Minty Fresh?

Most of the great culinary herbs are native to the Mediterranean regions of the world. They have been an important aspect of the human experience for near on 15,000 years. Herbs are fully incorporated into ancient lore and are used extensively as symbols for certain human traits. We are all familiar with the laurel wreath of victory and from the laurel tree we get the bay leaf; the symbol of great achievement. Basil is the herb of love, while oregano symbolizes joy. Rosemary is the herb of remembrance, especially of those that are absent.

These fragrant, non-poisonous plants were first used primarily for their medicinal properties. Oregano is an excellent cough suppressant. Rosemary has been used to relieve muscle aches and thyme is effective against upset stomach and diarrhea. Turmeric is used to treat many skin conditions, like acne. 

Herbs are generally defined as the soft, usually green parts of plants such as leaves and stems as opposed to spices which are generally the harder parts, such as bark, seeds or roots. 

Perhaps one the earliest uses of herbs was for the masking of unpleasant odors. Mint is very effective against bad breath. A poultice can be made from many of these plants and applied to the body to mask the odors of people that either don’t or won’t bathe so you can be in the same room with them. It was probably this masking ability that first led people to apply these plants to food.

Prior to the development of refrigeration, it would not be unusual to have a meat item that began to turn before it could be fully consumed. Throughout history, for most of mankind, food waste was not a viable option, it was all about total utilization. Herbs could be applied and somewhat effectively mask the off taste of the item, thereby extending its shelf life. If you ever need to practice this ancient art form, I would suggest rosemary as a starting point. Could be that adding herbs to food was first practiced not as a form of culinary expression, but as a way to prevent waste and make partially spoiled foods palatable. 

As the ages progressed, classic herb-food combinations were developed. Oregano is a classic accompaniment to tomatoes, as is basil. Dill is a classic accompaniment to fish and potatoes. Mint is a classic accompaniment to lamb. Sage is a classic accompaniment to pork while thyme is the best choice for poultry. In addition to pairing certain herbs with certain foods, herb combinations themselves became very popular. You probably have a jar of Italian seasoning in your cabinet. It is usually made with oregano, basil, rosemary and thyme. You may also have a jar of Herbs de Provence. Traditionally it includes marjoram, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme. 

Here in Tennessee about the only culinary herb that occurs naturally is Field Mint. We know it as peppermint. (It’s actually hard to find a toothpaste that is not mint flavored.) This herb is used extensively in candy production and other sweet products such as jelly.  As we already said, it is the classic herb used with lamb and it works well with most fruits. But mint has a dark side.

Mint does not work well with the other great culinary herbs. It is overly aggressive and deliberately seeks to overpower the subtle flavors of its fellow herbs. When it is combined with other herbs the result is usually an unpleasant sensation that only succeeds in diminishing the flavor of foods to which it may be applied. And guess what; it is always the other guy’s fault.

Mint is selfish, self-centered, and narcissistic in the extreme! Plant some in your Tennessee yard and in a matter of weeks it will spread relentlessly, destroying all in its path. It insists on being the center of attention and as long as it the star of the food show, it will not be too disruptive. For mint, it is my way or the highway. 

If we are only going to have two viable political parties in this country, we need one to be center-right and one to be center-left. This is how it has been for most of the country’s history and it is the political middle that has been able to compromise our way to being the most prosperous country in the history of mankind. 

What we are witnessing and even participating in right now is both parties sprinting to the extremes. As our world views diverge further and further from one another, our tolerance for each other becomes strained. Truth becomes an abstract as opposed to an absolute and once we can no longer agree on what is true, we have placed ourselves in a position of possible permanent opposition.

For most of the previous year President Trump declared that if he lost the election, it could only be because the election was stolen. Once he did in fact lose, by a lot, this became his clarion call and the members of his party rallied to his cry. This false narrative has become the flimsy excuse for what is happening in states all across the country.

Having lost the popular vote in seven out of the last eight Presidential elections, Republicans know for certain that their only hope of maintaining power is to reduce, through legislation, the number of people that vote. Over 250 bills in 43 states are on track to accomplish this.

It is always dangerous to assign motivation to the actions of others and this attempt to reduce election participation has been loudly denounced as racist by the left. We can’t be certain that the people promoting these bills are in fact racist or not, but we can evaluate objectively the consequences. If the consequence disproportionally impacts any selected minority of the population, then the motivation is of little concern. The outcome is in fact racist.

Modern Americans are overwhelmed, nay, bombarded with information from an almost infinite number of sources and each of us must decide for ourselves how we will analyze, infer, deduce and evaluate the information that we absorb. These critical thinking skills are ultimately how we shape our world view and establish our intimate communities.

When the President tells us that the election was stolen, it matters not whether he believes it to be so, or if he knows it to be false. People decide for themselves how they will analyze and evaluate that information. What is of concern is that it becomes a continuous loop of reinforcement. Tell me what I want hear. Tell them what they want to hear. Over and over until the abstract becomes, for some, the absolute. As we move further and further away from one another it is a small step for our frustrations to evolve into outright hate for those we disagree with.

Career politicians are particularly susceptible to stepping into and propagating the continuous loop in order to maintain the support of people they believe they must have to sustain their grip on power. The loop plays an important part in pushing us to the extremes. We can slow down, if not halt the loop, by insisting that the career politician go the way of the buggy whip maker, by imposing term limits.

Hate is at its very core no more than a decision each of us makes. But once made, we become like mint. Unwilling and unable to work well with others. Firmly intrenched; pigeon-holed and we suddenly we find ourselves only suitable for toothpaste. 

R.I.P.T.N.L.J. 8119