Garden Mint In the
Garden Mint In the garden of mint BY SALLY WENCZEL “ Hot lavender, mints, savoury, marjoram; The marigold, that goes to bed wi’ the sun.” Shakespeare’s description of summer triggers my sensory memory: fragrant, oil filled leaves cooking in the hot sun, the kids sampling lemon balm and mint in one green-mouth-filled, smiling bite, proud that they know how to identify one leaf from another in the herb garden. A brush of a leg or stroke of the hand and you’re wearing summer’s minty perfume. Tis the season of hot lavender and mints, and making memories with friends and family over long set tables. Fresh, cooling mint harvested straight from the garden is chopped into grandmother’s cucumber salad or muddled in sweet, cold lemonade. Lee Sharkas and his crew at Shanendoah chop loads of mint every day to keep up with demand for guests’ favorite dishes. The general manager and head chef at the club’s fine dining restaurant said that tabbouleh is his favorite minty Shenandoah dish and a favorite of the guests as well. “Fresh Mint is a must in tabbouleh,” said Sharkas. Mint was finding its way onto our plates and into our goblets many generations ago. The art of cooking evolved right along side the art of herbalism over the centuries and according to people’s needs. Middle Eastern culture from the 7th century onward translated and preserved precious volumes of Greek medical knowledge, thereby plunging itself into a unique period of scientific breakthroughs Wild Michigan mint that shaped modern culture today. What we call “holistic medicine” or “alternative medicine” in our modern world was just medicine to our ancestors and mint certainly had its place in the family garden and on the apothecary shelf. Ever farther back in time, mint was probably at the table of Jesus. It was definitely grown and used in the lands of St. Matthew, as scripture says: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and Have omitted the weightier matters of the law, Judgement, mercy and faith. – Matthew, 23 I’d love to see a table setting from that age and to hear the conversations filling the room, the garden just outside the kitchen, the smell of herbs and oils in the medicine cabinet. Essential herbal oils were widely used and prized in the days of old and are still today. The small bottle of mint essential oil I keep inside my purse has saved me a few times, when a sinus headache strikes; I just use a drop on my temples or the back of my neck and sweet cooling relief! But be careful not to get it in your eyes! Just a deep inhale of the refreshing oil or a little dab under my nose helps me to stay awake while driving long distances in the night. But remember, before you start bathing yourself in mint oil be sure to check for any contraindications with any health conditions. Mint Lemonade: 2 cups crushed ice 4 cups water 2 large lemons (or limes), washed, unpeeled, cut into small pieces and seeds removed Juice of one large lemon 1 bunch fresh mint leaves, stems removed. Set some aside for garnish. 1 cup sugar Add all of the ingredients to the pitcher of a high quality blender. Cover and push blend or liquefy until you achieve the desired drink consistency. Pour lemonade into a serving pitcher through a mesh strainer. Add fresh mint leaves to the pitcher for garnish. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Yogurt Cucumber Dip: 2 cups plain yogurt 1 large cucumber, seeded and grated 10 large leaves of mint, minced 1 clove of garlic (crushed) ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp cumin powder Mix all and refrigerate for at least an hour. As you probably have heard, mint has the ability to spread and take over a garden. It’s best to plant it in a container or buy a large clay pot and bury the pot in the ground, where it can be nestled amongst your flower garden or other herbs. Unless you want a mint farm, then just let it go! Right in the middle of mint farm country a few hours north, is the St. Johns Mint Festival. It happens in August and I absolutely cannot wait to check it out. There’s a quilt show, beauty queens, a parade, live music and Minty The Green Bear, according to the Facebook page. Some of the large mint farms in the surrounding area are open for tours during the festival. A friend of mine, who has attended, said the whole county smells of mint in the warm summer months. I’m already planning my weekend! 28 CHALDEAN NEWS JUNE 2019
chaldean on the STREET Looking back at the raids BY HALIM SHEENA June 11, 2017 is a day that will stay with the community for many years to come. Hundreds of Iraqi nationals, including members of the Chaldean community, were caught up in raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and detained while they awaited deportation. With the intervention of the ACLU, those at risk were given a fighting chance. Two years later, they continue to fight. We asked community members how they felt about the continued threat of deportation. With the two-year anniversary of the raids coming up, I’m filled with sadness and frustration that such a strong threat exists. Thankfully, with the election coming up, we have a chance to elect change that will benefit our community and reduce this threat. We must remember there are more than two issues that we should base our votes on. – Azal Arabo, Walled Lake, 22 The issue here is not whether these immigrants should be given second chances. The issue is how to fix a broken, inefficient immigration system which makes the path to citizenship unduly difficult. The solution here is not compassion. The solution is to take control away from the power-hungry bureaucrats who we continue to vote into office, buying into their empty promises as they are enriched by our naivety. Vote accordingly, my friends. – Samer Paulus, Detroit, 25 I would say when it comes to the subject of deportation in general, I feel like America should pay more attention on the intentions of the families that want to live in this country. With parents that were once refugees, it was very difficult for them to adapt to a new lifestyle in America. What made their journey harder was the years they had to wait to earn their citizenship. In my opinion, families and individuals that want to start a life in America are people who are living in a poor, dangerous environment and want a chance get jobs and live a happy life. When ICE threatens individuals to go back to their homeland with scarce food, water, and shelter they are putting their lives in danger. With citizenships being so difficult to get, it makes it a longer process for refugees and immigrants to be safe from ICE. Therefore, I believe there should be a system of some sort for people that are trying to get their citizenship and for them to be safe from getting deported. – Malanda Malan, Sterling Heights, 22 With the continued threat of ICE; I believe that it is an advantage to our community in many ways. It should no longer be a threat rather an opportunity of how, we as individuals, can use our own experiences and resources to help one another. It has ignited the passion in many people’s hearts to represent those individuals through law and ethical practices. It is a chance to prove the strong roots we hold as Chaldeans. We cannot give up now! – Susan Arrow Musielewicz, Ann Arbor, 30 Deportation is something that has taken such a big toll on our community. Breaking up families is injustice. The individuals facing deportation fear for their life and losing everything and everyone due to mistakes that they have already served time for. This isn’t making our country better, it’s just breaking households and breaking hearts of people who don’t deserve the treatment they’re getting. Our country needs to focus on the present, rather than the past with the individuals facing deportation. – Lavrena Kenaya, West Bloomfield, 22 I feel many different emotions thinking about the anniversary of the ICE raids, the strongest one is anger. Anger in our community’s judgement towards these individuals and their families. Anger in people being completely one-sided on deportation issues and refusing to learn more about this specific situation. And anger in this administration for using these individuals, inflicting trauma on them and their families, for their own political benefit. Thankfully, the majority of them are released from detention and able to await their individual trails at home and with their family. – Hillary Sesi, Sterling Heights, 28 JUNE 2019 CHALDEAN NEWS 29
