Greenin’ up: peppermint

By SHARON HAGEMANN, ND, DO, CH

According to an ancient Greek myth, Pluto—the god who ruled over the underworld—became enraptured by a nymph named Menthe, causing his wife to turn the young beauty into an herb and banish her forever to regions of shadow and moisture. And, like many such tales, the myth still has relevance today. This perennial, peppermint (mentha piperita), is often found growing wet in wild, shaded spots; but, it will also thrive in your own garden, or window box! Peppermint is distinguished by a square, reddish, bitter stem. Red overtones are also visible in the leaves (which are darker green, less crinkly, and more potent than those of spearmint) and the two-to-three-foot spreading branches curve outward instead of growing straight up. Attractive rose-lavender flowers appear on cylindrical spikes in late July or August and produce small, round, dark seeds. These, however, don’t always reproduce true to the parent plant, so it’s best to cultivate the herb from cuttings (which generally root easily when placed in water) or—in the fall—to plant small pieces of root two inches deep and six to eight inches apart.

Peppermint will grow almost anywhere that’s out of the hot sun, but it prefers a moderately rich soil and at least partial shade. Because it spreads vigorously by underground runners, you might want to cultivate yours in containers (at least four inches in depth), or, in the garden, in beds surrounded by boards buried about six to eight inches in the earth. When planted as a companion to cabbage—or strewn between any vegetables of the genus brassica—peppermint helps to deter the white cabbage butterfly.

Make sure that the herb receives at least an inch of water per week and to promote bushier growth, snip off the tender, buffing tips. If you want to assure a lengthy harvest, you should also keep the flowers pinched back, but don’t pick any leaves before the herb is 10-12 inches high, or you’ll weaken the plant.

To cook peppermint, fry the foliage in the early morning before the dew has evaporated. The leaves will be at their best just prior to flowering, when the level of essential oils is at its peak. Hang bunches upside down in a warm, shady place or fry them in the oven, door ajar, at 150° F. Then, strip the leaves from the stems and store in opaque jars with airtight lids. Clean, undried sprigs can also be frozen in plastic bags or, to prepare a decorative, flavorful addition to punch or iced tea, just add some leaves to the water when you refill an ice cube tray.

Either fresh or dried peppermint leaves can add zest to salads or fruit cups and are also delicious mixed into cream cheese, or sprinkled over ice cream. A tasty marinade can be made by combining the fresh-tasting greenery with a bit of vinegar and water. To make a mint sauce, begin by cooking 1/2-cup lemon juice, 1/2-cup honey, 1/4-cup water and 1/8-teaspoon salt in the top of a double boiler for five minutes. After that, add some mint leaves (experiment until you find the appropriate strength of mint flavor). Let the liquid simmer for 15 minutes. Serve warm with lamb or veal.

Mint tea has long been used to relieve indigestion and alleviate motion and morning sickness. Many people believe that fresh stems and tops, mixed with rosemary and balm in a hot bath, can ease still joints and relax tired muscles. And, few would dispute that refrigerated “mint water” (soak one cup of peppermint leaves in a quart of water and then strain the foliage out) makes an invigorating summer face wash!