Mike Petro > wrote:
>Can anyone recommend a good source for freshly dried Spearmint? How do
>I know if the spearmint is fresh or not? For example I have some
>that's 1.5 years old and I assume it has lost its edge, but how would
>I know just by inspecting it?

Compare the smell with some fresh spearmint.

>I use spearmint leaf in my iced tea blend, about 2 parts Yunnan Gold
>to 1 part spearmint leaf, and it is definitely that time of year
>again. I have spearmint from the likes of Adagio before but I was
>hoping for a better or more direct source.

There is nothing more direct than my backyard, or your backyard. Mint is
a weed, and easy to grow. The main problem with it is that it tends to
breed with any other mint nearby... if you have spearmint and your neighbor
has peppermint, the second year you'll find you both have something kind
of in-between.

>I grow some of my own spearmint, can anyone tell me how they use fresh
>spearmint in their tea? I do know that a nice big sprig n the glass
>makes a nice presentation and adds a hint of aroma and flavor. What's
>the best way to dry it?

If you grow your own spearmint, the easiest thing to do is dry it yourself.
You can hang a bunch from the ceiling in a cool and dry place like the
garage. You can dry in a convection oven or a food dehydrator as well.
You'll be much happier with doing it yourself than buying commercially
dried mint.

I have never used fresh spearmint in hot tea, but I will often put a
large sprig in when I make iced tea, and leave it there as it cools.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."