25/03/2023
Hello and welcome!
I have a very salty tongue. Take that as you will.
My taste buds constantly crave herbs mixed with salt, sour, and a tiny pinch of sweetness. A little like my personality.
Forward some years later when I was still fresh and innocent in the world of artistic cuisine – I joined friends at Vergelegen Wines. The food was beyond delicious, the plating an artwork … but for me it lacked a little salt. I asked the waiter for some and was swiftly kicked under the table followed by a horrified whisper ‘You NEVER ask for salt! It’s an insult to the chef!’. Suffice it to say, the waiter never returned with any salt. It truly was not personal to the chef's talent.
Since that day, I carry little sachets of salt in my handbag, my laptop bag, my rucksack, my car cubbyhole, and every other pocket. Just in case. I also save all the KFC and Steers chili salts that come with an order. I think it’s about 1kg by now. Anyone buying? Better to be prepared, you never know when the world will come to an end, and you have no salt! Besides, it provides important electrolytes when you are severely dehydrated.
Back to the Pesto. Because of its delightful combination of herbs and salt, I started tasting every brand I could get my hands on, and they were all mouth-watering. But sadly, the price can sometimes be prohibitively expense, ranging up to R75 for 130 grams. No wonder that some restaurants give you only a pinch of it. For me it’s the ultimate teaser. Like a certain Al Pacino movie. ‘You can look, but you can’t touch. You can touch, but you can’t taste. You can taste, but you can’t swallow’.
So while looking for something wholesome to do that would feed my herb-loving salty taste buds with natural goodness, I started making my own Pesto. It’s become a kind of therapy. I ate it faster than I could make it. And I wanted to share it with others who love Pesto too.
Hand-made, fresh ingredients, zero chemicals, keto and vegetarian-friendly, super-healthy. And soon will be all home-grown too. Environmentally friendly too: no plastic but only glass that can be recycled or returned for a discount on your next order. I make custom orders with any of your favourite ingredients. And you can have it saucy, firm, chunky, hot, or not.
But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or the taster in this case. Maybe you’d like to try some too?
It’s only R45 for a 130g jar. 200g jars coming soon as well.
My next posts will be about the many health benefits of basil and coriander based on the latest scientific research. Followed by some great ideas on the countless ways pesto can enhance any dish. But if you’re like me, you will simply eat it with a spoon out of the jar, until the jar is no more.
The end.
