Pests and pesto

The basil has taken off in the last two weeks with the rain and milder temperatures. It is almost at the end of the season for basil so I picked most of it this morning, leaving behind just a few plants to go to seed for next season.

Pesto is a great use for basil. I used Stephanie Alexander's recipe for it. For each two cups of well packed basil, add:

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 60gms pine nuts
• salt to taste

Blend together until smooth and stir in 120gms freshly grated parmesan cheese. Put into a jar and pour over enough olive oil to cover lightly (stops it going black).

Trevor had fun licking the bowl afterwards. Just as well that I had picked the leaves off individually before putting them in the blender. A large hawkmoth caterpillar was camouflaged amongst the leaves giving me quite a shock. They are almost exactly the same colour as the basil leaves and try to look like a fat fleshy stalk.

The pesto is delicious and caterpillar free. There is always added pleasure in eating such food when it comes from something you have grown.

In the cleared spaces we will be planting cucumber and carrots. The cucumber is going into the tub with the dwarf beans as they are good companion plants. The carrots will go into a tub by themselves so we can progressively sow seeds for a continuous crop. The rocket I planted last weekend has already germinated. In fact it has rocketed up!