It's odd that you didn't hear anything back from him... I know he's been more than a little distracted lately with trying to get the auction up & running, so I'd suggest giving him a nudge. If your note was more along the lines of "I'm interested in writing; please tell me what to do," you may want to be a little more definite... tell him you want to write articles for DG, your areas of interest/expertise are A & B, you're looking forward to submitting your first article for approval, etc... you can even come right out and ask him to please let you know if he doesn't feel he can use you or isn't accepting additional authors at this time.
Sorry to get off-topic again.. back to chocolate basil! :-)
chocolate basil - does anyone have a source?
he may not have understood what you were asking. there is a contract to sign, etc. if you want to write articles for DG. My understanding is that he is always looking for good writers. And in my opinion it is an opportunity. Writing takes a lot of discapline and you can learn a lot from just doing it.
Thanks Gloria…
I will not give up.
Back to the basil. I heard from my NYC friend that his wife has indeed purchased Chocolate basil at that market. However, I am not pursuing the subject right now because his mom just passed away on Sunday after a battle with a rare cancer.
I had an email note from Rose Marie Nichols McGee at Nichols Nursery. Herbs are one of their specialties.
She says she heard about chocolate basil about 2 years ago and has been looking for it unsuccessfully since then.
I can't believe chocolate basil has disappeared from the face of the earth!
I can understand why the sabertooth tigers would disappear, but why chocolate basil?
Perhaps she'd have some luck contacting Susan Blew above. Sort of business-to-business?
Ive contacted Susan Blew. No response yet.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B00E3DD1030F93BA15755C0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=3
More on exotic basil but no chocolate to be found.
I don't even use basil that often, but I hate being denied!!
LOL Kaperc
This is more and more sherlock holmes-ish.
You got me in one, Mrs Ed! Don't like not finding answers. grrrr...
It's been fun reading this thread. I love basils, can't wait for spring time to grow them.
Mrs_Ed, sorry to hear about your friend's mom. I'll ask about Chocolate Basil when I go to DeBaggio's this spring... If I can get Francesco "in" on the quest, well, we won't call him obsessed, we'll just say he's dedicated! :-)
I too have enjoyed reading this and googled seed vendors and have been sending emails saying I see you don't offer it, a lot of DGers want it - can you get it, etc. Maybe maybe maybe someone will come through lol At least it will help get the word out there that ppl are looking for it. Someone might decide it would be profitable to offer it.
Just found someone with a blog who mentioned it, so I wrote her. Is this nuts or what? If it doesn't exist (one nursery) or nobody carries it, why are there so many mentions on the 'net? Have to weed through a lot, as some are "chocolate, basil" or "chocolate-basil" meaning the two things mixed. But still I read about chocolate basil gelato, ice cream, how pretty the leaves and flowers are. There was one post of a Lowe's in Atlanta selling it - in 2007! Someone in Ypsilanti wanted the city to plant it in window boxes outside restaurants, etc. Chocolate basil everywhere...
Guess It's like searching for the holy grail. However, if anyone happens to find it I'm certainly interested.....
I would say "chocolate" enthusiasts are DRIVEN ~ obsessed! LOL
Well, now that I PERSONALLY know someone who has purchased it, I know it existed at some point. Perhaps as the growing season gets underway, this will be solved.
I would LOVE to find out how many Google searches there were for Chocolate Basil BEFORE this thread started on March 20 and how many there have been since!!!
LOL... occasionally, we get a list of topics from HQ that they'd like to see articles on, based on search topic frequency & popularity. I'm wondering if "chocolate basil" will make the next list!
YES YES!! But we need a conclusion!!
I've been searching for chocolate basil for about 2 years as well. Put me on whatever list to get it when it has been found! I'm starting to twitch and stuff.
ROTFL Betty…
I'm feeling a bit crazed too!!! Even an ANSWER as to why it is not being produced.
I just heard back from Richters who said they will look into obtaining the seeds and let me know. They were very prompt in responding to my question. Let the search continue! LOL
Hey epb, My brother lives in Slidell Lousiaian, small world
kathy
Following is from an article I found online: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B00E3DD1030F93BA15755C0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print
Then, on a recent spring day at the Union Square Greenmarket, we came across a stall with 11 varieties of basil, with alluring, exotic names...
...The spicy basils, like cinnamon, clove or chocolate basil, tend to have flavors that are fleeting, and need to be eaten fresh.
