# The pesto variations

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pesto-variations/193113>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 5, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pesto-variations/193113 "2003-08-05T14:09:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pesto-variations/193113/1 "2003-08-05T14:09:17Z")

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Since “pesto” merely means “paste”, why be limited to the basil-garlic-pinenuts-cheese recipe? As the basil is thriving faster than I can harvest it, does anyone want to share successful twists to the traditional recipe they’ve tried?

I just substituted cashews for pinenuts, and it tastes great. What have you tried? What would you like to try?

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**Author:** ![Xander\_Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ce73a5/32.png) [@Xander\_Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xander_Cane)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pesto-variations/193113/2 "2003-08-05T14:11:59Z")

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I would love to try that! _puts cashews on grocery list_ I would love to help but I just started getting into the culinary arts recently, so all I can say is pesto is nummy 🙂

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**Author:** ![Empress\_Jolrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@Empress\_Jolrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Empress_Jolrael)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pesto-variations/193113/3 "2003-08-05T14:27:18Z")

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Do a search for pesto on [epicurious.com](http://epicurious.com). The last time I checked, they had a recipe for hazelnut pesto.

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**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pesto-variations/193113/4 "2003-08-05T16:36:21Z")

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The English cooking show, “Two Fat Ladies” detailed a cilantro and walnut pesto that sounded rather promising. It sounds ideal for pork or poultry.

At the fundraising auction I helped emcee this weekend a pair of skimpily clad lovely ladies offered a four course meal to be served at your home _in negligees_. As samples, they submitted four different types of pesto on _crostini_. They also submitted to each other’s lusts right there on the announcer’s dais while we were auctioning off their dinner. It was hard to tell if the dinner’s description or the demonstration on stage was making the audience drool that way.

Their pesto array involved:

Regular basil pesto  
Tomato basil pesto  
Olive tomato pesto  
Herbed olive pesto

I seem to recall their recipes being rather smashing, but regret to say that I was a little distracted at the time.