Strawberry Mint
Mentha piperata 'Strawberry'
This is a very new mint, only available to us in the last few months, so still a bit on trial!
Like all mints it is perennial and spreads by runners, so plant where it cannot invade other plants,
or give its large container of it's own.
It grows well in most situations - sun or shade, but needs good moist soil to grow well and produce
lots of lush green foliage. It's strawberry scented leaves are topped by spires of lilac flowers in
the summer which are very popular with bees.
The finely chopped leaves can be added to many fruity desserts and also soft cheeses to give a sweet/savoury lift of flavours.
Whole sprigs or chopped leaves make fabulous tea. Use 1 tablespoon per cup of chopped mint and
either serve hot, or iced with a fresh sprig added after chilling.
Try strawberry mint in Pimms and other fruit punches for a delicious taste.
For a cooling summer drink which you can partly prepare in advance try our
Mint and strawberry lemonade
For the syrup which you can make the day before:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbs lemon zest
- 20 strawberry mint leaves - roughly chopped
- Warm the sugar and water stirring until it just dissolves to make a syrup.
- Add the mint leaves and zest and remove quickly from the heat.
- Cool and pour into a jar or covered jug and leave to infuse overnight in the fridge.
- Strain before using, this syrup will keep for several days in the fridge.
For the lemonade:
- 500g strawberries
- 4 large lemons
- 3 cups chilled sparkling water
- Purée the strawberries and sieve out the seeds.
- Squeeze the lemons and add the juice to the strawberry purée.
- Put the fruit juice into a tall glass jug and stir in the mint syrup you prepared earlier.
- Top up with the sparkling water bit by bit to get the strength of flavour you prefer.
- Serve over ice with extra mint sprigs to garnish.