The Magic of Mint
An enthusiastic grower in Southwest gardens, mint goes well in everything from salads to, of course, juleps.
The mint family, Labiatae, is very large and has about 160 members. They include basil, lavender, horehound, hyssop, lemon balm, marjoram, rosemary, sage and thyme and, of course, the many varieties of the genus Mentha. This name was first used about 300 BC. Myth has it that Persephone was so jealous of the nymph Mintho because Pluto chased her around the underworld, that she changed her into a lowly but fragrant plant that grew along the edges of the underworld in the shade. But mint got its revenge, because once you have it in your garden, it can take over and it is hard to get rid of.
Mint was considered the symbol of hospitality in ancient Greece. Leaves were often rubbed on the tables before a meal. (Hopefully these were not the same leaves that were also used in foot baths.) In medieval times they threw it around the castle like hay bales because nobody bathed. Peppermint and spearmint hopped the boat to the New World with the colonists. Mint has historically been a medicinal herb and is still used today in many digestive aids; menthol oil is a common ingredient in cold remedies.
Mint is a very hardy perennial in the Southwest. The trick is to find a semi-shady spot, preferably the east, north or northeast side of your home. I cannot say it enough times about how invasive mint is. If given the chance, it will take over a large portion of a garden and choke out everything else. Gardeners everywhere recommend this planting technique: You can use an old ice cream pail or other plastic container with the bottom cut out to try to slow the plant spreading. Dig your hole, place the container in the hole, leaving about two inches of the rim above the ground. Put your mint plant in the container and prune it regularly. Remember, mint propagates by seed, stem and root. And it does like pretty steady moisture, so you will need to water it daily during very dry spells. All mints do well in containers and pots. They do have rapidly growing root systems and must be divided and repotted every year. You can take cuttings from your mint plants at any time and root them in potting soil or water.
Growing mint is a huge commercial enterprise worldwide. Did you know that Wisconsin is one of the leading producers of mint? Mint is grown in bog-like fields and is harvested for producing mint oil.
We must remember the most important reason for mint and that is the Mint Julep. Created in the 1800s right after the introduction of Kentucky bourbon, this was considered the drink of a refined gentleman. Julep mints of choice are Kentucky Colonel Mint and Georgia Mountain Mint.
So how many types of mints are there? The estimate has gone as high as 500 across the globe. I remember when I thought there were only two, peppermint and spearmint. Peppermint is the most popular one for flavoring tea, candy, gum and other confections.
My grandmother used to have these little green gumdrop mints that she kept in a bowl in the living room. Nobody ate them, so by Christmas they were so hard we could string them and hang them on the tree. My grandfather was continually coated in mentholated ointment, so we were pretty much on a mint overload.
Here are just a few of my favorite mint varieties that I know do well in our climate:
Apple Mint—Height three feet. White flowers with gray-green wooly leaves. Use for jelly, jams, fruit dishes and teas
Banana Mint—Height two feet. Light green leaves, purple flowers. And yes it smells and tastes like banana!
Chocolate Mint—Height two to three feet. Neither smells nor tastes like chocolate, but rather is reminiscent of an Andes after-dinner chocolate mint. Thus, the suggestion of Chocolate is there and is strong enough to notice. Great dried and used with black teas. It also makes a beautiful garnish for desserts.
Corsican Mint—Height half an inch to one inch. The tiniest of all mints with the most intense mint fragrance and oils. Makes a beautiful ground cover, with purple flowers and small glossy leaves
Curly Spearmint—Height two feet. Pink and purple flowers with glossy curly green leaves.
Kentucky Colonel Spearmint—Height two feet. A large leaf on a robust plant that is the basis for that traditional southern drink, the Mint Julep. Can be used in any recipe calling for spearmint, including mint sauce and mint jelly.
Orange Bergamont Mint—Height two feet. Dark green leaves, lavender flowers. Wonderful in teas and fruit salads
Variegated Pineapple Mint—Height two feet. White flowers with fuzzy white-and-cream leaves. Beautiful as a texture plant in the garden, attracts bees and butterflies. Wonderful in chicken salad and with poached pears.
One must have a traditional mint julep drink recipe for the hot summer months!
Traditional Mint Julep
4 ounces bourbon whiskey
4 to 6 sprigs of mint
2 sugar cubes
Put bourbon, mint and sugar into the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Muddle
to dissolve sugar and blend mint leaves. Let stand for a bit to help release
the mint flavor. Add ice, and shake well to chill, then strain into a glass
filled with shaved ice.
Some other uses for fresh mint include:
Or try this salad recipe:
Baby Spinach, Feta and Mint Salad
1 pound baby spinach leaves
8 oz crumbled Feta
1 cup small mint leaves
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 cup balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Slowly add and whisk olive oil into balsamic vinegar until dressing is the consistency you prefer. Mix the remainder of the ingredients in a large chilled bowl and add the dressing, toss to coat. You can add grilled chicken to this to make a meal. Serves 4.
The Kitchen Gardener can now be found in the new Silver Confectionary, in the historic Silco Theater Building on Bullard Street in downtown Silver City. For information call 538-5317 or email alicepauser@msn.com.