Mint £ 5.95
Mint - Spearmint (Mentha Piperita - Mentha Spicata - Mentha Silvestris - Mentha Viridis - Diosmos)
This herb proliferates and interbreeds so easily that one can come across more that 20 different species with only insignificant differences among them, but all share the quality of emitting an intoxicating aroma. As Persephone was taking a stroll along the banks of river Acheron (in Greek and Roman mythology the river of woe), she stumbled upon her husband, Pluto, and his lover, young nymph Minthe. In a fit of rage Persephone turned Minthe into a lowly plant with mauve tiny flowers, completely inconspicuous to human eyes. Pluto felt sorry for Minthe and endowed her with a divine fragrance. Since then, this lowly herb has been honoured profusely by gastronomers all over the world. The ancient Greeks believed that mint could invigorate the mind and refresh blood. They also used it as a remedy for headaches. In fact, after nights of heavy drinking, ancient Greeks would place a wreath of mint on their heads to "exorcise" an impending hangover.
The Romans loved the smell of mint and had found ample culinary uses for it. They even scented their bathing water with this fine aromatic herb. Mint is also one of the ingredients for a sauce recipe by famous ancient Roman cook Atticius. This recipe consisted of the herb of grace (rue), mint, coriander, fennel, pepper, lovage, honey and some olive oil.
Mint is considered an excellent tonic, antispasmodic and stomach comforter. It invigorates the function of liver and bile. Steam baths in menthol, mint's volatile oil, are quite invigorating, antiseptic and disinfectant. A teaspoonful of honey in lukewarm fresh mint tea can check tummy aches/distension and stomach ulcers. It also checks the vomiting of women at gestation periods and motion sickness. The following extract from Athenaeus is quite characteristic: "[If] urchins are consumed in a sweet-sour sauce of vinegar and honey, with parsley and spearmint, they are sweet and tasty."
In modern Greek cuisine, freshly chopped mint is ideal for meatballs, eggplant salads, pumpkin pies and soft-cheese pies (kalitsounia).Order from us by secure online server and pay by credit/debit card using paypal or nochex.
