mint is ruled by none other than the planet of love and kisses, venus. you’ll want to have plenty on hand when she’s in your chart as there’s a strong likelihood you’ll be gettin lucky – keep that breath fresh! such a pleasant & fragrant aroma must belong to the intoxicating & aphrodisiacal planet of venus. VENUS, as in APHRODITE, as in APHRODISIAC.

mint is actually quite jupiterian in nature, as it’s an semi-invasive species. if you do plant mint in your garden and don’t want it to spread, plant it in a large container and bury the container in the ground. that will ensure the root system does not extend beyond the wall of the pot and take over your entire lawn. mint comes in many varieties. i have in my garden, orange flavored mint, chocolate flavored mint, apple flavored mint, and a few others i can’t remember. if you rub the leaves they will literally smell like chocolate, orange, apple, ect. it’s crazy! last week i made a mojito using the chocolate mint and you could definetely taste a subtle cocoa flavor in the drink.

a handy trick with mint is to use it as a deer repellent! yes, it’s true, deer and livestock actually hate mint. puree mint in food processor and add to water. put in spray bottle and spray on plants you wish to keep safe from the hungry mouths. and one last tip… mint (and all herbs) freeze great. throw some leaves in a ziplock in the freezer and have mojitos all winter long.

CHEATER MOJITO: mojitos are easy to make in a pitcher and involve NO MUDDLING! when you’re serving 20 at a time, who’s to know you cut a few corners?

depending on the size of your pitcher, add the following:

3 parts white rum
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
1 part sugar
5 or so sprigs mint

allow to sit for about three hours, stirring every so often to dissolve sugar. adjust to taste. when guest arrive, simply pour this mixture over ice filled glasses and top with seltzer (and stir).

PAN FRIED TOFU WITH MINT DIPPING SAUCE: my mom used to put her mint sauce over lamb which i was never a huge fan of. it’s actually not bad over pan friend tofu…

this is another easy party dish that can be prepared beforehand and stored in the fridge. it’s always a good idea to have at least one vegan dish on hand in case one of those crazy herbivores shows up.

MINT SAUCE:

20 sprigs mint
2 cups raw organic sugar
1 cup white vinegar

puree 10 handfuls mint leaves in blender with 1/2 sugar. after mint is chopped, add another 1 1/2 cups sugar and puree some more until mint is finely chopped. then add 1 cup white vinegar and puree until mixture is fine. sauce will keep in fridge for months.

PAN FRIED TOFU:
buy organic tofu in any consistancy except silken. extra firm is best. add to pan a blend of 50% olive oil and 50% canola oil. (if you use only olive oil it will burn quickly.) cut tofu into cubes and saute until browned, stirring frequently to avoid sticking to pan. remove to paper towel (MARCAL is awesome) lined plate to absorb oil and arrange on platter. sprinkle with sea salt and store in fridge.

BON APPETIT, A VOTRE SANTE LOVER GIRLS…

thanks to THE LIQUID MUSE for hosting MXMO XX.