I don’t know about your mint patch but mine is in full bloom. I love this time of year. Sweet mint tea during the day and mojitos at night by the fire pit. Ahhh… I love summer! There is just something about that fresh mint being crushed for the mojito or hitting the boiling water for the tea that just makes me love breathing. So fresh. So crisp. So….. minty.
Before the heat of summer makes the mint wither and before it goes to seed I want to save those lovely leaves for mint tea in the winter. Every now and then I have a craving for a taste of summer in the dead of winter. It is hard to make mint tea when you have no mint….so this is how I will solve that problem!
First, pluck the leaves from the stalk of the plant. Be sure just to take the mature leaves. Leave the baby leaves so they can mature and give you more mint in the coming days.
See the baby leaves? Just pluck the leaf on the right.
This is what a stalk looks like when I am done with it. Looks kind of scrawny but in a few days it till fill back in with mature leaves.
Next tuck the leaves into ice cube trays. These are the same trays I used when I made my girls baby food. See, I was a penny pincher even back then! Each of the cubes will hold 7-12 leaves. This is the amount I use for each pot of tea. If you use more put in more. If you use less put in less. There is no right or wrong amount.
See the pretty leaves?
Next, cover the leaves with water.
After all the leaves are covered with water (unlike this picture) pop them into the freezer and freeze solid. Once solid, remove them from the trays and store them in a freezer bag.
When it comes time to make tea just take out a cube and defrost in the microwave. The ice will melt and any dirt will come off. Pop the leaves into your boiling water and steep away!
2 Responses to “How I Save Mint”
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Great idea….Thanks!!!
April 28th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
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