Mad for Mint

A few summers ago, I discovered that we had a plethora of mint growing amongst our hosta plants in the backyard.  A friend was quick to point out that it was probably our neighbor's and seeing that mint spreads like wild fire, it made its' way under the fence onto our property.  I was thrilled at the prospect of simply stepping outside and picking a fresh sprig to compliment my iced tea, particularly when entertaining.  Alas, this year the mint has spread so much that now I've been informed that I need to cut it back.  I will get around to that but in the meantime I have decided to take advantage of the abundance we have of this fragrant and healing herb and rifle through recipes to make the most of it.  Of course, mint juleps are a must and so I have relied upon this trusty concoction.  In addition, I found these unconventional ideas while thumbing through the August issue of Better Homes and Garden.  One was for a caprese salad that swapped out basil for mint and tomatoes for sweet peaches.  The other was a new twist on pesto.  Simply puree a handful of mint and cilantro with 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/3 cup of olive oil and a dash of sea salt. I served it with crostini and it was a huge hit.  Bon Appetit!