THINGS TO DO IN THE MORNING WHEN YOU HAVE BASIL IN THE GARDEN

Get out the blender and put in a goodly amount of olive oil, then add a big handful of pine nuts/walnuts, three (+, -) cloves of fresh garlic and some lemon/yuzu juice, blend that well, then add an eminently satisfying amount of grated parmesan cheese and a big pinch of salt, blend that in; then go out into the garden, get three big tight handfuls of freshly picked Genovese and spicy globe basil leaves (about 9:1, my style) with the dew still on and, adding more oil if needed, gradually blend the lot into an almost surreally glowing green paste that, when at lunchtime dolloped onto the al dente pasta and stirred in, hones to a very sharp edge that particular appetite pesto generates, the way it did in me this morning and still does, even now. It's definitely on the menu in heaven, the source of all appetites and satisfactions.

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