[Herbalist] Apple mint

[Jenne Heise]

> I have a huge bed of apple mint that is ready for harvesting.  I have thought
> of drying the leaves for teas but are there any other good suggestions or
> recipes out there?


Sekanjabin, a middle eastern drink syrup, uses mint; at least, I've always
used it as a drink syrup, but apparently it's also used as a dip for
lettuce leaves.

( fromCariadoc's Miscellany)

                                                         "Sekanjabin

 Dissolve 4 cups sugar in 2 1/2 cups of water; when it comes to a boil add
1 cup wine vinegar. Simmer 1/2 hour. Add a handful of mint, remove from
fire, let cool.

                Dilute the resulting syrup to taste with ice water (5 to
10 parts water to 1 part syrup). The syrup stores without refrigeration.

 Note: This is the only recipe in the Miscellany that is based on a modern
source: A Book of Middle Eastern Food, by Claudia Roden. Sekanjabin is a
period drink;  it is mentioned in the Fihrist of al-Nadim, which was
written in the tenth century. The only period recipe I have found for it
(in the Andalusian cookbook) is called "Sekanjabin Simple" and omits the
mint. It is one of a large variety of similar drinks described in that
cookbook-flavored syrups intended to be diluted in either hot or cold
water before drinking."

> I also have an abundance of borage the has reseeded itself.

Lots and lots of period salad and greens recipes use borage.

--
Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise	      jenne at mail.browser.net
disclaimer: i speak for no-one and no-one speaks for me.
"It's no use trying to be clever-- we are all clever here; just try
to be kind -- a little kind." F.J. Foakes-Jackson