Organic Basil Syrup

Basil Syrup for Strawberries, Tomatoes, and Drinks

The organic basil syrup from Bacanha is a French herbal syrup with natural basil flavor, produced in a workshop near Paris. Herbal, peppery, with a sweet core. One 400 ml bottle makes about 20 glasses, and it is just as versatile in the kitchen as it is in a drink.

Basil syrup brings the most famous herb of Mediterranean cuisine into your glass and is part of the Sirop Brut range from the Parisian manufacturer Bacanha. Many rightly ask what one needs it for, as basil is known for pesto rather than lemonade. The answer is shorter than expected: for everything that is both sweet and sour.

Herbal, peppery, surprisingly sweet

Basil smells of anise and clove, of pepper, and a little of lemon. This precise blend makes it one of the few herbs that work in sweet applications.

In the syrup, you first get the sweetness, then the herb, and finally that peppery note that a fresh leaf leaves on the tongue. The label lists organic cane sugar, water, natural basil flavor, organic lemon juice, and citric acid. The lemon juice is no accident, as it keeps the herb fresh rather than heavy.

Strawberry and basil, the old pair

Pour a spoonful over halved strawberries, let them sit for ten minutes, and you're done. This combination is a classic because the peppery note brings out the sweetness of the berry.

In a glass with soda water and lime, it makes a surprising lemonade, and with gin, it creates a Basil Smash without a mortar. A Basil Mojito is created if you replace the mint with it. In the kitchen, it belongs on tomato salad, melon with feta, in dressings for mozzarella, and over citrus fruits.

If you are using it for the first time, start with a salad. A teaspoon in your usual oil and vinegar dressing is all it takes to immediately notice what the herb does to a tomato. After that, you'll be ready for the lemonade.

The herb likes to be paired with fruit. This becomes clear with the organic strawberry syrup, which takes over the sweet side, while the organic lime syrup is ready to provide the sour counterpoint.

How an herb becomes a flavor

The flavors for all Bacanha syrups are created in Grasse in the hinterland of the Côte d'Azur, a small town considered the world capital of perfumery since the 16th century.

An herb does not give up its scent easily. Extraction, distillation, and enfleurage are the methods used to coax it out, and the more carefully the work is done, the less the result tastes like hay. With basil, this is everything.

The syrups are blended in Saint-Soupplets near Paris, using organic cane sugar from Brazilian regenerative agriculture. "Preserving the authenticity of the flavors," as the manufacturer describes their work, is more demanding with an herb than with a fruit.

All varieties maintain the same balance of acidity and sugar, a pH value below 4.5, and about 60 degrees Brix, which is why they are less sweet than usual. From the Bacanha range, we carry 25 varieties, from verbena to mint to rose. An herb with a future.

Just a teaspoon over strawberries

One part syrup to 8 to 10 parts ice-cold water, add a squeeze of lime and a fresh basil leaf on top. Use it sparingly over strawberries; a teaspoon is enough for a bowl, otherwise, the herb will overpower the fruit. Once opened, the bottle should be kept in the refrigerator and will last for 2 months. You can find more herbs in our syrup selection.

Organic control number FR-BIO-01 – French Agriculture