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.

While mint is so prevalent in some areas as to be considered a weed, you can still grow mint on your own. Just be careful where you put it, because you will find that under the right circumstances, these herbs can be quite aggressive and choke out other, more fragile plants.

Mint plants do quite well in the shade and they prefer cool, moist spots, though some species do just fine in the sun. You will find that a single plant, due to the fact that they are such speedy growers, will provide you with plenty of mint for your household.

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 bring out the savor of meat particularly lamb. Mint is a common herb for mint dishes in the Middle East and in the UK and USA; mint jelly is often served along with lamb dishes.

Mint is also quite popular when it comes to Asian cuisines. Mint is offered in whole leaf form as a side dish to many different soups and noodle dishes, and the leaves can be strewn on top of a good spicy soup. You will find that the mint leaves lend crispness to soups that would otherwise be overly sweet, and they can similarly be used to add a bit of freshness to curries.

Mint is a great herb to have, whether you go out and collect it, grow it in a window box or simply buy it from the store, you will find that once you start using mint as a garnish, that you will see plenty of places that you can add it. Think seriously about the taste of mint and think about what foods can be accentuated by it!

Of course, mint can be used in desserts as well as entrees. There are many varieties of mint available at farmer’s markets and produce stores; try a little fresh chopped chocolate mint in a chocolate jell-o mousse for a light and refreshing dessert. A sprig of mint is also just the thing to enliven lemon jell-o. You can use mint as a garnish as well as an ingredient in many recipes.

In addition, of course, there is nothing as refreshing on a hot day as a frosty cold glass of iced tea with a fresh mint sprig. Just a light rub of the mint leaf with your fingers will release its powerful aroma and flavor. Mint is much more versatile than you may think – try adding it to your menus today!

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