Sharon, I just love top read whatever you write. You always put such an interesting spin on things. Great story!

Thanks Rita!
I can return the compliment to you as well.

I love mints! I learned that if I plant them amongst the plants that the critters like to eat, the critters avoid them. So yep, I have chocolate mint in lots of places.

Good to know, Renee! I really need to get myself a clump of chocolate mint! I'd let it grow wherever it wanted!

Mint and basil, probably my most used herbs. Oh, maybe rosemary too!

And as promised, the front of my pewter mint julep cup-- in desperate need of a good cleaning!! But I think you should be able to see my initial in spite of its condition.

I could see the S even before I enlarged the photo - Beautiful Sharon and do you wear big beautiful hats on Derby Day?

Pretty! I wonder if you could substitute something for the alcohol in a mint julep. I guess it would throw the taste off, though.

I meant to say way back that we once toured Maker's Mark. It was fun. The girls were little and they were so impressed they got to bring home an -empty- bottle with the Maker's Mark seal on it. The wax seal is just so cool and unique.

The bourbon is what gives it most of its flavor, KY. Not sure there's a substitute for it in this instance. And I only like them made with Makers, the other bourbons don't seem as mellow to me. I do like the soft mellow flavor.

Yes, Vic, I still have some of those hats, but the pictures are scattered around too.I think my favorite was a big pink felt cowboy hat and on it I used about a dozen pink roses of various shades. I loved that hat! The roses were silk of course. And I still have the hat, but it's worn other flowers since then.

Makers Mark would make labels for people, Bob had one with his name on it. That was his favorite drink. We had some UK bottles too, they were sealed with blue wax and the label was blue and white. They sold the company recently and it's been a long time since I bought any kind of bourbon or alcohol, so I have no idea if they'll make changes in the label or seal or not.

No mints in my garden, potted or otherwise. As to the Bourbon, I don't have any around. Years ago I bought a bottle of Seagrams Whiskey and there it sits still unopened. I drink wine instead.

I think all of you would enjoy this:
allthingsplants.com/thread/view/23032/The-Flavor-Bible/

Sharon I loved your article. I wish I knew about "have mint will travel" if you plant it in your garden. Even if I did I wouldn't have believed it.
Well I planted my apple mint under the stairs. It managed to get across the footpath and spread through out my garden - no mean achievement. At first, I called it my new ground cover and thought it charming to have a herb cover.
Today as I mulch my daylilies as they finish flowering, the piles of apple mint that I have pulled out are everywhere.
Even in areas I thought I have done last week the runners are already speeding past. Sigh

Glen, if I had listened to my grandmother all those years ago I wouldn't have this issue with my traveling mint. But you're right, we might as well just call it our 'scented ground cover' and pretend we planned its wandering ways.

I really enjoyed this article and the Mentha-Pluto story was nice. I have I think it is Peppermint, not vigorous growing - at least in my small garden. I just have a very little patch dedicated for it. I also have some in a seed pan as they require only a bit of soil depth. If we grow more, we can use some more often. We add the leaves for our chutneys. I like the scent too. Mint juice that gets served in some get-togethers are nicely prepared and I love it. Some of the other information in the article was worth knowing. Good one.

Hi Dinu!

It's great to see you again. I'm glad to know you enjoy mint as well. I never thought about using it in chutneys, but mint does make its way into many of my desserts.

Hi Sharon,
I posted that last night and this morning, my wife had made mint chutney!! We call it 'pudina' to go with pancakes [fermented dough]. Great to be back here again.

That sounds like a good breakfast. Lucky you.
Do you think your wife would share her recipe?

@Sharon my son asked me if I had extra mint because he wants to underplant in the orchard. Really? Won't it be invasive? I know it's a large open area, but it just made me wonder. He wanted anything but peppermint or spearmint. My chocolate mint looks like it didn't make it so I only have pineapple and orange as an option. I am getting more chocolate mint though, it is the best!!!