I grew up in the Shenandoah Valley and went to UVA (wahoo-wah!). Between the summers of my third and fourth years, I landed a summer internship that would change my life. It was on the island of Cyprus, the third-largest island in the Mediterranean. While there, I fell in love with the natural, wild ways of this ancient society. Their bronzed skin gleamed in the tireless sunlight. I also met my future husband there: a Cypriot and Fulbright scholar earning his PhD in economics at Georgia State University during my fourth year. We married several years later, had children shortly thereafter and then returned to Cyprus to raise our young family there. We have been bicontinental for nearly a decade, and I’ve come to appreciate how these Mediterranean people eat and live. After so many years, I’ve learned a thing or two about their diet (it’s not just pasta and olive oil), and the permeating attitudes of family, friends and food.
Herbs, the cornerstone of flavor in the Mediterranean diet, are rather underutilized in the western hemisphere. Fresh, dried or pickled (think caper leaves), herbs are a great way to add flavor without calories and sodium. Plus, they require little water to grow, which makes them a perfect addition to any garden or kitchen counter.
One of my favorite herbs is mint. In the Med, mint grows like dandelions in the springtime in Charlottesville. Fragrant and refreshing, mint is added for flavor and color to most dishes, and to relieve an assortment of ailments. Pregnant women chew on fresh mint leaves to combat morning sickness. Mint oil is used on foreheads to ease headaches and migraines.
My favorite uses for mint
There’s a pot of mint growing on my kitchen counter. And there’s always a pitcher of what I call goddess water, which consists of slices of Persian cucumbers and freshly picked stems of mint chilling in my fridge. I drink at least a pitcher per day.
If my family has indigestion after a heavy meal, I pluck a few branches and add them to steeping hot water and sweeten it with a teaspoon of local honey.
One of my favorite uses of mint is to add it to yogurt and cucumbers for a homemade tzatziki salad. On Cyprus, it is better known as jajeeka (Greek) or jajeek (Turkish). Tzatziki may be found at just about any restaurant throughout the year, but almost without fail in the summer. Cucumbers are in abundance in the dish, and plain yogurt freshens the palate.
Tzatziki recipe with dried mint
1 cup full-fat, all-natural plain yogurt
1 English or Persian cucumber, diced or shredded (no need to peel)
2 bulbs fresh garlic, minced
Salt (as desired)
1 teaspoon dried mint
Dollop of extra virgin olive oil
Mix the first four ingredients in a large bowl. Taste to be sure you’ve added enough salt/garlic. Sprinkle in dried mint and drizzle a dollop of olive oil on top.
I always have a bag of dried mint in my cupboard, in case I go on vacation and my fresh mint freezes over or dries up. The most fragrant dried leaves (and value for money) I’ve discovered is a bag of dried spearmint at India Bazaar on the corner of Rio Road and U.S. 29.
And for those who aren’t in the mood to make your own dish, try an authentic doner (meat) kebab from Sultan Kebab with a side of their all-natural, homemade tzatziki. For authentic Lebanese cuisine, try the tzatziki at Bashir’s Taverna on the Downtown Mall. And for a splurge, Basil Mediterranean Bistro & Wine Bar has tabbouleh, tzatziki and baba ghanouj using both fresh and dried mint in their Mediterranean menu.
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