Stephencooks

Pesto, of course, is not news, as wonderful as it is. It comes at us in supermarkets, on restaurant menus, and in so many guises and pairings that it's become an almost annoying commonplace. So why blog about it? Because we still can't get enough of it: on pasta, smeared on bread, in a sandwich, in a little blob on our scrambled eggs, wherever and whenever!  In the season when basil comes in armloads I'm making and freezing as many little containers as I can.

Another reason not to blog about it is that it's been done so much better by so many talented people. Take a look at Melissa's evocative post on her beautiful blog The Traveler's Lunchbox to see just one shining example. What, I ask you, could I add to the world's appreciation of pesto when there are people like Melissa who can do it so much better than I could?

But of course, there's always a new adventure around the next corner, no matter how well you think you know the trail. Last night I made another bucket of pesto, and, I decided to just throw in everything green and flavorful that I had in the refrigerator. Basil, of course, but also a huge bunch of turnip greens from last week, as well as tarragon, sage and parsley. The result, when it appeared on the table, had not only a fresh, interesting taste but seemed to glow a brighter shade of green than the usual basil pesto. (Honest, that's not spinach linquine in the picture -- it just turned that color when tossed in the "everything pesto!")  It was so striking and delicious that E convinced me to take a picture and agree to post it, even while I was protesting that "pesto's been done to death!" Paired with a simple salad of bibb lettuce, Wolf Pine Farm purple tomatoes, Vidalia onions and blanched baby turnips, and served with a crunchy marinated olive bread from Standard Bakery, this slight twist on the standard made a perfect late summer meal.