[Sca-cooks] comfort foods and age

[Jones, Craig]

Probably not chocolate and pineapple mint, but many other varieties are
period.
Mint hybridizes at the drop of a leaf, and Walafrid Strabo wrote in his
“Hortulus”, “Mint I grow in abundance in all its varieties.  How many there
are I might as well try to count the sparks from Vulcan’s furnace beneath
Etna.”

Just for good measure, here is my Mint page from my Basic Herbs class. This
page does not mention Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis), because it has
another page all unto itself.
Mistress Christianna

MINTS							Labiatae Family
	Mentha spp.

History of the Name:
The legend of Minthe.  Pluto, God of the Underworld, loved the nymph Minthe.
Persephone, his Queen, was jealous, and turned Minthe into a plant. Pluto
took pity on the poor girl and gave her a sweet smell, so that all would
love her.

Characteristics and Native area:
Native to Europe and Asia, the square stems are characteristic of the
family.  Swahn says it came from Greece and Mycenae, but it spreads wildly,
and was known everywhere.

Major Uses:
Relieves pain, eases spasms, expels gas, increases bile flow, lowers fevers,
strengthens and tones the stomach and body.
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) contains menthol (spearmint doesn’t) which
stimulates the bile flow into the stomach and also may help to relieve
menstrual cramps.  It is perfectly safe, but too strong for infants and
young children.  Oils made into bath additives help itching skin conditions.
In large quantities, peppermint is supposed to be an aphrodesiac.
Peppermint tea can be taken for nervousness, insomnia, cramps, coughs,
migraines, poor digestion, heartburn, nausea, abdominal pains, headache and
vomiting due to nervous causes.
Pennyroyal is effective against fleas.

Culinary Uses:
Jellies, sauces, teas, candy, punch, and as a garnish for meats.  One of the
top flavorings used for candy, chewing gum, drinks, sauces, toothpaste, and
remedies for indegestion.
Used in Companion Planting to repel aphids, flea beatles, and cabbage pests.


Historical Uses:
A variety of peppermint has been found in Egyptian tombs dating to 1000BC.
The Pharises paid their tithes with mint.  It is also mentioned as a tithe
herb in the Bible.  Ovid cites another use, “How Baucis rubbed mint on the
table before setting it
”
Romans made wreaths of it to crown themselves with.  Greeks used it in
temple rites.  They believed it could clear the voice, cure hiccoughs, and
counteract sea serpent stings. Used in sickrooms and strewn on floors to
repel fleas and other pests.
Because of a Greek myth surrounding Zeus, it became a symbol of hospitality.
The Roman writer Pliny noted it as a scent for rousing the conscious mind.
Mint hybridizes at the drop of a leaf, and Walafrid Strabo wrote in his
“Hortulus”, “Mint I grow in abundance in all its varieties.  How many there
are I might as well try to count the sparks from Vulcan’s furnace beneath
Etna.”
Mint steeped in wine or vinegar was used for toothaches.  Mint was rubbed on
the teeth for sweet breath.  Known in Japan, China, Ancient Egypt, Greece,
and Rome.  Culpepper says Spearmint or Garden Mint (maybe lemon balm)
“applied to the head and temples
 eases the pains in the head”.  Also it
“helps the bite of mad dogs”.  Useful in “all disorders of the stomach, as
weekness, squeamishness, loss of appetite, pain and vomiting.”  He strongly
recommends the spirit (distillation) as even better.  Peppermint he suggests
even more strongly for stomach complaints, “for which there are few
rememdies of greater efficacy.”American colonists drank the tea after the
Boston Tea Party because it wasn’t taxed and it tasted good.

Properties:
Anodyne - Agent that soothes or relieves pain.
Antispasmodic – An agent that relieves or checks spasms or cramps.
Carminative – An agent for expelling gas from the intestines.
Cholagogue – agent for increasing the bile into the intestines.
Refrigerant – An agent that lowers abnormal body heat.
Stomachic – Quickens activity, strenghthens and tones stomach.
Tonic -