We're excited to announce that you can now get our popular 12 Herb Salad Dressing & Marinade and our 12 Herb Herbivore (Vegan) Salad Dressing and Marinade at all New Seasons Markets as well as City Market in NW Portland. 

Also, at Local Choice Market in NW Portland you can now get our 12 Herb Salad Dressing and Marinade and our zippy Gluten Free Zesty 12 Herb Salad Dressing and Marinade.

As well as carrying the dressings, the New Season Markets at Orenco Station (Hillsboro), Cedar Hills (Beaverton), Happy Valley, Progress Ridge (Beaverton) and Fisher's Landing (Vancouver, WA) are also carrying our herb infused Lavender Vinegar, Basil Vinegar and Tarragon Vinegar.

Local Choice Market is also carrying our herb infused vinegars in Rosemary Vinegar, Basil Vinegar, Chive Blossom, Tarragon, Southwest Sage and Lavender Lemongrass.

Visit these local markets and get some quality produce and groceries as well as picking up some of our own farm grown vinegar and salad dressings. Don't forget they all make great marinades. I love the 12 Herb Dressing as a marinade for fresh salmon. Yum!

Corsican Mint is the smallest of the mints. It's leaves are bright green and heart shaped. 

Corsican mint is a low-growing mint, with tiny, fragrant leaves and small white/lavender colored flowers. This mint can be used in landscaping as a bedding plant. It then gives out a fragrant mint smell when stepped on. 


Although not often used in cooking, Corsican mint is the mint that's used to make Creme de Menthe liquor. So, that gives you an idea on the smell you'll enjoy as you walk barefoot on it's little velvety leaves.

Use Coriscan Mint for bedding, to line walkways or growing between stepping stones. It's most beautiful in rock gardens and walkways, growing lush and full between each stepping stone and rock. Just gorgeous.

Corsican Mint thrives in shady garden areas. Let the plant dry out between waterings. You can come by the Herbary or a Farmer Market to pick up some Corsican Mint. I think you'll love it in your landscaping.

Today you get a twofer. Although almost every mint can be great in cocktails - these two mints are named after them.

Margarita Mint is a pretty mint with bronze tipped leaves. It has a strong lime taste and is great for adding to a margarita to give it a special twist. Use as a garnish on top, add to fish dishes or guacamole.  Or use it in any cocktail to add a nice accent of lime and mint.

Margarita Mint is less invasive then most mints ( because it does't spread by underground rhizomes).  So you can plant in your garden or it makes a nice ground cover or border. The leaves can be dried and used for tea or sachets.

Mint Julep is a mint plant that was named after the popular drink because of the smooth flavor of this variety of mint. For this reason, it would obviously be great in a Mint Julep drink and many cocktails. It would also be great for salads and desserts. 

Mint Julep leaves are bright and big. They look great used as a garnish or decoration. Just place a stem of mint in a glass or cocktail.  These plants, are invasive, so keep them in containers.

Here's some history about the Mint Julep Cocktail;

In 1815 an English Captain named Marryatt wrote about this famous drink that he had when he visited a wealthy Southern farm-owner. He was offered numerous different cold drinks made of Bordeaux, Madeira etc., but there was one made of mint that he praised. He described its preparation in great detail: 

During the Civil War it became customary to use bourbon in Mint Julep and that custom has stayed. 

Mint Julep Cocktail Recipe

fresh mint 
1 tablespoon fine sugar 
1 tablespoon water 
2 fl oz (5.7 cl) bourbon whiskey

Place 4-5 leaves of mint in a highball glass. Crush the mint, sugar and water together until the sugar is dissolved and the flavor of the mint extracted. Add the bourbon and fill the glass with crushed ice. 
Stir until the outside of the glass is frosted. Decorate with a sprig of mint. Serve with straws.

We have Margarita Mint and Mint Julep Mint plants along with many other types available at the Herbary (open Fri-Sun 10-5pm) and at the Farmers Markets.

Come by and get some unique mint plants for your cocktails this weekend. 

Apple Mint is a beautiful light green mint with wrinkled and fuzzy leaves. In late summer you'll see beautiful cream or lilac colored flowers from this mint. 

