Hardly any herb can be used in the kitchen as versatile as peppermint. The green herb is slightly hot and gives food and drinks a fresh, spicy aroma. But you can also process peppermint into oil.

Fresh mint tea is delicious and healthy

Peppermint can be processed in so many different ways

  • tea
  • salad
  • desserts
  • cocktails and soft drinks
  • decoration
  • peppermint oil

You can use fresh and dried peppermint for all food and drinks. You should only use freshly harvested herbs for decoration and in cocktails.

You can also freeze peppermint. It loses its aroma, but the herb still comes into its own in desserts or salads.

Process peppermint

Peppermint can be used fresh or cooked. However, many vitamins are lost during cooking.

Pluck the fresh leaves from the stems and add to food or drinks.

Grate dried peppermint from the stalk or pour boiling water over the whole stalk to make tea, depending on what you want to use it for.

Peppermint tea - the most popular herbal tea

Along with chamomile, peppermint is one of the most commonly used herbal teas. It is therefore worth harvesting and drying a larger supply in the summer before flowering. Then you can also enjoy aromatic peppermint tea in winter. Tea from self-harvested leaves is unpolluted and healthier than commercial teas.

Make peppermint oil

Peppermint oil is easy to make at home. Add a handful of stalks to extra virgin olive oil and seal the bottle airtight. Keep them in a warm place for about three weeks.

Less is often more

The same goes for peppermint. It often has such a strong aroma that it quickly overpowers other spices.

Therefore, use peppermint sparingly and use fewer leaves until you find the ideal amount.

People with stomach problems should also be careful when consuming peppermint, as the essential oil can cause heartburn and damage the walls of the stomach.

tips

Do you love jelly or jam with a little pizzazz? When making cherry, apple or raspberry jelly, add a few leaves of fresh peppermint. This gives the sweet spread a particularly fresh taste.

Category:

Vegetable garden