Starting with Rosemary. In The Queen's Delight of 1695, it was written that, "It comforteth the heart, the stomach, the brain and all the nervous parts of the body". Actually its medicinal properties do stimulate the brain and nervous system, and calm palpitations. The ancient Greeks discovered that Rosemary benefits the circulation. Add it to roasting lamb and it tastes even better if anchovies are used too. Push a sprig of rosemary, a small piece of peeled garlic and about half a tinned anchovy into each stab in the lamb flesh. Munch on a sprig or two as a breath freshener (that will delight your love partner).
Fennel seems to be more male oriented and is a symbol of FERTILITY. It was given to Roman Gladiators to add to their relish for battle and the athletes of Ancient Greece ate it when preparing for the Olympic Games. Use it to make a delicious salad with thinly sliced onion and tomatoes cut in quarters. The mixing of fennel juice and milk with honey, sugar and liquorice in equal quantities is said to enhance Sexual Vigour whilst today's Breast enhancing creams often contain fennel and fenugreek, a natural source of oestrogen.
Believed by the Arabs to increase virility, Mint is used today by herbalists for cases of impotence and when infused in hot milk eases stomach pain. Both the Greeks and the Romans knew the digestive benefits of following a large meal with mint tea so our habit of eating after-dinner mints dates all the way back to those ancient banquets! Add a little chopped mint to omelettes and scrambled eggs in the final cooking stage, and how about the 'hint of mint in Murray Mints!'.
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