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Exploring the Many Uses of Mint: From Aggressive Garden Growth to Magical Cocktails

Updated: Mar 1

A few weeks ago, my daughter said she needed a simple mint syrup to take to a friend’s house for a get-together. They were going to try to make Mary Berry’s Lemon Meringue Pie and have mojitos.

We have a hardy mint plant that comes back each year and is always trying to break out of its container. It’s the garden brat. So, yes, we do have mint. Could we make the simple mint syrup she needed for the mojitos? I wasn’t familiar with it, so we googled it. Within an hour we picked, washed, and made the simple mint syrup. Delicious!


We decided to trim the whole mint plant and had lots of extra, so I made another batch to freeze for lemonade, tea, mocktails or mojitos. It’s amazing how many ways this delicious syrup can be used. The remaining leaves were then dried for tea and seasoning. A simple conversation turned into an afternoon of picking and preparing the mint leaves so none were wasted. My thoughts drifted to family stories about the depression. Save everything and waste nothing.

The simple mint syrup recipe we used is very easy: One cup of water, one cup of white sugar and one cup of fresh mint leaves. Here’s the link for the recipe.

There are so many other ways to use mint, but the most obvious is to add it to your water. Treat yourself. Dress the water up with flavorful and invigorating mint ice cubes. Put several mint leaves in each cube tray section and freeze. If you want clear ice cubes, which are more bougie but fun, boil the water first, let it cool to room temperature, and then add it to

the mint filled ice cube trays. It’s science! Here’s a simple link for mint ice cubes.

Be creative with the mint! It’s been so hot this month, we’re going to try Elizabeth Rider’s watermelon mint popsicles for a backyard family kiddie pool day. Next year maybe we’ll grow the watermelons. Here’s the link to the recipe.


Sometimes the simplest things offer the greatest benefits and we’re clueless. Mint is a rebel in the garden, but a true blessing in our diet. I was amazed to learn so much about mint.


Epic Gardening has a list of mints suggested health benefits.

Improves oral health-Quick remedy for nausea-Relieves symptoms of acne-Clears up congestion of nose, throat, and lungs-Helps lose weight in a healthy way-Inhibits the release of histamines that causes allergies and hay fever-Promotes digestion.


Rumor has it that the girls never did get to make Mary Berry’s Lemon Meringue Pie recipe. The mojitos were too delicious. What we did realize though, is that shopping from our yard worked. No more visits to the grocery store for mint seasoning, simple mint syrup or mint tea. We are using what we have and loving it. We hope you give it a try.

Yvonne

Hugs & Giggle out Loud - Grandmas Follies





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