Here is a list of vendors mentioned at the end of the article:
• Oak Grove Plantation, Pittsfield, N.J - Susan Blew
• Waldingfield Farms, Connecticut - Quincy Horan
• Peconic River Herb Farm, Calverton, NY - 516-369-0058
• Gilbertie's Herb Farm, Westport, CT - 203-227-4175
• Chelsea Garden's, Manhattan
Good luck in the searches folks! I hope those guys who wrote the NY times article didn't just invent chocolate basil!
Critter. That would be funny if Dave asked us to do an article on Chocolate Basil because of the searches. And it was WE who did the searches.
I just heard back from Richters who said they will look into obtaining the seeds and let me know.
Well, that's a lot better response than I got from them, which was: "Sorry, we cannot help you. We are not sure that such a thing exists. We haven't seen it, and don't know anyone growing it."
I think they are getting the HINT, that WE WANT OUR CHOCOLATE BASIL! :D
Hmmm… Jasmerr, I see those vendors are all east coast. I wonder if that has significance or if it is only the NYT's local view.
I feel we are getting closer, si???? Let the basil force be with you!!!!
I'm thinking because they did their research at Union Square Greenmarket.
I'm starting to twitch and stuff.
ROFL, Betty. But after a two year search, I can understand it!
Mrs. McGee at Nichols (Oregon) says she has been looking for 2 years also. That's when she first heard about chocolate basil.
Well, it's not chocolate basil, but I did just get some neat basil seed in the mail, trade seed passed along by another DGer who wasn't sure she'd be able to grow it out this year (and she knows I'll share a couple of plants with her). "Very hot & spicy" unidentified basil variety from Goree Island, Senegal. I hope I can get a few seeds to sprout, because I'm definitely intrigued!
From what Ive read there are hundreds of varieties of basil that have interesting potential. A New Frontier!
Just talked to a very nice lady named Kim at Sugar Creek Gardens in Kirkwood, MO. Missouri Botanical Gardens gave me their contact info (I found a post on GW that led me there). They have had it in the past and if they see it on their growers' lists, they will call me. HOWEVER, they don't do mail order. She said it's a little early to be looking for it - perhaps about 3 weeks would be better. There is a local grower she suggested: Fragrant Fields. I'll see if I can find them.
Anyone in MO who could do a co-op?
Forgot to add their contact info - very nice people, so stop in if you're in the area.
Sugar Creek Gardens
1011 N. Woodlawn
Kirkwood, MO 63122
Phone: 314-965-3070
This message was edited Mar 27, 2008 10:28 AM
hmmm, that's St. louis area. I'm about 5 hours from there. Maybe we could check with the MO. Roundup.
Thanks, kaperc. If its out there we will find it!
Wouldn't a basil coop be great!
Missouri round-up. Good idea, Mrs Ed.
This message was edited Mar 27, 2008 12:42 PM
Mmmm...Slightly OT, but is anyone growing this one? http://www.alwayssummerherbs.com/itemView.jsp?restrictids=ItemNumber&restrictvalues=13003
This is an interesting list I found for growers, etc. http://users.adelphia.net/~johnsonjames/Herbs.htm
This message was edited Mar 27, 2008 10:47 AM
Let me ask Pepper23 to join in on this discussion!!!
Fragrant Fields did a nice thing for us a couple of years back... somebody had inquired about a specialty mint co-op, and they didn't want to to do that, but instead they gave us a special DG discount code to use on their mints.
I found a couple of Fragrant Fields, neither had the basil. (I called one - they never heard of it - and checked the web site of the other.)
This message was edited Mar 27, 2008 12:59 PM
;)) hee hee. I just LOVE how this thread is progressing. I can feel the anticipation. I hope in a month from now, we have a successful outcome!
I got your d-mail Mrs_Ed and responded. For the rest of you I have found some. I work at a local garden and we have 2 plant sales a year. Spring and Fall. I just checked the list and it's on there for the spring one. I won't be in town since I will be at the IA RoundUp (first weekend of May) but I am gonna have a coworker reserve a flat of them for me. I think they are in 4 inch pots but if I remember I will double check tomorrow. They might be in six packs and if they are then that means more plants for you guys. :~)
I will find out where they ordered it. We have many, many sources for plants. Comes in handy at times like this. lol.