A Japanese Take on Traditional Italian Flavors
Shiso pesto is the fusion of two food cultures
I went to Italy for the first time two summers ago with my family, and I still bring up the food every chance I get.
“Do you guys remember that Amatriciana we had? Oh my god, it was so good.”
“But that gelato! I’d fly back to Italy just for that.”
“I still dream about that pizza, too — a perfectly salted, toasty crust with a savory red sauce.”
One flavor I couldn’t get quite enough of was fresh basil — on pizza, on pasta, in pasta, with cheese, on bread. Traditional Japanese food doesn’t use basil because it wasn’t introduced to Japan until rather recently, which is maybe why I was able to eat so much of it without getting tired of it.
As I raved about Italian food and the flavors of sweet basil, my sister commented, “You know, it’s funny, because Italy has basil but what do you think the Japanese equivalent would be?”
I considered it for a bit before trying to come up with an answer. What’s a leafy, refreshing, summer Japanese herb? Oh, of course!
The many uses of Japanese shiso
Shiso leaves are frequently used in Japanese food, often used as toppings to Japanese…
