Mint

This year the herb most used in my garden is mint. We have a lot of varieties at the store, chocolate mint, pineapple mint, etc... but the one I use the most is good ole fashion Spearmint "Kentucky Cornell."

My spearmint comes back every year and keeps getting bigger and stronger every year. I have it growing in my Roman garden out back and in the front garden as well. It looks lovely there and makes a nice ground cover. It's not a front and center plant. I let it creep up around my stepping stones. It softens the area up nicely partially concealing the stone steps that lead to the garden hose.

Mint will spread. So if this is problem you may not want to grow it. It hasn't been a problem for me so far. Later in the summer it will start to bloom. This is the tough part because you should pinch all the blossoms back. In most cases with herbs... never let them flower as this could alter the taste for the worse.

Mint can go into a lot of different dishes specially your middle eastern foods, Kabab, tea, etc... Lately, I can't help but add a fresh spring in my lemonade. I think I've perfected my lemonade recipe. Here it is:

You'll need: one large 12oz plastic patio glass, one lemon, 3-4 Splenda sugar substitute packets, Pellegrino sparkling water, ice, a big sprig of mint, and to make it easy, a lemon hand press. Squeeze lemon into glass, add the Splenda, pour in sparkling water, stir, add lots of ice and top it off with your big spring of mint. It's terrific!

Your mint technique.... a sprig for me is a piece about three inches tall. I submerge a tiny part of the stem in the ice so the mint looks like a green flower blossom popping out over of the ice. The scent of the mint adds a summer freshness I think you'll really enjoy. In a future post, I'll include my recipe for Iced Lemon Ginger Granita with fresh mint chiffade (another technique which you roll a mint leaf up and cut it to give you little slivers.)