Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-05-15
Using Mint.


Mint is always In favor and can usual
" be had for the picking, somewhere
within our garden limits. The spear
mint has flavor all its own. Many
sweet dishes are improved BY the flavor
of leaf or two chopped fine. Add
chopped mint to cooked vegetable, or
meat salad; serve with an apple and
cherry salad, and have novelty in that
line that is piquante. Cream Of pea or
potato soup Is more palatable with q
hint of its flavor.
Delicious beverages are made with
mint f1av0ring, giving peculiar aroma
tic SAVIOR and having the merit OF pro-
noting digestion.
For mint sherbet, the leaves are mere
ly bruised slightly, add a cupful, packed
down, 70 pint of boiling water; steep
for twenty minutes. Add the grated
yellow rind and juice of lemon, and q
cupful of sugar. Cover, and let infuse
until cold. Strain, and pour into the
can of the freezer, packing with equal
quantities of ice and salt; freeze to a
mush. Remove the dasher, scrspe the
ice from the sides of the can, and let re-
main in the freezer until ready to serve.
Serve in small green-glass sherbet cups
flecked with gold. If preferred, the fol-
lowing fruits may be added to the sher-
bet. To the quantity mentioned add the
Juice of three oranges, cupful of pine
apple juice and the milk from one cocoa
nut. Turn into the freezer and when
half frozen, stir in the stif1y whipped
whites of two eggs.
Mint sauce for spring lamb or for game
is made as follows. Chop fine the well
cleaned leaves of bunch of mint and
pour over them half cup of boiling
water and two tablespoonful of sugar.
Cover closely and let stand In cool
place half an hour. Then add dash of
paprika, quarter teaspO0nful of salt,
and four tablespoonfuls of vinegar. Mix
thoroughly.
An appetizing mint chutney Is made
with handful of finely chopped mint
leaves; add to them cup of seeded
raisins, two tablespoonful Of sugar, one
of tomato catsup, and saltspoonful Of
salt. Mash and mix together until the
substance is juicy. Serve in a glass
sauce boat. This chutney is delicious
accompaniment to cold meats.
There is nothing finer in flavor to serve
with roast goose or pork than apple-mint
jelly. Make apple jelly in the usual way,
using unripe apples, which give beau
tifully clear jelly. Add to each glassful
of strained jelly liquid, the sugar and a
tablespoonful of mint juice. To make
this, wash and cover packed cupful of
mint with boiling water in bowl, using
two cups of water. Cover closely and let
steep for an hour. Lay coarse muslin
over bowl and pour in the mint mix
ture, then fold over and press out the
moisture by tightening the folds. The
liquid that drops is dark green color,
and when mixed with the apple jelly,
tints it lovely green.
Mint sandwiches are decided novelty.
They are served as appetizers. Bread is
baked for these in small baking-powder
tins. Use day old, when it will cut
smoothly. Butter on the loaf and slice
thin. To make the mint filling, gather
fresh leaves, place in wire and plunge
in boiling water for moment; drain and
chop fine. When cool, cream together
with butter.
Mint vinegar may be made by putting
washed mint leaves into wide-mOuthed
bottle; do not pack them in. Fill up the
bottle with good cider vinegar. In three
weeks uncork the bottle, and pour of
clear into another bottle; keep we'll cork
ed. This is nice for flavoring purposes
| in the winter, when fresh mint is not to
be had. The average market does not
supply fresh mint, and used in its dry
powdered form it does not possess the
best flavoring quality. Another way OF
preparing fresh mint for winter use is to
make mint sauce in the usual way. Fill
bottles with it, and into each drop a
small piece of horse radish before seal.
ling. The bottles should be filed very
full, corked and sealed tightly. When
using this prepared sauce it will be much
improved by adding little clear rich
soup stock. To half cupful use a
tablespoonful of the stock.
These fragrant leaves make dainty
conserve that blends we'll with jellies,
and is excellent as sweet served at
afternoon teas. As digestive aid they
are the fad of the hour. A bonbon dish
is kept on the table filled with these
crystallized leaves for luncheon and
dinner.
After the spearmint or mint leaves are
washed, then dry by laying them on the
half of soft piece of muslin, fold over
the other half and pat between the
hands, until the cloth absorbs the moist
ure. Make syrup of sugar and water
in the usual proportion, half as much
water as sugar. When the syrup is thick
the leaves are dipped in, one by one,
held by the stem. Lay aside on paper
to dry for day or two, then redip in
the syrup. Preserved in this manner
they keep we'll and the sugar crust does
not fall off in places. The boiled sugar
also gives them brilliant color, equal
to those we pay high prices for at the
confectioner's.
Another way is to dip the leaves first
in gum arabic water, drain them and dip
once in the syrup. Dry on parafin paper
in q lukewarm oven. Any leftover
syrup may be bottled for use to flavor
and color sauces, ices, and delicacies OF
this kind.
Mint planted in March, will be ready
for clipping in May. Planted in October,
clipping may begin in March.-New
| Idaa