It has to be more than Mojitos and Jelly
Spring of '07 I planted one little ninety-nine cent cup of mint. It was planted not only as an herb to use but mainly as a plant to pretty up the little rock path from the back door to the pool. It certainly has done its job. I love walking past and catching the hint of mint in the air.
It came up a fairly heavy rain last night. The night rains wash away the stale funk of heated days and usually leave cool damp mornings in their wake. This morning the mint is dancing in the air. From where I sit every once in a while I catch it's perfume as I type. It is a pleasant feeling. I always smile and feel lifted when I can catch a hint of things from the yard as they pass through the window and find me in the house. Not just the mint and herbs but other things too like the honeysuckle across the yard from our bedroom window
The under a dollar plant is now 100+ times its original size. It extends four foot in one direction and about three feet in another. I seem to have put this one in a perfect place for it to thrive. The parsley did not like being its neighbor and ran away never to be seen again.
So, here's where I need your help. We use the mint for drinks - mojitos, mint juleps, etc and for garnishes and such. However, I am not satisfied. I want to do more with it.
I will be making mint jelly. I mean, we raise lambs for goodness sake. We have to have the mint jelly. Oh, this reminds me. When the backyard initially sprount green and grew knee deep over night thanks to 15 straight days of rain (NOT complaining!) we put the sheep in the back area andlet them eat down all the green grassy goodness. Like goats they pretty much ate everything else too. They are fabulous at pruning bushes! However, they do not like the mint. They ate the peonies, the forsythia and other things along the path but gave the mint a wide birth. Interesting, no?
I will transplant some of the mint to be closer to the honeybee boxes. The mint is good for them and helps keep away mites that can make them sick.
But what else can I do with it? I need some ideas here. I do plan to invest in a new dehydrator this year but right now it seems to early to wack it out up and dry it. I save the drying for late summer.
What can I do with eight feet of fresh mint that just keeps growing?
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I don't know what to do with a LOT of mint, but I know another way of using small amounts of it: chop it and mix it with your homemade yogurt (use a thicker yogurt), along with some minced garlic and a drop or two of lemon juice (and maybe a little grated cucumber when you get some) to serve with your lamb! Especially spiced, ground lamb made into meatballs, patties or kebabs. We have been eating a lot of lamb this year (I buy it from a farmer at the market that just opened near my house) and the cool, minty yogurt goes so well with spicy grilled lamb!
And now I'm hungry for lamb at 7:30 in the morning. Luckily I have some grilled boneless leg in the fridge from last night's dinner!
You can also put mint into salads or wraps, especially lamb wraps! It is funny that the sheep won't eat the mint. They must know what's up. ;)
I love it in salads, Angie.
You must be the best gardener in the world! I grew some in a pot on the deck a few years ago, but it wasn't as lush as yours. I had chocolate mint. Have you had any of that?
No help here and I don't even like the stuff. I have heard it grows like crazy which was almost enough for me to try it in my garden because I like success - but didn't have room.
Not a fan of mint, but do you have a farmer's market you can sell it?
How about using it to make one of my favorite ice creams? Chocolate chip mint!!
I saw Alton Brown use it in a cold soup once. He tossed a few sprigs into a blender with a cup of water in it and pureed. Then he filtered the mint out using a coffee filter. The mint-flavored liquid was used in a cold soup made with fresh vegetables. I'm sure the recipe is on his website for Good Eats.
How about mint-infused sugar... or Candied Mint (mint leaves brushed with egg white, dipped in sugar and dried)... or mint-infused bath salts (Epsom salts, baking soda and mint)... or mint soap... or mint-infused simple syrup (1 part sugar to 1 part water, boiled with a lots of mint leaves until sugar is melted then cooled. Strain the mint leaves out. It'll keep for months in the fridge. You can use it on ice cream, for mixed drinks, for mint flavoring in baking, or any recipe that calls for simple syrup).... or homemade mint extract (basically mint-infused vodka -- it'll turn the vodka brown but still tastes great!)... and of course, last but not least there are a gazillion recipes that call for mint not the least of which is tabouleh, mint chutney, mint pesto, vietnamese spring rolls, the list is endless!! Have fun trying to squelch the mint's quest for world domination!
These are all great ideas! Some of them I knew but had forgotten in brain dead moment trying to think of things to do with this plant. Thanks for jogging my memory and adding some new ideas to bounce around with.
Judy, I do have peppermint chocolate. I'll show you soon!
What about garnish, ice cream (as a flavor or a topping), massage oil, tea - or even simply chewing it instead of gum?
I have trouble keeping up with my runaway mint, so I cut it all back in mid July or so, then dry it for tea. It's handy because by the time it comes up again in the spring I'm out of the dried mint.
Thanks for all your homemaking posts, before I forget to ever thank you, Angie.
I put mint in my spring roll wraps, along with rice noodles, cooked peeled shrimp and lettuce. Dip in orange/chili sauce and enjoy!
Try ripped up mint leaves in salads and sandwiches. Gives them a fresh burst.
Mint in soups? You betcha. Makes gazpacho zippy, alone with lime juice.
Mint in the bath tub.
Mint in your homemade products.
That's it; I'm planting more mint.
Dry it for tea, use it fresh in salads. It's really tasty in a cucumber and quinoa salad, i can't remember what it's called...