The menthol is wonderful for clearing up a stuffy head cold, relieving headache, as well as being a strong digestive aid and a mild sedative. With its less intense, more herb-like flavor, it pairs well with a wide spectrum of foods. Combined with orange peel in vinegar, it serves as a marinade for lamb as well as a dressing for spring salads. Combined with basil, mint adds the cooling element to many hot Asian dishes. Mixed with bulgar, red onions, tomatoes, parsley, and a lemony vinaigrette, it becomes Tabbouleh, a Middle Eastern salad perfect for summertime picnics.
Nothing says spring quite so deliciously as freshly steamed new peas with a sprinkling of mint.
Carrots, potatoes, eggplant, white or black beans, and corn all sparkle with the addition of freshly chopped spearmint. Mint has been known as both a seasoning and a medicine for centuries. Mint is even a part of Greek mythology. According to the legend, Minthe originally was a nymph, and Pluto's lover. When his wife Persephone found out, in a fit of rage she turned Minthe into a lowly plant, to be trod upon.