At this time of year I have loads of Mint. I have a lovely healthy clump growing in a large pot and every year it comes back with lovely fragrant lush green leaves. Nothing says summer’s here like some fresh Mint from the garden in a tall glass of Pimms and lemonade.
But…while I could spend my days drinking Pimms in the garden (and believe me sometimes I really want to!) I fear that time and work will not allow this.
So what to do with all the Mint? Mint tea of course. The ladies in the book ‘Larkrise to Candleford’ say it’s good for the soul. And so it is. Not in a medicinal way, although I’m sure Mint tea has many claims, but in an “Aaah that’s nice!” and “Gosh! - Aren’t I clever because I actually grew it myself,” sort of way.
So here’s my Mint Tea recipe – less of a recipe, more a bunch of instructions. Stand by.
Hot Mint Tea
- 2 long sprigs of Mint (the more you add the more minty it will be)
- 2 cups of water
- Honey
- Slice of Lemon
- Your favourite teacup and saucer (optional)
Put the Mint leaves (or the whole sprig) in the water and bring to the boil. The water will turn yellowy green. Then strain into a teacup. Add some honey and a slice of Lemon. Drink it while sitting in your garden, you deserve it!
Iced Mint Tea
Have you noticed the warming effect of a cup of hot tea in the winter? Well, the opposite is true in the summer.Use this mint tea recipe to make a pot of tea, let it cool, pour it over ice in a tall glass, and sip slowly. Notice how cool and refreshed you feel? Iced mint tea is a great summer beverage.
Boil a cup of water in your kettle. Place mint in the bottom of the pitcher, pour boiling water in. Let seep 3-5 minutes, if you want to add sugar, now is the time to do it. A quarter to a third cup of sugar sweetens an entire pitcher (or you may prefer to use sweeteners). Once your tea has seeped, fill with cold water and place in fridge until you are ready to serve. Pour over ice and enjoy!
Pimms and lemonade
This classic tipple is especially delicious on a hot, summer afternoon. The cucumber and mint make this drink - don't leave them out!Ingredients
- 250ml Pimms No. 1™
- 1 litre lemonade
- ½ cucumber, chopped
- 1 apple, cored and chopped
- 1 orange, sliced
- 3 strawberries, sliced
- Handful fresh mint leaves
Optional ingredients:
- ½ lime, sliced
- ½ lemon, sliced
- 2-3 fresh pineapple rings
Preparation method
Mix all ingredients together in a large glass pitcher. Serve chilled or over ice, but it's better chilled.
If you enjoy these mint tea recipes, you may want to grow your own mint. Mint plants are incredibly easy to grow. In fact, in many climates, they can be somewhat aggressive – well - actually invasive. Growing mint in pots is the perfect solution.
Growing your own mint also enables you to experiment with the many different varieties—peppermint, spearmint, orange mint, and many more. Believe it or not, you can even find a variety called “chocolate mint.” Does the tea taste like chocolate mint? You’ll have to grow it to find out!
Unless you live in a super cold climate, you will probably need to buy a mint plant only once because mint is perennial and winters over so well. Because mint spreads, you’ll want to give it lots of room. A pot with a diameter of 12-15” is ideal. The roots don’t go deep, so a shallow pot is fine.
Simply pop the mint into the pot with some decent potting soil, water it when it gets dry, and the mint will do the rest.
As you can see, mint tea is meant to be enjoyed. I hope you enjoy its refreshing properties all summer and its warmth in the winter.
Anyone else got any Minty recipes?
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