sell g'machts Pine Tip Organic Pesto. Herb pesto made from Asian greens, apricot, and pine tips – aromatic, fresh, with a hint of the forest, cold-stirred in the Allgäu region.

sell g'machts Pine Tip Organic Pesto is an herb pesto made from organic olive oil, Asian greens, apricots, white wine vinegar, and sunflower seeds, seasoned with lemon balm, spices, one percent pine tips, and garlic. Katja Will and her team stir it by hand and cold in Weiler im Allgäu, 110g per jar. No basil, no cheese, no nuts – a vegan pesto that tastes of the forest and a summer meadow.

Pine Tip Organic Pesto by sell g'machts is the most unusual variety from the Allgäu-based manufacturer and is marked as a top pick by the producer themselves. Pesto means "pounded" and refers to an uncooked herb sauce. Here, Asian greens form the base instead of basil, a slightly nutty-tasting leafy vegetable grown by organic farms in the region. This is joined by apricots for fruity sweetness and lemon balm for freshness. The young pine tips contribute the typical resinous, forest note with their essential oils. The producer compares the taste to a relaxing walk in the forest, and that hits the nail on the head.

First fruit and lemon balm, then the pine, accompanied by nutty Asian greens

When opened, the pesto smells both fresh and resinous. It is reminiscent of a pine branch rubbed between your fingers. On the palate, the fruity sweetness of the apricot arrives first, followed by the zesty lemon balm. Then the pine makes its presence felt: one percent pine tips is enough for the forest note to be clearly distinct in the jar, without becoming bitter. The Asian greens provide a mild, slightly nutty foundation, while the garlic remains subtly in the background.

The sunflower seeds make the pesto creamy, the white wine vinegar keeps it fresh, and rock salt and spices round it off. Overall, the jar tastes aromatic and fresh at the same time—mild rather than sharp, light rather than heavy. It is a pesto that invites you to taste, and the first spoonful eaten plain off a piece of bread is the best introduction. If you are expecting a classic green basil pesto, you would be better served by the Basil-Lemon Balm Organic Pesto from the same kitchen. This one is for anyone who loves trying something new.

On bread, with rice, with game, and with cheese

The manufacturer recommends the pine tip pesto primarily as a bread spread and for rice dishes. Spread thinly on a slice of whole-grain bread or baguette, with a small side salad, it shows off its forest and fruit notes most clearly. Stirred into rice, risotto, or couscous just before taking the pan off the stove, it gives the dish a resinous, slightly sweet trace. This pairs well with roasted vegetables and mushrooms, and in autumn, also with chestnuts.

With pasta, it works like any other pesto: boil spaghetti, penne, or tagliatelle, add two tablespoons of pesto per serving and a dash of pasta water, folding it in only after cooking. The pine note pairs well with game and venison salami, and on a cheese platter with mature mountain cheese or goat cheese. A teaspoon in scrambled eggs, a spoonful with boiled potatoes, or as a filling in a pancake that is rolled up and sliced for a salad: these are all suggestions from the manufacturer, and all are easily achieved with little effort.

Once opened, the jar belongs in the refrigerator and should be consumed within 14 days according to the manufacturer. Use a clean spoon, smooth the surface, add a little olive oil on top, and the pesto will stay fresh.

Our tip: Mix one tablespoon of pesto with two tablespoons of cream cheese and spread the cream on grilled bread. Topped with a slice of pear or a few pieces of apricot, this works as an appetizer for a glass of white wine or a non-alcoholic aperitif.

From the Allgäu forest and regional organic farms

The idea behind sell g'machts is to combine well-known regional herbs, vegetables, and fruit in new ways. This is particularly evident with the pine tip pesto: the Asian greens come from the manufacturer's three partner farms, the Wetzel vegetable farm in Muthen near Wangen, the Bayrhof near Kempten, and the Hechelfurt farm near Meckenbeuren. According to the manufacturer, the herbs come from their own wild harvesting and from regional organic nurseries. Processing usually takes place the day after harvest.

In the sell g'machts kitchen in Weiler im Allgäu, Katja Will's team stirs the pestos by hand and without heat treatment, using extra virgin organic olive oil and white wine vinegar from Byodo, sunflower seeds from Rapunzel in Legau, and rock salt from Bickelbacher. The organic-quality spices come from Pikantum. The manufacturer omits additives and preservatives; the flavor comes solely from the ingredients. The organic control number DE-ÖKO-006 is on every jar. "sell g'macht" means "homemade" in the Allgäu dialect, and that is exactly what it is.

For the manufacturer, the pine tip pesto is the top seller in the pesto category, and for us, it is one of the most popular jars from Weiler. If you are in the area, you can try it at the factory shop adjacent to the kitchen, which has been open since December 2022.

For the curious, for the cheese platter, and as a gift with a conversation starter

The Pine Tip Organic Pesto is the jar for people who expect more than just basil from their pesto. It belongs on the weekend cheese platter, in a rice pan during the week, and on the bread you unpack while hiking. In Advent, it pairs well with game dishes and a slice of venison ham. As a gift, it is the souvenir people ask about: pine tips in pesto, from the Allgäu, cold-stirred. If you want to get to know the product range, try the Organic Wild Garlic Pesto as well, the spicy-sharp variety made from wild-harvested herbs.

All jars from the manufacturer can be found on our sell-g'machts page, and other pestos from other producers in the Pesto category. According to the manufacturer, the ingredient list is free of nuts, cheese, and other mandatory allergens; the seeds are sunflower seeds, and the pesto is vegan. It is not suitable for anyone looking for a strong, spicy pesto—it remains mild, fruity, and resinous.

Asian greens, apricot, and one percent pine tips – the Allgäu herb pesto with a forest note, for bread, rice, and the cheese platter.