Beyond Passionate About Pesto
As keen pasta makers and lifelong pesto fans, we decided to turn our passion into a business.
But before we could decide our direction, we needed to immerse ourselves in the world of pesto to understand everything there is to know about the world's greatest sauce.
We’ve detailed our learnings in this shamelessly geeky pesto blog, which touches on topics we would never have predicted at the start of our journey.
Our Pesto Journey Begins
There was only one place to start our research, and that was Genoa. This stunning city in the Italian region of Liguria is the birthplace of pesto, and is where local producers work tirelessly to protect and promote their beloved basil pesto recipe.
Pesto isn't just a food here; it's a religion. There's a local adage that pesto is the second thing a baby will taste after its mother's milk, and if that doesn’t convince you of the Italians' love of their “green gold,” then nothing will.
A Sharp Learning Curve
Some people think there’s an infinite number of pestos, limited only by a cook’s imagination. For Italians, though, pesto alla Genovese is the only recipe worthy of the name.
We can’t exaggerate how contentious the issue of “alternative pesto sauces” is among traditionalists. It’s a topic we revisit time and again on this blog, always trying to see the arguments from both sides of the divide.
The Authority on Pesto
How much can there really be to know about a sauce that only has seven ingredients and doesn’t need cooking or require any specialist equipment?
We thought we’d be the world’s most knowledgeable pesto nerds within a week. It's now untold months later, and we’re still learning.
We’re going to keep expanding our blog until we have left no stone unturned (but don’t see that happening any time soon).
Pesto Beyond Pasta
During our research we have eaten a colossal amount of pesto, and while this isn't just another recipe website, we wanted to document some of the unconventional contexts in which we’ve enjoyed the sauce.
We’ve used pesto as a marinade, a topping, and a stuffing. We’ve added it to classic dishes like pies and stews, but we’ve also used it in contexts not seen before, like pesto crisps and laminated doughs.
Your Pesto Conundrums
The complex and ever-evolving world of pesto means we never run out of inspiration for what to write about.
If you have any questions, like, can dogs eat pesto? or how long does pesto last in the fridge? drop us a line and we'll give you the lowdown.
