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Wanted:Recipeswith Lemon Balm
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youngcook



Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 97
Location: GA

PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Please ? Do you have any recipes where I can cook it in?
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youngcook



Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 97
Location: GA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone out there use this herb?
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opqdan



Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 43

PostPosted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 9:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You could use it any time that you would use mint, or even lemon zest.

It would probably be good to throw a bunch into a curry dish, or any salad. It might even work out in a salsa.

I bet lemon balm ice cream would be delicious. Actually, that sounds good enough that I may go ahead and do it.

Lemon balm is in the same family as mint, and has similar growing habits, including the near impossibility of getting rid of it. Just like mint, I would suggest that if you are going to plant it, you put in a metal or plastic barrier around the bed (10 inches deep) to keep it from spreading.

Nobody ever believes the stories that people tell until they grow a mint relative themselves. For example, I had a small mint plant in my garden that I thin tilled in with the dirt. The next season, I had giant mint plants sprouting up all over my garden. It's actually the only weed that I have to deal with as I cover the soil with black plastic. The mint will push right through.

It also sends out roots (?) into the yard where it will actually outcompete the grass. It does make for a pleasant experience when mowing though.

The only way I could solve the problem was to move 2500 miles away. Smile

Quick question though, the other day I saw a "Lemon Catmint" or "Lemon Catnip" at the local garden store. It looked a lot like Lemon Balm (and since they are all in the mint family, I would expect them too), but I was weary of buying it as it might not have been the Lemon Balm that I was expecting. Am I right to assume these are the same plant?
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Ishbel



Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 41
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lemon balm is more like a geranium in leaf. Lemon mint is used in lots of North African dishes - including mint tea.
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opqdan



Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 43

PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 12:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ishbel wrote:
Lemon balm is more like a geranium in leaf. Lemon mint is used in lots of North African dishes - including mint tea.
Funnily enough, lemon mint is in a completely different genus than we've discussed so far. Lemon mint belongs to the Monarda genus which is also includes "bee balm" or "bergamot" (although that name is a missnomer, true bergamot which is used to flavor Earl Grey tea is actually an Asian citrus fruit). Catnip/Catmint belongs to the Nepeta genus, mints belong to genus Mentha, and lemon balm to Melissa. All belong to the same family and share the characteristic square stems and flower structure.

To add to the confusion, there is another herb called 'lemon verbana', which exists in a separate, but similar family. The lemon mint that I saw at the garden store over the weekend was much closer to the lemon verbana than the Monarda species, but since they don't feel that it is neccesary to include genus/species information on the tags, I don't know which it really was.

My confussion was over the difference between lemon catnip (which may have been falsely labeled as a catnip), and lemon balm seeing as how the specimens that I saw, had very similar leaves. I've since come across information that lemon catnip is actually Nepeta cataria 'Citriodora' which makes it different than Melissa oficianalis (lemon balm). Adding to the confussion, was that I could never find a single store that sold both. I've since procurred some true lemon balm though, so no problems there.
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Ishbel



Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 41
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All I know is: I go to the plant nursery - head over to the section marked 'herbs' and select from about 30 mints...! Everything from Moroccan to Asian mints via spearmint and peppermint and apple mint.

The lemon balm is a real 'weed' in my garden. I always ensure that I keep it planted in one terracotta pot. so that it doesn't self seed and also creep along the flower beds infesting everywhere. My neighbour doesn't do this, and thinks it's a nice plant.... so nice he lets me share it by allowing it unbridled growth space, under our joint wall!
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