Peppermint is a versatile herb that is used in cooking. Perhaps the most well-known dishes that mint is used with are lamb and tabbouleh. Peppermint is an herb that is used frequently in cooking and flavoring beverages and candies. Peppermint is also used in soaps and cosmetics as well as for healing purposes. It is also used for flavoring gum and toothpaste. It comes in dried leaf form, as well as essential oil. It can be taken in capsules, as an oil, or as a tea.
The use of peppermint goes back for centuries. I remember as a teenager my grandma giving me peppermint tea for menstrual pain. Peppermint is used in folklore for a myriad of things like the common cold, irritable bowel, upset stomach, inflammation, headache, muscle pain, toothache, itching, menstrual cramps, viral infections, repelling mosquitoes, and digestive problems. Be sure to consult your health care practitioner if you plan to use peppermint for medicinal purposes.
The use of peppermint in connection with the holidays can be traced back to a German church where the candy cane is supposed to have originated. The choirmaster of the church bent the sticks into a shepherd's staff and gave it to the children attending the service. The custom became popular. Later the candy canes received their red stripes and became popular as a holiday treat.
Here is a peppermint tea recipe that can be used for the holidays.
1 pint boiling water
1 oz.. loose peppermint tea
1 peppermint stick for each cup of tea
Pour boiling water over tea leaves. Steep 2-3 minutes. Add the peppermint stick. Enjoy!
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-705-peppermint.aspx?activeingredientid=705&activeingredientname=peppermint
https://umm.edu/Health/Medical/AltMed/Herb/Peppermint
http://www.dallasobserver.com/restaurants/why-does-christmas-taste-like-peppermint-7042149
Check out my blog at www.valerielull.com where my books are available. They make great holiday gifts.
Valerie Lull
Author
valerielull923@gmail.com
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