Crush the leaves and you'll quickly smell the strong apple scent of the Apple Mint. The fruity taste is sweeter than most mints. It's the perfect mint for use in summer salads, fruit dishes and it makes a beautiful tea. It also pairs nicely with peas and potatoes.

Try mixing it with chamomile or lavender for a fragrant and calming herbal tea. Apple Mint is also good mixed in with cream cheese for tea sandwiches or appetizers. The fruity taste adds a nice sweetness to the mixture and is a terrific partner to berries or other fruits.

Apple Mint is supposed to help ease the sting of a bee or other insect. Just place the leaf on the insect bite. 

Apple Mint is not as invasive as other mints, so you can plant this in your garden instead of keeping it confined to pots.

Come by the Herbary or the Farmers Markets this weekend and get some Apple Mint. You'll love all the ways you can use it. 

This may be a Mint you already know about, but come on - it's chocolate and mint! Think how awesome this would be growing in your garden. 

Chocolate Mint is not just a intriguing name - it really does have a fragrance and taste that's a lot like Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies.  Chocolate Mint makes a great addition to hot chocolate, ice cream or just pour some hot water over the leaves for a fresh cup of chocolate mint tea.

Mint is known to help with digestion, as are most mints. Having a cup of chocolate mint tea after a meal is a good way to enjoy mint and help your body out at the same time.

Use Chocolate Mint leaves dried for use in cakes, cookies or quick breads. Make a sweet tea gift out of a package of dried Chocolate Mint leaves. 

As with all mint, keep it to a pot or container, unless you want it to take over spaces and grow through cracks.

We have Chocolate Mint plants along with many other types available at the Herbary (open Fri-Sun 10-5pm) and at the Farmers Markets.

Come on by and get some unique mint plants for your culinary garden. 

Lime Mint is a wonderful addition to your garden, your summer meals and drinks. As with all mints, it's best to plant in containers as it can spread fast. However, if you need ground cover, mint is a great choice, since just a brush against it brings up the lovely scent.

Lime mint is what you might expect - minty and limey - although, surprisingly,  the lime is stronger than the mint. This is the perfect mint for cocktails like Mojitos, Gimlets and it's great in Iced Tea. Lime mint is also a terrific addition to fish tacos and it adds a special zip to your guacamole.

Like many varieties of mint, Lime mint is often used for pest control in gardens due to its ability to attract beneficial insects such as butterflies and bees and detract harmful insects such as aphids, fleas and ants. 

We have Lime Mint plants along with many other types available at the Herbary (open Fri-Sun 10-5pm) and at the Farmers Markets.

Come by and get some Lime Mint for your drinks this weekend. It'll be just what you need.

I'm pretty sure it's hot where you are. It's been in the high nineties and even triple digits around here. Something that's so refreshing on days like these are Herbal Waters. You can add fruit to them to to add some sweetness.  

These are perfect when you want something special to cool you down. Just take some big jars and make up some combinations based on what's in your herb garden and what fruit you have.

The other day I made these two and I have been enjoying them so much. Here's what I did.

Gathered some herbs from my garden. I used Lavender Mint for one jar and Strawberry Mint for the other.

Fill your jars with water and before you put the herbs in rinse off in some water and let them sit for a while. Let them wilt a bit. Then take a wooden spoon and kind of lightly smash it into the leaves. it helps them to release the flavor. Add herbs to jar and include any fruit you might want to use. I used a few raspberries and blackberries for the Strawberry Mint and blueberries for the Lavender Mint. The raspberries turned the water a light pink which was pretty.

Not only are these pretty to see when you open the fridge - they are delicious! The fruit gives just enough sweetness and is so refreshing with the mint. I have been preferring these practically free beverages instead of the other things in my fridge like juice, coconut water and soda. I refill the water bottles a few times - before I create a new one.

Mint is of course a perfect herb choice for a hot day, but you can use all kinds of herbs and combinations.

These would all be delicious on their own or in a combo. I'm sure there are more choices. Tell me your favorites and I'll add to the list.