Worth a mint - sage advice from the South of France

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Towards the end of a recent stay in the South of France we ventured out one evening to catch an impromptu performance by a local chanteuse. Perched at the bar it wasn’t long before a Calvados was slammed down in front of me. Calvados is the traditional after dinner digestif, so it has become tradition that you are automatically served it. At the end the set the rather florid lady sitting next to me turned and asked if I had enjoyed the show. I replied positively. Then frowning down at my glass enquired as to why I wasn’t drinking my Calvados. I explained that it gave me heartburn, which is true; it is also true that I don’t care for it much but to admit this would be tantamount to treason. She said that she would see what she could do for my problem. I replied that I wasn’t sure she could do anything but thanked her profusely. Through a thick cloud of blue Gitanes smoke she informed me that she was the local doctor and to be at her office at 10am sharp. 

The following morning I dutifully reported as instructed. It seemed the local chanteuse also sunlighted as the surgery nurse. Not looking up she sighed and pointed at a half open door. I should have advised her not to give up the night job.

It appeared Madame La Doctoresse had also lost none of her bar-side manner. Once we had finally established that I was there at her behest. She puffed that it was her father that she had wanted me to see anyway. I started to become slightly concerned, why was I being referred to a specialist?

I explained to the chantenurse that I needed to make an appointment with the doctor’s father. I was told, without eye contact, that this would not be necessary as I would find him in the garden. After an ‘hilarious’, and lengthy, case of mistaken identity I left the garden with an armful of fresh mint courtesy of the doctor’s father / man in the garden and a drawing of a teapot.

The mint infusion was remarkable; a glass in the morning and a glass before and after meals and as they say ‘voila’. I have since experimented with dried mint tea from SMBS Foods on Lordship Lane, and it works equally well. 

I lightly bruise some mint leaves in one of Roullier White’s Maxwell & William’s pestle and mortar before infusing in a pot of hot water; shown here served in a Maxwell & William’s straight sided cup and saucer.

Health benefits of mint: 
Relieve symptoms of indigestion and heartburn; especially during pregnancy. Aid irritable bowel syndrome by relaxing the muscles in and around the intestine. Help with nasal allergies. Relieve congestion, head colds and headaches. Act as a mild sedative and has calming properties. Relieve minor aches and pains such as muscle cramps and sprains. Provides a cooling sensation to the skin and can help to treat itching and skin irritations. Mint tea can help clear up skin disorders such as acne. Roullier White, 125 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, London SE22 8HU

www.roullierwhite.com

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