MINT

Silver bells, cockleshells … how does your garden grow?

We have a garden of mint condition, mint.
Mother Nature has provided wild violets, wild blue berries, wild raspberries and other north woods berries in abundance, however my humble attempts to raise a kitchen garden (while away for the Summer without preparing against the deer. Deer are abundant in great Stockholm) …  has come up: mint. I have bushels. What is one to do?
#1 on my list: MINT TEA. Pluck, bind with kitchen string and steep. My husband has youthful memories from his North African days where he beat the heat with sugary, sugary mint tea. I like it straight up after dinner or before bed. Not only refreshing, but so pretty with the fresh leaves — a luxurious treat.
Other mint beverages: 
Grape Juice with mint leaves: As a kid, my parents garden felt like it was full of everything — including grapes that my Mother would make grape juice from. I have high memories of her serving us this elegant drink, grape juice with mint, and wish I had the grapes here, too. Have you tried this?  I’ll have to see if I can get her to share her secrets for this mix.  (Flower ice how-to, here)
Mojitos 
Crushed Ice
6 ounces light rum
12 mint sprigs, or spearmint, 8 roughly broken apart
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons sugar
Club soda
4 slices lime
Place ice in beverage shaker then add in the rum, 8 broken up mint sprigs, lime juice and sugar. Shake well and serve over ice in a high ball glass. Top off each glass with a splash of club soda.
Garnish each with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint.
I love these non-alcoholic, too. Recipe, here.here
Something you might like:
Nice Ice — Using flowers
 somethingyouaug14small