On the farm there used be a patch of mint growing in the corner of the meadow nearest the house where my grandparents lived, and periodically my grandmother would harvest the mint and brew a pot of herbal tea out of it.

I tasted the tea one time and didn’t care for it. It didn’t taste like tea to me. Too minty, I thought.

I’ve been growing some spearmint in what passes for my garden these days, and it grows surprisingly quickly.

So I went in search of a recipe and found one for a mint salad dressing that called for a half cup of mint leaves.

It turned out pretty good.

Here is the spearmint plant after I harvested the leaves.

The directions call for a blender or food processor but I used an immersion blender.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients.
2. Puree the ingredients until smooth and well combined.
3. Transfer the dressing to a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid.
4. Refrigerate the dressing for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.