Mint has a great deal to say. This persistent perennial contributes refreshing coolness to food and drink, often with a bittersweet edge and sometimes spiked with notes of pepper.
It’s not subtle like some herbs, and makes its presence known in everything from cocktails to candy, regardless of whether the context is savory or sweet. Frankly, it’s hard to overdo its use. Mint is also easy to grow in a window box or garden, allowing for leaves to always be on hand, especially come spring.
There are various kinds of mint, but the default option is spearmint, which is less aggressive on the palate than peppermint. If you purchase cut mint at a produce counter or farmers market, just be sure it has a good aroma. As for dried mint on the spice rack, it’s often used in Persian cooking, but it’s a ghost of the fresh kind.
Mint is a wonderful flavor to enrich warm-weather coolers. Among the best drinks on the cocktail menu at Cheeca Lodge, a resort in the Florida Keys, is a nojito, an alcohol-free mojito that’s so tart-sweet and fragrant you might not miss the rum. Mint also stars in Moroccan-style tea, usually served sugared and hot but also delicious iced, and can add a cool dimension to smoothies.
Refreshment is on the way.