Pesto and Paintings

I made pesto last week with local basil from the Natick farmer's market. I did not use any cheese, not Parmesan nor pecorino ...Does it still qualify as pesto?
My cooking Goddess, Julia Child, always emphasized to "your own tastes" so to me is pesto.


To me, cooking is an art form as much as a sonnet, sculpture or even, a huge installation at a modern art museum ~~~ and you get to eat it. The combination of good ingredients , artfully combined to make something pleasing to the eye as well as the palate; well, "you just can't beat that even with a stick"as my Mama says.

I can never understand it when people boast loudly and over and over "I don't cook". If you do not cook fine , its not your interest or strength, okay. I consider cooking my privilege to do and share with my friends, neighbors and others. Challenge cooking is really my forte' , to see if I can prepare something spectacular from unusual or unexpected ingredients. Some friends, you know who you are, ask "what did you substitute in this recipe ? ". I am a Julia Child devotee and I was well trained via her television cooking programs that the true gourmet comes from doing what you want with classical French technique. I am NOT a food snob.

I love it all different cultures, all techniques and all the people who introduce me to their milieu or inspire me to in a new foodwise direction.