My spearmint patch has spread around the borders of my Square Foot Gardens. I love the fragrance the plants release as I work in the raised beds. It’s impossible to dislike weeding when a cloud of spearmint-scented air wells up around me as I pull out crabgrass and other persistent weeds.
I’ve posted in the past on making delicious teas with fresh spearmint leaves. Place a few sprigs in a teacup, add boiling water and a bit of honey, and you have an invigorating cup of tea. Seriously though, I have to be aware of the time of day when I drink Spearmint tea. The herb is a stimulant and can keep me awake if I drink it too late in the day.
My spearmint reached the flowering stage this week. To enable the plants to branch out I harvested the tops of the tallest stems. I decided it was the perfect time to try a new idea I recently stumbled across: making my own herbal extracts.
The first step is to buy a good vodka. I was thrilled to find an organic variety.
After a gentle rinse and drying time, chop the spearmint leaves (or whatever herb you are using) into small pieces, place in a glass jar, and cover with the vodka. I found a great tip that advised on putting a plastic bag between the lid and jar. If rust forms on the lid it can contaminate the extract. The plastic keeps this from happening. Let the jar sit in a dark place, shake it every now and then, for four to six weeks. Strain off the herbs and place the finished spearmint extract into dark bottles. The extract will keep for three to five years.
Terrific directions and information can be found at this site: Mountain Rose Herbs: How to make your own liquid herbal extract.
I had quite a few sprigs of the spearmint left over. I removed the leaves from the stems and placed them on a parchment-covered drying rack in my turkey roaster. I set the temperature on the warm and let the herbs sit for twenty-four hours. This is a quick way to start the drying process. You can read about other techniques for drying fresh herbs at: Mother Earth News – Six Ways to Dry Fresh Herbs.
The leaves dried nicely, most retaining an appealing green color.
I put the leaves in a brown paper bag. A good place to continue the drying process is in a dark closet. When completely dry, I can store the spearmint in glass jars until I am ready to use it.
I try to do and be organic especially as a breast cancer survivor…am passing this along to my daughter too.. tea lover…Michelle
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I love the taste and it feels “clean” when I drink it. Does that make sense? I am always saying to my husband some foods make you feel polluted after you eat them.
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My mother is also a survivor! Way over ten years now…miracles all around. š
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Love the extract suggestions. I recycle mayo lids for things like oil covered garlic or jam that I’ve opened and keep in the fridge just because of the rust issue. With only two senior citizens, some condiments don’t move any faster than we do. More and more keeping food quality high is an issue as we try to avoid preservatives but still retain variety.
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I am with you on avoiding the preservatives. I have bad reactions to sulfites. I liked the idea of putting a plastic bag between jar and lid. You can see in my picture, the canning lid I used DOES have some rust issues. I thought that was a terrific tip for people like me who use the jars for food storage rather than canning.
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Would spearmint be the same as mint ?
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Yes, they are very much the same. I like spearmint for the reason others don’t grow it…it spreads like crazy. Where it spreads for me is very much appreciated…in between my raised garden beds. Peppermint also spreads, but I seem to lose a bit of it each year. The spearmint keeps getting more robust and seems to want to survive. The information is interchangeable for peppermint, and the extract directions can be used for all herbs. I can’t wait to use up that bottle of vodka for more extracts. I also think it is pretty glass, a little frosty in appearance. I’m not a drinker…so I had no idea you could buy organic alcohol.
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Happy Fourth of July, Kathy.
Hope you have a wonderfully, long weekend, full of fun things to do and places to visit. Take care and stay safe.
Susie
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Thank you Susie! You do the same. š
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Kathy,
When you get the time, please read my blog post “My blog friends”.
Susie
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I will do that Susie! It is a busy day, but never too busy for friends. Kathy
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Reblogged this on homemade naturally and commented:
Feature Friday Post. This is great spearmint infused extract and great tea ideas. Check out all the info on this blog
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Thanks so much Donna, I really appreciate it, and so very glad you liked the post. š
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Loved it
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