Lemon Balm
A handful of fresh lemon balm and milk make an excellent hot or iced tea
with honey added. It can be used in place of lemon peel in recipes. Add to
your favorite sugar cookie dough. I think of it as much more than a tea
herb! I add it to herbal vinegars along with dill and nasturtiums for a
pleasant variety of vinegar that can be used in seafood marinades or salad
dressings
Lemon Balm Cookies
2 tablespoons minced lemon balm leaves
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup butter softened2/3 cups sugar
1 egg
2 1/3 cup flour
Whole lemon balm leaves-for garnish
In a small dish, combine first 2 ingredients, press mixture with back of
spoon to blend. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light
and fluffy. Beat in egg and lemon mixture. Gradually beat in flour and salt.
Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Roll in wax paper. Preheat oven
to 350 degrees. On wax paper slice into slices about 1/8 inch thick. On
ungreased cookie sheet bake 8-10minutes. Will brown slightly around the
edges. Yield about 60 cookies.
Creamy Lemon Balm Pudding
6 tablespoons vanilla sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup milk
1 cup light cream
3 tablespoons snipped fresh lemon balm
Combine vanilla, sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. In another saucepan,
heat milk and cream just until scalded. Pour over sugar mixture, stirring
while pouring. Place over medium heat and stir until it starts to thicken.
Add lemon balm while stirring. Pour into four dissert dishes. Chill. Serve
with a dollop of whipped cream and sprigs of fresh lemon balm if desired
To make vanilla sugar: Place a fresh vanilla bean in a quart jar of sugar.
Cover and let stand for a week before using
Herbal Fruit Cooler
2 (46 oz.) can pineapple juice
2 tablespoons crushed fresh apple mint leaves
2 tablespoons crushed fresh lemon balm leaves
½ cup lime juice
½ cup sugar
Fresh mint
2 (12 oz) bottles club soda
Ice
Heat 1 quart of pineapple juice and pour over mint, lemon balm and sugar.
Steep 30 minutes. Add lime juice and rest of pineapple juice. Store in
refrigerator. When ready to serve, add club soda, pour over crushed ice,
garnish with sprig of mint or balm. Makes about 1 gallon.
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