Don’t Forget The Mint!
Mint can be something that happens when you are the least prepared for it. You might be outside in your garden and suddenly detect a sharp, green odor that you associate with candy or medicine, and you will suddenly realize that you have mint on your hands. Whether you choose to cultivate it or buy it at the store, you will find that the species of herbs that are denoted as mentha, which all share the common name of mint, are quite healthy and tasty when you can add them to your cooking.
Of course, in some regions mint grows so vigorously that it is considered a weed. If you are planning to include mint in your garden, make sure that it is planted where it will not out compete plants that are more fragile - mint can be very aggressive.
Most varieties of mint prefer cool, shady areas, but other varieties do very well in full sun. You will probably find that a single mint plant will provide more than enough mint for you and your family; mint is a very quick growing herb.
You can use mint leaves either fresh or dried and shows up in dishes from all over the world. Using fresh mint will give you the strongest mint flavor, with a cool, slightly sweet aftertaste from the herb.
Mint can be used to add a certain amount of savor to meat dishes, and in the Middle East, mint is often used in conjunction with lamb dishes, a habit that spread to the United Kingdom, where mint sauce and mint jelly is often served with lamb dishes.
Mint is used widely in Thai cooking as well. You may find a few mint leaves scattered across a bowl of spicy soups such as tom ka or served alongside noodle dishes as a condiment. Using mint can add structure to dishes, which would be cloying otherwise. Though not a terribly common herb in Indian cooking, they can add a welcome note of freshness to heavier dishes such as curries and soups like kahri.
Whether you grow mint in your garden, have a small plant in a kitchen window box, or buy it from your local produce market, you will find it to be a useful and versatile herb, which can be used in a whole variety of dishes. Just think of all of the possibilities of this herb to liven up your favorite dishes.
Not just main dishes but desserts go rather well with mint and there are so many different varieties to chose from now a day. You May want to try adding some chocolate mint to a light and refreshing chocolate jello mousse recipe. On the other hand, perhaps a sprig of mint with a lemon jello recipe is more your passion. It is also good as a garnish or as an addition to the recipe itself.
In addition, on a hot day, there is nothing to compete with a tall glass of iced tea with a sprig of fresh mint added. Release its assertive flavor and cool scent with a light rub of the leaves between your fingers. Mint can add just the right touch to a number of different foods - pick some up today and start trying out some new recipes with this exciting herb!
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