Mint
About: A legend lies behind mint. The goddess persephone loved the god Pluto, who was in love with an ethereal nymphet, Minthe. Out of jealousy, Persephone turned Minthe into a plant. Pluto could not reverse the spell, but made it so that when Minthe was stepped upon, she would emit a beautiful fragrance. The word Minthe changed to Mentha, which became the genus Mint. Mint leaves are used in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, candies, ice creams and all sorts of dishes all over the world. The substances that give mint its aroma and flavor are menthol (the main aroma of Peppermint and Japanese Peppermint) and pulegone (in Pennyroyal and Corsican Mint). For fresh mint tea, cut off a couple of full stems and throw them in a pot of boiling water for 5- 10 min. Pull out the stems and serve hot or with ice.
Nutritional Info: Mint is a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.
Storage: Snip the ends and place in a water-filled vase, or place in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Tips: Mint tastes best when added near the end of cooking time as it loses flavor when exposed to extended heat. Mint can be overpowering, so use sparingly.
QuickFix: Add mint leaves to mixed greens for a light, refreshing flavor in salads. To add a little summer flavor to water, place mint in a water-filled ice-cube tray and freeze for mint-flavored ice cubes!
Reicpes: Warm Rice Salad with Peas and Mint, Minted Blueberries with Lemon Cream, Minty Sugar Snap Peas, Vegetable and Mint Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce