Minty Fresh
If you grow mint it never stops growing. It grows tall, spreads out and the aroma is great. You can chop it and then use it for several things.

• Brew fresh mint tea: add some leaves to a cup of boiled water, let it diffuse and add a little sugar. It tastes great and is good for digestion.
  (Itsu in London charges about £3 for a pot of this = $6.90 Canadian for some minty goodness)
  

• Add it to a jug of water and drink hint o' mint flavoured water. You can also do this with cucumbers and oranges for a nice summer twist to your usual water jugs with lemon.

• Add it to your meatball/hamburger recipe. I think this is the ingredient that makes Momma Dolce's meatballs so great.
• Add a few sprigs to any other sauces you may be making or mix a little in with your pesto dish.
  
• Mince it up and use it on your bbq'd lamb
• Use in a fresh tomato and cucumber salad with basil
  

Since we have an abundance there is some in a vase by the window and a few other leaves strewn about on my desk which I am twirling about to get some of the lovely smell.

Am sure you can make some kind of cosmetic concoction but for now I will stick to the mint tea with sugar.

Minty fresh

A cuppa mint tea does wonders for you after a large meal. It is light and refreshing and also has several health benefits. This mint tea was served at Masala Zone.

The secret to Momma Dolce's meatballs is also a sprig of mint chopped finely and added to the mixture. It is easy to grow mint as it seems to come back each year stronger and stronger once planted in a sunny spot.

Chop it when it starts growing out of hand, lay it to dry in the sun and keep it for use throughout the winter. In Italian it is called mentha.
Buy a little pot from your local garden shop and enjoy it grow wildly and also provide you with a lovely smell. Use it with lamb, chicken and other dishes, the list is endless.

Yoghurt with fresh mint, cucumber and garlic is an amazing sauce to use on boring grilled chicken or just to eat with pita bread. It is divine and the cucumber keeps the yoghurt cool which is v.refreshing. Or take some sprigs and pour some boiling water and have a lovely tea.

Men in Sicily usually take a sprig and keep it in their mouths like a cigarette and chew on it and roll it around. I haven't seen anyone do that in a while but I recall clearly my dad and grandfather doing that each time they went to the garden to putter around.

Am off to go buy a plant!

Ramsa's mint/yoghurt combo.