Lemon balm - Melissa officinalis

[Cat]

I didn't know whether to put this in gardening, health or food and wine, but plumped for here.

Does anyone grow lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) in their garden?  I've had lots in my garden for the last 2 years, but always thought it was lemon mint.  Today I thought that as I had so much of it I should really try and find some use for it, so I googled for photos of lemon mint, and found that what I have is actually lemon balm

I've just tried making a herb tea, or tissane, with the leaves and a spoonful of honey.  It's quite delicious and very refreshing, and apparently has several medicinal properties. 

I've found lots of recipes to try out as well... lemon balm sorbet is the first on my list.

[Pierre ZFP]

I use it when steaming fish, a lovely delicate lemon tang.  It's also good with boiled or steamed potatoes.

The only trouble I have is restricting it.  Left to its own devices it will grow and grow and take over everything.

 

[Cat]

My lemon balm may be a free ingredient, but it's ended up costing me dearly. 

After reading through several sorbet recipes I started reading ice-cream ones.  One thing kind of led to another, and I've just visited Amazon and splashed out a small fortune on an ice-cream making attachment for my beloved Kitchenaid mixer (gulp).

So... anyone got any good ice-cream or sorbet recipes?  We will have strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, cherries, apricots, plums, clementines, rhubarb, apples and perhaps even peaches as they ripen, and it'll make a nice change from jam [:)]

 

[FairyNuff]

Hi, just seen this thread - I have a friend who made thyme sorbet, very refreshing apparently.

FairyNuff