With over 600 different varieties of mint, there is always something fun and new to try. For some reason, most people stick with peppermint or spearmint, and just make tea with it, but there are so many other things you can do with it!
Mentha (also known as mint, from Greek míntha), is a genus of plants in the family Lamiaceae (mint family). Mints are highly aromatic, and most varieties are perennial, meaning they come back every year. Mint propagates itself by underground roots, and it is considered invasive, so it's recommended that you plant them in pots, or in places you don't mind them taking over. Make sure you are using organic plants that have never been sprayed with pesticides. Even washing them does not get rid of the chemical taste you will get when infusing them. (And who wants to ingest pesticides? Not me.)
Mint is easily identifiable due to its square stem. Some mints have ragged leaves, and others are smooth, but the square stem is a giveaway. There are wild mints, but make sure you know for sure that they are not a poisonous plant before you eat them.
We grow about 10 different varieties of mint here at the farm, and we are always looking for clever things to use it for. Pick mint in the morning, when the oils are more concentrated, and pinch the plants regularly to make them bushier.
Here's a list of our ideas:
#1 Tea
Of course, tea. It's the old standby for mint, since all of it makes fabulous tea. Crush the leaves to bring out the flavor, and steep it in boiling water for 2-6 minutes. How much mint you use depends on the variety and your taste.
#2 Cleaner
Most of the commercial cleaners on the market today didn't exist 50 years ago. People used natural things to clean with. Mint smells wonderful added to homemade cleaners. I've included a recipe here.
SUPPLIES:
1 part vinegar (room temperature)
1 part water
1 Lemon
Fresh mint
Spray bottle
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix 1 part water to 1 part vinegar in a plastic or glass spray bottle.
Crush the mint leaves and add with a few lemon slices to the spray bottle.
Shake the bottle gently to mix.
Close the spray bottle and let the mixture sit for 12 hours at room temperature to allow the herbs and lemon to infuse.
Using a colander or sieve, strain the mixture and pour it back into the spray bottle.
Refrigerate if you have extra--it won't keep more than a couple of days on the counter.
#3 Dessert
Our favorite thing to do with mint is add it to dessert. We use chocolate mint, peppermint, spearmint, candy mint, and lemon balm on a regular basis, but we acquired pineapple mint and mojito mint this year, so the experimentation has just begun. Mint is amazing on and in any kind of cake. Chocolate cake is amazing with peppermint (finely chopped and added to the batter), strawberry cake and candy mint is delicious, You can add mint to brownies, cookies, pudding--just about anything your imagination comes up with.
#4 Jam and Jelly
We add our herbs to pretty much everything we cook around here. We use candy mint in our strawberry jam, lavender (I know, it's not mint, but it's worth a mention) to our peach jam, and this year we are going to try lemon balm in our cherry rum jam.
#5 Air Freshener
Just pick a mint sprig, crush the leaves, and set it on the counter. You'll smell it all day. We have glasses of mint sprigs all over the place when it really starts growing, and it makes the house smell great.
#6 Bug Repellant
I hate mosquitoes. I hate Mayflies. I actually cannot handle most flying bugs that bite, but I hate the smell of bug spray even worse. I started using mint last year, and so far it's working to keep the nasty flying things off of me. You can just plop a mint plant anywhere you want to get rid of bugs, but you constantly have to crush the leaves to release the scent. It's easier to make a strong (and I mean STRONG) tea and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the areas you're working or relaxing in, or rub crushed mint leaves on your skin to repel them. Yes, that's time consuming, but you'll smell wonderful (to humans anyway)!
#7 Bee Food
Towards the end of summer we stop picking the flowers off our mint and just let them go to seed. The bees love mint pollen! The catnip draws more bees than cats, trust me. It's a great addition to the garden. You can let it flower at any time, but the leaves won't be as potent on the stems with flowers.
#8 Drinks
No list of uses for mint would be complete without the drink section. Everyone uses mint for tea or mojitos, but have you ever had a chocolate mint milkshake? You'll thank me later. How about adding apple mint to wine? You can use mint in anything you drink (except a glass of milk--trust me, that's not good). Candy mint is lovely added to an Italian cherry soda, and lemon balm is delicious added to regular lemonade. Add peppermint and spearmint to iced tea, and try infusing some pineapple mint with your rum.
#9 Medicine
Have you ever taken an antacid for an upset stomach or heartburn? If you have, you've probably noticed the slight minty taste. Mint has amazing properties for your digestion. Mint has been used for centuries in medicine, and its properties are well documented. Mint tea can calm an upset stomach, help soothe heartburn, and just the smell alone can cheer you up when you're blue. It can help alleviate a headache when rubbed on your forehead, and can clear congestion associated with a cold (remember Vicks Vaporub? Mint.). Mint is also an amazing skin cleanser, and trust me, spritzing your face with mint-infused water on a hot summer day is like heaven falling to earth.
#10 In the Bath
I bet you've never thought to use mint in your bath. Grab some cheesecloth, crush some mint, and add chamomile to make yourself a soothing bath tea bag. You can make a strong peppermint infusion to rinse your hair, and if you add nettle, it will help get rid of dandruff. Make natural toothpaste by steeping peppermint for 20 minutes and mixing it with baking soda and grapeseed oil (just make enough that you'll use immediately, or store the extra in the refrigerator).
This is by no means a comprehensive list of things to do with mint, but here on the farm, we use it the most for these things. Enjoy!
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