Wash and dry basil; pinch off all the leaves. Peel and mince garlic. Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend. The lemon juice helps to keep the pesto from turning brown after blending. The cheese can be eliminated for a delicious vegan pesto. Eat fresh to your heart’s content or freeze in little blobs on a baking sheet. After the pesto blobs are frozen, transfer them into a jar or freezer bag. Warm up frozen pesto in a pan on the stove with olive oil and, if you wish, a little freshly minced garlic. This garlicky pesto tastes especially wonderful warmed up for dinner in the middle of February.