'Mint - Orange'
Mentha citrata

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Orange mint is a vigorous, compact perennial herb that reaches about 40 to 60 centimeters tall and 30 to 40 centimeters wide. The plant has small, dark-green, blunt, ovate-shaped leaves that grow to about 2 to 3 centimeters in length, and it produces tightly-clustered spikes of mauve flowers in late summer. The leaves offer a mild, fruity menthol aroma and a minty, sweet yet subtle berry-like flavor.

Uses
Orange mint leaves are best used fresh and young when they are most tender and flavorful. Their fruity scent and taste make them a perfect garnish for fruit dishes and summer cocktails, like mint juleps or mojitos, and they can even be used in potpourri. Blend leaves into fruit smoothies, steep in hot water to make tea, or finely chop for use in sauces or drizzles for ice cream and desserts. You can even use Orange mint to add a mild, fruity mint flavor to baked goods like chocolate chip cookies or muffins. Mint can be added to savory dishes and is known for complimenting lamb, beef, cucumber, green onion, avocado, pistachio, basil, oregano, and thyme. Note that it is best to add mint leaves toward the end of cooking to retain the most flavor. As the name implies, Orange mint also pairs nicely with both berries and cream, as well as figs, dates, chocolate, jelly or jam, melon, and goat or feta cheese.

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RECIPES

Mint Spinach Salad

Ingredients
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onion
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 1 package (10 ounces) fresh spinach, torn
• 2 medium apples, thinly sliced
• 1 small cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons sunflower kernels, toasted

Instructions
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the oil, lemon juice, green onion, sugar, mint, salt and pepper; shake well. In a salad bowl, combine the spinach, apples and cucumber. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat. Sprinkle with sunflower kernels.