Description:
Formerly, the mucilage from the roots of the marshmallow plant was used to make the spongy sweets we know as marshmallows. Now, however, marshmallows are prepared with sugar, flavouring and colouring mixed with either starch and gelatine or gum arabic and egg white.
How to select:
Marshmallows come in various shapes, sizes and colours.
Use:
Marshmallows are commonly eaten as a sweet. In the United States, they are also used as an ingredient in cooking to make cakes, icings (frostings) and sauces.
How to store:
store in an airtight container in a cool dry place.
Description:
Mint is a bushy shrub which grows up to 2 ft. high, has textured leaves and thick stalks. It grows easily in climates with moderate rainfall. The herb leaves are small with uneven surfaces and edges. Mint is sold fresh and is also available dried and crushed to a fine olive-green powder.
How to select:
Available year round, but summer is height of the season. Look for even-coloured leaves.
Use:
Mint has a fresh, clean aroma all of its own. If chewed, the leaves are rather peppery but when added to food, it lends a distinct flavour that goes well with sweets or savouries. Mint oil is used in throat lozenges and ointments for headaches. Mint is used to flavour toothpaste, mouthwash, tobacco (in menthol cigarettes), confectionery and in perfumery. Chutneys and relishes made with mint complement a wide range of savouries. Mint tea is popular in India and several homemade drinks get their cooling flavour from this herb. Ice creams, sauces and stuffings flavoured with mint are made the world over.
How to store:
Keep stems down in a glass of water changing the water every 2 days.
Health benefits:
In the world of health research, randomised controlled trials have repeatedly shown the ability of mint oil to relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, including indigestion, dyspepsia, and colonic muscle spasms. These healing properties of mint are apparently related to its smooth muscle relaxing ability. Once the smooth muscles surrounding the intestine are relaxed, there is less chance of spasm and the indigestion that can accompany it. The menthol contained in peppermint may be a key reason for this bowel-comforting effect.
Kinds of Mint :
Garden Mint :
Garden mint is the most common variety of mints. Its leaves are used to make chutneys, to flavour sauces and salads and in cooking vegetables.
Peppermint Leaves :
They produce a very pungent oil used mainly in confectionery to flavour spirits, liqueur, jellies etc
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