Tuesday, August 24, 2010 Mint Night!!

This Thursday's dinner will contain five mints from my container garden. Pineapple Mint, Apple Mint, Orange Mint, Spearmint and Peppermint.

Without further ado...

Cucumber Melon Soup with Apple Mint

Pineapple Mint Pulled Pork

Orange Mint Chicken

Peppermint Ice Cream with Mint Chocolate Chips

and

Frozen Mojitos (with Spearmint)

Mint is a great addition to any garden - provided you contain it! Mint is invasive. It'll sent out shoots underground and end up all over the place if you don't keep it in check. And it'll last through the winter! My peppermint has lasted through two winters.

This year I stocked my garden with mints and other herbs for ice cream. I'm sorry to say the Chocolate Mint I bought didn't make it. But neither did the lemon balm, thyme, dill or lemon thyme. I'm pretty sure I over planted in my zeal for a full garden. In the future it'd be best to keep your plants one to a container, unless your containers are huge!

But the joy of being able to walk out on my porch and pick the herbs I need far surpasses the upset caused by a few dead plants.

Stay tuned!! Much more mint makings to come!!!

Bang on, my peeps!

-HH

Saturday, August 21, 2010 How Much Would You Pay?

The other night - after stuffing myself silly with apples, grapes and brie - I had a vision of Grape Ice Cream followed quickly by a vision of Grape Ice Cream Sandwiches with Peanut Butter Cookies.

I can almost imagine why Grape Ice Cream isn't commercially made. Even after a good cooking and mashing the grape liquid was never as thick as other fruit juices have gotten. I can also imagine that growing grapes for ice cream wouldn't be as lucrative as growing grapes for wine, let's say. I mean, how much are people willing to pay for real good ice cream with quality seasonal ingredients. A quart of ice cream can easily cost me ten dollars or more to make. Depending on the milk, cream, cream cheese, sour cream, fruit, candy, cookie - whatever it is. Good ingredients cost money. For my friends at home? Sure, it's totally worth it. But if I were to take my ice cream public would people pay 3 bucks for a two ounce scoop? Or five for four. I don't think so. And if they did it would not be without a scowl on their face that I'd be so tempted to knock-off.

Look at them. Two Homemade Natural Peanut Butter Cookies sandwiching a scoop of Purple Champagne Grape Ice Cream dipped in frozen grapes.

How much would you pay?

-HH