Herb Butter with Mint Scented Pelargoniums

My favorite Herb Butter recipe is one inherited from grandma, with chopped mint scented pelargoniums (geraniums) leaves. It is really simple, but the taste is amazing:

Just cream / soften one stick of  butter and blend in 2 tablespoon chopped fresh scented leaves of mint scented pelargoniums. Optional add one tablespoon of lemon juice and few gratings of lemon zest. I use to portion them  in small pieces, peanuts-shaped and to place them on pelargonium leaves, especially when I want a decorative presentation.
Herb butter is great to be served after stand few hours to absorb the flavor of the herbs, then may be chilled or frozen up to 3 month.

Herb Butter with Mint Scented Pelargoniums Leaves

I used also fruit scented pelargoniums leaves (especially citrus scented ) to make herb butter, but I prefer to feel the mint aroma into aperitifs .  At this time, I have in my garden 3 different mint-scented pelargoniums, which are a delight to grow.  One of their basic flavor is mint, but each of them has also other overtones: rose, lemon, cocos, chocolate. We are growing them outside in spring, summer and autumn,  in Vancouver's mild climate (in winter we bring them inside to protect them by winter frost).

Chocolate-mint Scented pelargonium

"Chocolate Mint" has three lobed large leaves with one big brown splotch in the center of every leaf. The foliage has a pungent minty scent with chocolate undertone. (if you like chocolate with mint aroma, for sure will love its taste). It is a large and vigorous growing plant with blooming lavender flowers which may grow several feet height and width.

Cocomint Rose scented pelargonium leaf

"Cocomint Rose" has a very decorative leaf with a leathery green texture. The leaves are deeply divided and have a rose-mint scent with coconut notes. Cousin of it,  the "Variegated Mint Rose Scented Pelargonium" is a showy plant with deeply divided  aromatic green-grey leaves and small white flowers. The leaves emerge with yellow cream edges that fade to white - the plant looks similar with Lady Plymouth variety, but the foliage grows larger and has a different scent with lemon-minty tones.

Variegated Mint Rose Scented Pelargonium

     
I'm still waiting to grow the real mint-scented pelargonium known as Peppermint Geranium or Pelargonium Tomentosum. I ordered some seeds from South Africa over the internet and I'm very curious to grow by myself this variety with a powerful aroma of fresh mint ..., but I'll make another post once the seedlings' velvety foliage will grow enough to occurring mint-fragrance.




Now I'm just happy that the summer begins and my plants will grow with rapidity, giving me the possibility to use them in abundance in cooking and flavoring dishes.