is for Mint–
very refreshing

I hardly know where to start. Here are some of the more popular and easy-to-locate members of the mint family:

• apple mint

• chocolate mint

• Corsican mint

• ginger mint

• grapefruit mint

• lemon mint

• lime mint

• orange mint, also known as bergamot mint and eau de cologne mint

• pennyroyal

• peppermint

• pineapple mint

• spearmint

• wild mint, or field mint

As you can see, there is a wide variety of mint, some with sub-varieties of their own. For instance, amongst the spearmint group, there is curly mint, Scotch mint, English mint, and Kentucky Colonel mint (bringing to mind mint juleps)—as well as others. Chocolate mint is a type of peppermint with a distinctive “peppermint patty” aroma. Corsican mint is a low-growing ground cover with delicate, rounded leaves and does well in the rock garden. Orange mint is luscious and beautiful; the name bergamot is the same as another mint relative called bergamot or, more properly, monarda (neither of which is related to the bergamot orange, wherefrom the essential oil is derived). Field mint is decidedly musky, with a strong menthol flavor and aroma. Most mints do not breed true from seed and must be propagated by cuttings. Spearmint is an important trade crop in the state of Washington, where I have seen vast fields of the herb, lush and green and pulsating with energy.

Once you grow one or two varieties of mint, you will likely want to grow others; just don’t grow the different types in the same bed or next to each other or they will probably cross-pollinate and lose their individuality. Mint is a good container plant, and one way to make a permanent container is to plant it in a terra-cotta chimney flue; they’re usually about two feet long, so you can sink it at least a foot into the ground and then do your planting within the flue. It still might send runners down and around the barrier, though; as I mentioned, mint is quite energetic.

Mint in the Kitchen

While most of us have had a cup of peppermint tea purely for pleasure, many of the mints are useful as a culinary herb. Spearmint combines nicely with cucumbers, and is used, in combination with parsley, in the Middle Eastern salad called tabbouleh. It’s also combined with dill and fresh salmon in the Scandinavian preparation gravlax (see page 119). Here is a recipe for a mint-infused wine inspired by one found in The Herbal Pantry by Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead. Naturally, I tweaked it a bit to appease my own personal preferences, which is what I encourage you to do as well. It’s a delightful refreshment for a summer picnic.

White Wine with Orange and Mint

¼ cup water

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup orange mint or spearmint

3 strips orange zest

1 bottle (1 fifth) dry white wine

¼ cup brandy

2 tablespoons orange flower water (find this at imported foods or Middle Eastern groceries)

Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved, then cool to lukewarm. Place the mint and orange zest in a quart-sized glass jar, then pour the sugar syrup over and stir. Let cool. Next, add the wine, brandy, and orange flower water. Place a piece of waxed paper on top of the jar, then close the lid over that. Steep in a cool, dark place for 2 or 3 days, and then filter into an appropriate decanter. Chill before serving. Garnish with fresh mint if desired.

You might want to try fixing apple mint relish (found on page 53) using either the spearmint or pineapple mint—or both. I have recently discovered a whole carnival of specialty (trademarked) mints from Richter’s herb, seed, and plant company from Ontario, Canada; many unusual, fruit-scented Mentha varieties such as Berries & Cream and Sweet Pear await the adventurous mint enthusiast. Richter’s has been around for a decades, and it’s doubtful they’ll go away anytime soon.

Home Remedies Using Mint

Peppermint is a local anesthetic to the nerves of the stomach and intestinal tract. You can have a cup of tea before eating to increase bile production, which is important for proper digestion. Peppermint tea is reputedly safe to drink for morning sickness during pregnancy, as it does not stimulate the uterus—but ask your midwife just to be sure, and never use peppermint essential oil during pregnancy. You can combine peppermint with yarrow and elderflower as a tea to relieve flu symptoms accompanied by fever: boil 1 pint water and add 1 teaspoon each dried mint leaf, yarrow flower and elderflower; remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes, then strain and serve. While peppermint tea is very effective for relieving nausea and stomach or menstrual cramps, spearmint is more appropriate for children’s complaints, including headache, plus they love the flavor and aroma—and who doesn’t? I always keep around a tin or two of those curiously strong peppermints known as Altoids for instant nausea relief and have been amazed at their effectiveness.

Externally, the mints make a soothing and refreshing bath herb that is of benefit to rashes such as chicken pox, while the analgesic properties help soothe a sore, achy body. Mint combines nicely with seaweed in the bath—see “B is for Bathing Beautiful,” page 70, for how to prepare herbs for the bath. Used in a steam facial, mint is cleansing and stimulating; just boil up a bit of water in a small saucepan, throw in a couple pinches of mint leaf, stir, then sit at the table with your face over the pan and a towel over your head, steaming for about 10 minutes. I include fresh mint when making grandma’s magic healing salve (see page 147); just like garden thyme, mint also contains the antiseptic thymol.

It’s Greek to Me

Mint is native to the Near East and Mediterranean regions. During biblical times, it was used as a tithe and a medium of exchange. Says Mrs. M. Grieve in A Modern Herbal, “in Athens, where every part of the body was perfumed with a different scent, mint was specially designated to the arms.” The aroma of mint, even the fruity varieties, tends to animate or energize the spirit, bringing a feeling of brightness and clarity. Mint was often used as a strewing herb for this reason, especially during illness. While most of us don’t strew herbs around the house these days, fresh mint in vases or even bundled and hung to dry lend an atmosphere of cheer and optimism.

Since it has been overcast all day and kind of dreary outside, I think a cup of peppermint tea would be perfect right about now to refresh my computer-screen brainspace.