The times they are a changing

I guess I didn't give enough thought to the timing when I started my blog last week. What was I thinking? Fall is the busiest time of year at our home. There is the garden to put to bed, 6 weeks of raking and filling leaf bags and dragging them to the curb, not to mention taking down screens, washing windows, and putting up storm windows (ah, the joys of living in an 85 year old bungalow). But even though fall is the busiest 6 weeks of the year at our house, it is still my favorite season.

However, there is one autumn chore that will be new to our home this fall: making pesto. This year I am going to make pesto. Forget that I've never even tasted pesto. My basil's days are numbered anyway, right? Here's the recipe from the Baltimore Sun:

Blender pesto

Servings: 6

Notes: Adapted from a recipe in "The Classic Italian Cook Book" by Marcella Hazan, published by Knopf. If freezing this pesto, blend the basil, olive oil, nuts, garlic cloves and salt in a blender and freeze. To use, thaw the pesto mixture and then add the cheese and butter.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsps. walnuts
2 cloves peeled garlic, lightly crushed with a heavy knife
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsps. butter, softened to room temperature

1. Put basil, olive oil, nuts, garlic cloves and salt in a blender (or food processor) and mix at high speed. Stop from time to time to scrape down sides with a rubber spatula.

2. When ingredients are blended, pour them into a bowl and beat in cheese.

3. When cheese has been evenly incorporated into the other ingredients, beat in butter.

4. Before spooning pesto over pasta, add a tablespoon or two of the hot water in which the pasta has boiled.


Sounds like a delicious way to salvage the last of summer's most fragrant herb, doesn't it?