Thursday, May 05, 2005

Mentuccia: The classic Sonninese Herb

I don't know if this is a staple in other people's kitchens, beacuse it sure is in ours. If it's a holiday or family gathering, you know there is going to be artichokes with mentuccia. Here's a description of it. Anybody have any good recipes?:

ROMAN MINT (Mentuccia)
Labiatae/ Calamintha officinalis
Similar to the mint available in America, but smaller and with a stronger taste and perfume.
Other Information: Scientifically known as melissa officinalis, wild mint looks and smells similar to lemon leaves, but unlike the latter grows wild in meadows. It is used in the Roman specialty Carciofi alla romana and for marinades.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I don't think the mentuccia as we know it in Sonnino grows anywereelse; I have lived in diffrent parts of Italy before migrating in Australia in 1968; the only one similer I did discover it in Sicily dialecttally called "neputedda".
Funny enough a version of our mentuccia I finally found it also here in Perth Western Australia giving us so much pleasure when we cook the "Carciofi all Judea"