![]() ![]() ![]() I picked away the dead leaves, tended it with daily waterings, and it started to come back within the next month. After my vacation.not so much. Yet, somehow it survived nearly two weeks without any water. Before my trip to Europe, mint tendrils were flowing out of the container every which way. My apple mint plant also enjoyed a comeback this year. Until the birds and squirrels ate them all! At least something enjoyed them. It not only survived, but gave me quite a bit of fruit this summer. Come wintertime, I brought it inside and managed to keep it alive until late spring by giving it a bit of water and what little light filtered through our blinds. Last summer I had one cherry tomato plant that only bore 2-3 tomatoes, so I thought it was a dud. ![]() My little balcony faces Northeast, so is not in an ideal location for gardening. Package a cutely labeled bottle of mint extract, along with some homemade vanilla extract (now is the perfect time to start it too!) and you’ll have the perfect little gift basket.Before I left for my trip abroad in early July, the few houseplants I owned were flourishing. Homemade extracts make classy gifts (Christmas IS coming folks!)- but they take a month or two to make, which is why now is the perfect time to start in order to have them ready for the holidays. Here’s a link for making alcohol-free vanilla, I’m assuming you could follow this method for other varieties… Some folks make alcohol-free extracts using vegetable glycerin, although I have yet to try that.I kinda want to scream, “ It’s for homemade extracts! Really!” when I go to check out. Yes, I feel really weird dragging my two small children into the liquor store so I can buy a giant jug of vodka. ![]() I usually use the cheapest vodka I can find for my extracts.The most important thing is that you completely cover the leaves with the alcohol, so they don’t mold. The amounts on this don’t have to be exact- feel to use more or less mint/vodka.Strain the leaves, and bottle the finished extract in cute little jars. Take a peek every so often to see if it’s strong enough for you.ħ. Allow the mixture to steep for one to two months. Give it a shake and set aside in a cool, dark place.Ħ. Place the leaves in a pint-sized glass jar, and fill the jar the rest of the way with vodka.ĥ. Crush and smash the leaves in your hands–this will help to release some of the oils and give the process a jump start.Ĥ. Remove the leaves from the stems, and discard the stems.ģ. Harvest the mint, and give it a quick rinse. 1 1/2 to 2 cups of vodka (any vodka will work– I get the cheap stuff)ġ.1 cup fresh mint leaves (I used Peppermint, but feel free to play around with other varieties).I had a TON of mint this year (it appears as though it’s the only thing I can’t easily kill…) and it even survived our first snow storm. But did you know you can make other extracts too? This homemade stevia extract and today’s mint extract recipe are two of my favs! Homemade vanilla extract is super-duper easy to make, and there are tutorials all over the place. Whether it be homemade tortillas, refried beans, or breadcrumbs, I feel like I’ve won every time I can put one more thing on my “never-buy-again” list. I get such a kick out of figuring out how to make commonly purchased items from scratch. ![]()
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