is generally used in Mediterranean cooking, though it also has a number of therapeutic properties. It can be used to refresh your senses. Soothe your digestive and respiratory tracts, and invigorate your mind. It’s great for treating anxiety and depression and is particularly effective due to its high concentration of alcohols that make up to 60% of basil oil. The main active compound being linalool, which is what gives basil that distinctive, floral, spicy, citrus scent. And monoterpene alcohols that are considered to be uplifting, warming and balancing. Its also antibacterial and antiviral, which helps to stimulate your defensive system to fight infections. You can use basil oil for inhalation, in the bath, and as a massage. And its best for treating respiratory infections, indigestion, and fevers... Read review

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Advantages: It is very funny all the time
Disadvantages: Only 12 episodes have been made

...Say “Hi!” to the most loved and best hotel on TV. That’s right, you guessed it - Fawlty Towers. It’s a hotel run by Basil and Sybil Fawlty, with a little bit of help from a confused Spanish waiter called Manuel. Basil isn’t a nice person and he hates most of the guests, and Sybil is usually horrible to Basil. Manuel doesn’t understand much English and Basil is really horrible to him and blames him for things. Polly (who helps out in the hotel), tries to sort things out when they go wrong, which is most of the time. There are only 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers. This review gives a short guide to each episode and what it’s about. The Hotel Inspectors Basil is horrified when someone tells him that hotel inspectors are coming because he has been very rude and horrid to a guest (as usual... Read review

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Advantages: Hilarious episodes; Superb acting by Cleese et al
Disadvantages: Not many extras

...In my opinion, Fawlty Towers is one of the funniest sitcoms to have graced our TV screens. The main character is the rather snobbish and aloof Torquay hotelier by the name of Basil Fawlty, played superbly by John Cleese (in his first major role since his Monty Python success), and it is through Basil that most of the laughter comes. His contempt of most of the guests (or 'riff-raff') and his old-fashioned attitudes often lead to hilarious misunderstandings, which Basil himself invariably makes worse with his delightfully clumsy actions. Cleese is supported well by Prunella Scales (playing Basil's long-suffering wife Sybil), Connie Booth (as the hotel's maid Polly) and Andrew Sachs (who plays the hapless Spanish waiter Manuel). Despite there only ever being twelve episodes of this great show produced, each one is a timeless classic... Read review

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Advantages: lots of uses in cookery
Disadvantages: you may not like the taste

...Basil is widely grown in Britain and has many uses in cookery and in herbal remedies. This is a half hardy plant but in warmer countries it is a perennial. The seeds can be sown under glass in late March or early April. Then the little plants can be moved to the garden in early June. You can sow the seeds straight into your gareden in May if you prefer, but I always like to get plants off to a good start in the greenhouse. The plants have funny shaped leaves and some of the different varieties have jagged edges to the ends of the leaves. The flowers are quite pretty and white, but you can also get purple tinged ones. There are lots of different varieties of basil you can grow. African Blue has the purplelish flowers and can be used in rice dishes or in stews. Sweet Basil is proberbly the most common one seen in gardens and has... Read review

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Advantages: brilliant comedy acting and hilarious slapstick.
Disadvantages: completely disadvantage free!

...Fawlty towers was and still is an outstanding comedy series of iconic standards. Comedy writers of today would just love to be able to come up with both an idea and a cast that could even come close to this brilliant show. I will now attempt to put into words just how good this comedy was for those of you who haven't seen it. ★The show in general★ The basic idea of the show is that Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) is a hotel owner but not just any hotel, probably the worst hotel in Britain. The hotel is situated in Torquay and together with his wife Sybil (Prunella Scales) they don't so much as run the hotel as run it into the ground. They have the help of Polly (Connie Booth) the maid and Manuel (Andrew Sachs) the waiter and general dogsbody. Polly is a somewhat sexy level headed girl who constantly bails Basil out when he gets... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to freeze
Disadvantages: Can be difficult to grow all year round

...I love the taste of fresh basil, but find it very tempramental to grow. Sometimes I am lucky and manage to produce a good crop. Last year I had so much that it seemed a shame to waste it, so I tried freezing it. This was surprisingly successful and easy to do. (Simply wash and dry it and put it in the freezer). If you take the leaves out whilst they are still frozen, they are brittle enough to break, and you have chopped basil without any mess. It keeps its taste and texture, and you can use it as you would a fresh herb. It's particularly good in pasta sauces. I did see an advert for frozen herbs some time ago, but haven't seen them in the shops. Perhaps there isn't a market for them - a much cheaper, and more organic way, is to grow your own.... Read review

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