Pesto is one of those ingredients that sounds more fancy than it actually is. Cooking with it gives you a sort of status boost, the same way knowing about the subtle differences between fine wines can be impressive in the right company.
Before I purchased my first jar of pesto, I was intimidated by its mystique. I bought a jar on a late-night grocery shopping trip, used a tablespoon in my recipe, and left it sitting in the fridge.
