| Peppermint (Mentha piperita) |
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| Didi Hofmann | |||
| Wednesday, 01 March 2006 | |||
Don't underestimate the power of peppermint (Mentha piperita). This quick and easy growing garden herb is the least invasive of the mint family and it has a multitude of uses in the home. In the kitchen it's a popular flavoring and garnish. Try chopping some into chocolate sauce and serving it with ice-cream. What many people don't know is that the distinctive minty-cool fragrance of peppermint is an energising scent that aids concentration, helping you to stay awake and alert. Some even believe it has aphrodisiac properties. Although the leaves are best used fresh, peppermint dies down in winter so its advisable to dry some leaves at the end of summer for your winter supply. Tie the leaves into bundles and hang them from the ceiling in the kitchen or lay the leaves on paper towels and dry them in a cool, darkened room for three days. There needs to be air movement so don't dry the leaves in a cupboard. Once dry, store the whole leaves (do not crush or crumble them) in an airtight jar and keep in a dark cupboard. For maximum effect, keep them out of the light. Peppermint needs full sun and more moisture than other herbs. It benefits from being cut. It is a perennial so it dies down in winter but comes up again in spring.
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