The word "basil" doesn't have an established origin, however, it
has been assumed that the name of the herb traces its roots to
the ancient Greek word "basileus" translated as "king", another
less likely theory attributes the name to the word "basilisk,"
which was a dangerous fable creature. In the ancient times there
was certain negative connotation in reference to the plant: in
Persia basil was planted on graves and ancient Greeks chose this
plant to represent hatred and misfortunes. As for its medicinal
purposes, old-time doctors could not agree on this issue, some
claimed it was pure poison and others attributed magical basil
medicinal properties to it. Nevertheless, it was almost
instantly accepted as a valuable kitchen herb. It is now used
with many different meals: soups, meats, salads, etc. Sweet
Basil is an ingredient of the famous Italian green sauce
(pesto), which is a very welcome accompaniment for fish,
vegetables and pasta. However, when using basil for culinary
purposes one should keep in mind