What to do with Mint?

[Jez]

I planted some mint about a year ago and it's starting to really take off. I picked it up on a lark and violated the don't grow what you don't eat rule. Now I need some ideas on what to do with it. So far we've been dropping a few leaves in with the tea when we brew it, but that's about it.

[goatlady]

I like to tuck bags of dry mints in with the linens and undies and even the shoes! Nice reminders of spring in the dead of winter here. A bit simmering in the "steam kettle" on the wood burner is nice also, at lead I think so.

[Snow Angle]

Make jelly--I found it needs some mint extract to make it taste good. Dry it and use it in taboli (?) that wheat salad with vinegar and tomatoes and mint. Could be used as an herb--do a search "Recipes using mint" and see what comes up.

[The Dude]

The flowers are good in salads.

[Animal Lover]

I always chop some fine and put it in my spaghetti sauce. You can't really taste it so don't put too much in. But it does make a difference in the smoothness of the flavor.

[farmermom]

I make syrup out of it--sometimes with lemon verbena--and use it with lemon juice to make lemonade.
1 part lemon juice
2 parts syrup
8 parts water

[night driver]

I planted some mint about a year ago and it's starting to really take off. I picked it up on a lark and violated the don't grow what you don't eat rule. Now I need some ideas on what to do with it. So far we've been dropping a few leaves in with the tea when we brew it, but that's about it.

The FIRST thing you need to do is dig a 12 inch wide, 12 inch deep trench around what ever area you are willing to sacrifice to the mint.
Line this with steel sheets or halves of 5 gal STEEL buckets.
About every 3 or 4 weeks, fill trench with an inch of gasoline and light it off to discourage the mint from approaching the trench.
Failure to periodically light the trench off will embolden the mint.
Even so, you will need to PRAY the mint will not jump the trench.
If you start seeing mint sprigs in other parts of your yard, run up the white flag and resign yourself to an all mint yard within hours....
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OK, seriously.

pick and hang to dry the plants, and after dry, strip the leaves and store the dry leaves in a large jar, sealed well. You can use these dry leaves for tea, for infusions (IIRC mint is a best 50/50 mix of alcohol and water so 100 proof vodka will work well), and other medicaments and flavoring options....

[awesome1]

I did the same thing last year. Bought one little mint plant. Almost died because I forgot about so I just threw it in my garden where I had room. Already I have 12 plants shooting up this year. Went to till the garden the other day and all I could smell was the mint.

Of course I came here to see what to do and sure enough there is a thread :).. I love this place..

[dissimulo]

If you start seeing mint sprigs in other parts of your yard, run up the white flag and resign yourself to an all mint yard within hours....

No - never give up! I have the answer to fighting back the mint.

Dig a new trench around the escaped mint and plant horseradish and jerusalem artichokes in it. You won't have a mint problem anymore.

[akbash-dog]

Dig a new trench around the escaped mint and plant horseradish and jerusalem artichokes in it. You won't have a mint problem anymore.

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Now, THAT'S funny!