Elisir di menta (mint elixir) 50 g mint leaves, peel from 2 lemons, 2.5 dl dry white wine, 2 dl 95* alcohol
Macerate the mint leaves in the alcohol for two days.
Add the wine and lemon peel and macerate for a further two days, then strain through muslin.
You can also add 150 g of honey to make it more palatable.
This mint liqueur stimulates the nervous system, so don’t drink more than one or two small glasses a day.
Serve chilled.
Article by Theresa
Mint descends from the Latin word mentha, which is rooted in the Greek word minthe, personified in Greek mythology as Minthe, a nymph who was transformed into a mint plant. The word itself probably derives from a now extinct pre-Greek language
Mint was originally used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains, and it is commonly used in the form of tea as a home remedy to help alleviate stomach pain.
In Rome, Pliny recommended that a wreath of mint was a good thing for students to wear since it was thought to “exhilarate their minds”.
During the Middle Ages, powdered mint leaves were used to whiten teeth.
Mint tea is a diuretic.
A common use is as an antipruritic, especially in insect bite treatments (often along with camphor).
The strong, sharp flavor and scent of mint is sometimes used as a mild decongestant for illnesses such as the common cold. – source