Basil

Basil was a species of fragrant herb that received culinary usage across west, northwest, and central Faerûn.

Availability
Jarred dried basil could be found among other spices and herbs used for cooking in the City of Splendors, Waterdeep. Dried herbs and spiced found in the ruins of the ancient city of Myth Drannor included basil.

Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue offered basil in several directories, each packaged and priced differently. The Priest's Alcove offered 4 oz bags of basil for 7 gp, a single ounce from Aurora's Larder was sold for a single sp, and a pint of basil jelly costed 5 sp.

Usages
Some inhabitants of Cormyr prepared wild roasted rabbits, flavored with shallots and basil. In Monksblade, the Firedagger Inn served locally-picked mushrooms, fried in butter with a sprinkle of basil, firefruit or lemon juice.

Neverwinter's own Moonstone Mask offered a mussel-and-basil soup. During summer months, caprese salads were served in Neverwinter, made with basil, tomatoes, and cheese, sprinkled with salt and drizzled with olive oil.

The Jester's Pride inn in the village of Julkoun added basil, chopped garlic, lemon, or other fruits or berries to reheated stews. Another Faerûnean food that used basil was fireseared trout under a shield of basil-shot potato, flanked with a ladle of sour apple and spiced lime chopped-sauce.

The Battlescarred Bard inn along the Trade Way in Amn served a salad called Chopforest that was garnished by basil.

In the land of Calimshan, the cooking technique called asarth involved sautéing things in butter along with various seasonings, herbs, and butter, including basil, onions, leeks, garlic, chives, ginger, leaves of limes, and hotleaves.

Medicine
Some believed that basil was a curative herb, beneficial for the afflictions of nervous system.

Magic
The find familiar spell required material component – 100 gold pieces worth of incense, basil, savory, and catnip.

Trivia
Basil's distinct sweet herbal aroma was imitated by the bloodthorn plant, mixed with the scent of mint. Saurials exuded aroma of basil when they felt desire or longing.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Into the Forgotten Realms &bull; Marco Volo: Journey
 * Novels
 * The Wild Bunch &bull; Mistshore
 * Song of the Saurials
 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter
 * Licensed Adventures & Organized Play
 * The Hidden Page
 * The Hidden Page
 * The Hidden Page