It explodes in your mouth; the spicy and pungent garlic introduces itself first. Then the palate is cooled by bright fresh herbs and the acidity of lemon. Finally, everything is soothed by the creamy, yet still toothsome parmesan cheese. This is class pesto; summer’s favorite garnish.

Pesto is a Genovese word meaning to pound or crush. The word refers more to the method than the ingredient list. This is what makes pesto so fun to work with and such an efficient use of extra herbs, like that last bunch at the end of summer.

I always grow both Sweet Basil and Thai Basil in my garden. Both have that characteristic licorice and clove flavor. Thai basil has smaller sturdier leaves, so it is better for cooking, hence it’s ubiquitous use in southeast Asian cuisine.

My Thai Basil was planted in the ground this year and has really taken off, so I decided to make pesto with it rather than the Sweet Basil, which I am still enjoying as an ingredient in salads. Thai Basil has a slightly spicier taste and because it evokes Thai cuisine, I decided to create a pesto using more of those flavors. This pesto has a balance of flavors from the peanuts, fish sauce, and rice wine vinegar. I love the hint of southeast Asia while using this pesto in all the places I typically use the classic version. I spread it on a pizza base and topped the pizza with eggplant and mozzarella. We spread it on sandwiches and have stirred it into pasta. I would say my favorite has been a topper for vegetables just off of the grill.