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Spearmint
Mentha spicata
Other common names: Mint, brown mint ,
garden mint, Our Lady's mint , sage of bethlehem
You know what fascinates me about herbs? It's the ability to
use just one herb in so many ways. The mint herbs have such a long
history with mankind
Greek athletes used bruised mint
leaves as an after-bath lotion. In the Middle Ages, mint was important
as a cleansing tonic and later was used to help purify drinking water
that had turned stale on long ocean voyages. Mint also was given
mystical powers It was used to dispel the "evil eye" and to
produce an aggressive character.
In our modern world , Spearmint is used more than ever. It is used
in our teas, our soaps, toothpaste, perfumes, cooking , chewing gum,
candy, chewing tobacco (ick), mouth wash, laundry products,
cleaning products.. What would we do without Spearmint?
Spearmint is used often with lamb, and is also
excellent with peas, new potatoes and fruit salads. Steep leaves in
cream for making mint chocolate dishes
You can make a spearmint sugar
by filling a paper teabag with dried spearmint , then pound the teabag a
few times to release oils from the dried mint. Put that little bag into
a container and pour 1-2 cups of sugar over it. Put the lid on and let
sit for a few day. You will have yummy spearmint sugar to use in
teas, as sugar coatings, in sugar scrubs.
Combine a spearmint and
rosemary tea with cider vinegar to make a dandruff control hair
rinse.
Spearmint is used to help
babies with colic because peppermint may be a little to strong for a
baby.
Spearmint Jelly
Steep
2 cups moderately packed spearmint in 2 cups boiling water for
30 minutes then strain this "spearmint tea" (You can
also sub with 3 -4 tablespoon of dried spearmint )
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 cups sugar
3 oz of liquid pectin (this will be 1/2 box of liquid Certo)
Bring first 3 ingredients to a
rolling boil . Add pectin and boil 2 minutes. Ladle into hot sterile
jars and seal
Spearmint Bath Tea,
Stuff a small cotton drawstring bag with spearmint and toss into the
tub. It's a refreshing bath .
You can also drop a few drops of
Spearmint essential oil on to a wash rag and lay that on the floor
of your shower and the spearmint will permeate the whole shower . This
makes a great wake up shower.
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