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Some
folks add lemon juice and a little honey, but I prefer mine
plain. The simple, pure lemon taste is such a delight and
it needs no sweetening, especially if it's made from fresh,
not dried herbs. However, it's a good idea to dry some lemon
balm for the winter. If you're wound up and really feel the
need to relax before heading for bed, just add a little Valerian
and/or St. John's Wort herbal mixture to the tea.
Beekeepers have grown lemon balm near hives for generations
because of its abundant nectar. There is also a legend that
a hive rubbed inside with the leaves will never lose its bees.
This is why the herb is also known as "bee balm".
The Latin name is Melissa officinalis, so the herb
is also sometimes called "Melissa". Indeed, the
word "Melissa" is Greek for bee. Botanists have
a habit of blending the two classical languages for their
terminology. Another herb, monarda, or bergamot is also known
as bee balm, but the two are not to be confused. Monarda is
called bee balm because a poultice made from the herb is supposed
to ease the pain of bee stings.
Lemon balm is a hardy perennial that grows readily in most
areas. Indeed, as a member of the mint family it can become
quite invasive, which is why it's a good idea to grow it in
barrels.
In his excellent book, The Green Pharmacy, James A.
Duke, Ph.D., lists lemon balm for the treatment of: amenorrhea
(lack of menstruation), chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothyroidism
(under-active thyroid), Graves disease (over-active thyroid),
headache, herpes virus, insomnia, shingles and viral infections.
In Tudor England lemon balm leaves were used as a furniture
polish, a tradition carried on today in the form of lemon
scented polishes. The Carmelite nuns formulated an elixir
tonic called Carmelite Water using brandy, nutmeg, angelica
root, lemon rind and lemon balm.
But it is as a culinary herb that lemon balm really sparkles.
In summer, it's perfect to add to cold drinks and salads.
The following recipe is a late summer Pender Island favourite,
when the island blackberries are ripening and there's still
plenty of lemon balm growing:
Pender Island Chicken Stew with Blackberries & Lemon
Balm
· 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
· 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
· ¾ cup of hearty red wine
· ¾ cup of chicken stock
· Grated rind of 1 small orange
· 1 Tbsp. of freshly squeezed orange juice
· ½ cup of fresh lemon balm, finely chopped,
plus 4 extra sprigs for garnish
· 2/3 cup of heavy cream
· 1 egg yolk
· ¾ cup of fresh blackberries, plus another
half cup for garnish
· 1 tsp. arrowroot powder (optional)
· Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Sauté
both sides of the chicken breasts in the olive oil over medium
heat sufficiently to seal in flavor, about five minutes each
side, then transfer them to a casserole dish. Add the wine,
chicken stock, orange rind and juice and lemon balm to the
sauté pan, stirring while bringing it slowly to the
boil. Add the salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Pour over the chicken and bake, covered, at 350 degrees for
40 minutes. Blend the cream with the egg yolk, along with
about half-cup of liquid from the chicken that you've allowed
to cool. Along with the blackberries (reserving some for garnish),
stir this back into the casserole, cover and bake for another
10-15 minutes. If a thicker sauce is desired, remove half
a cup of liquid from the casserole, allow it to cool, blend
in the arrowroot powder and stir back into the sauce. Garnish
with the rest of the blackberries of lemon balm sprigs.
For dessert, try the following:
Berry Balm Crunch
· 2 cups of blackberries, raspberries or blueberries
· 3 tablespoons of lime juice
· 2/3 of a cup of packed, brown sugar
· 1/3 cup of unbleached white flour
· 1 cup of quick cooking rolled oats
· 1/3 cup of shredded coconut
· ½ cup of butter, melted
· 1 tsp. cinnamon
· 1/3 cup of finely chopped fresh lemon balm leaves
Mix the berries, limejuice and lemon balm in a bowl, then
spread this mixture in an eight-inch square buttered baking
pan. Mix the rest of the ingredients thoroughly and pack over
the berries. Bake at 375F degrees for about 30 minutes, or
until crisp and brown. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream or
whipped cream with a garnish of fresh lemon balm leaves.
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