I love sweet basil. Use it in pasta, put it on tomato soup.
All of a sudden it seems to have disappeared from my supermarket (in L.A.). It’s not just out of stock, it’s been gone for months. It’s not in the Latino products section either, where it’s known as “albahaca”. Far as I know, all the other spices are still there.
Was there a failure in the basil crop this year? Did the FDA outlaw it? Did all the sweet basil get bought up by the bay leaf companies?
It is a conspiracy. Everyone else can buy basil, but the moment you enter the market, the workers hide it. You can’t even buy it dried in the spices section.
It could be because of high-spoilage rates. Fresh basil has a very short shelf life. If they’re not moving it quickly enough, it becomes garbage. So your supermarket might have ditched it, or carries very little which sells quickly.
Mary, most fresh herbs are supplied year-round by indoor nurseries. They’re very easy to grow and don’t take up a lot of room.
This won;t help you soon enough to make dinner tonight, but definitely consider growing your own. All you need is a well-lit spot and a pot with dirt. Basil is a cinch to grow. Even I can grow it. If you want it dried, dry some yourself.
If you want to mail-order some dried sweet basil, you can try www.penzeys.com
I haven’t ordered a lot from them, but what I have ordered I’ve been very pleased with - cumin, mexican oregano, some powdered chili peppers.
