I wish someone would have told me that if I wanted to grow fresh mint, I should plant it in a container and not right in my garden. (If you have planted it in your garden, you probably know what my next sentence will be.) We have been trying to get rid of it for many years and nothing has worked. I finally decided that I’ve lost the battle and I might as well quit fighting it.
We used to have a stone edging between our lawn and the garden but now it is overgrown with mint.
I planted Apple Mint which, at least, is good for recipes. Aren't the little purple flowers pretty?
Here’s an easy recipe (I found it in a July 1998 issue of Bon Appetit magazine) to use up the mint in your garden. My friend Barb, baked some Almond Lace Cookies to go with our sundaes.
Chocolate Mint Sundaes
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
4 tablespoon (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
Chocolate chip ice cream
Fresh mint springs
Stir 1 cup water and sugar in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves; bring syrup to boil .Remove from heat. Stir in mint leaves. Let stand 1 hour. Using slotted spoon, remove mint leaves from syrup. Whisk cocoa into syrup. Bring to boil Add butter and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate sauce uncovered until cold. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
Place 2 scoops of ice cream in each of 6 bowls. Drizzle each sundae with sauce; garnish with mint springs.
6 servings