Mint And Poppy Seed Essay

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Mint and Poppy seeds Herbs and spices, like mint and poppy seed, have been used throughout history for many different culinary uses such as adding flavor to a meal or a dessert. But most people don’t know the origins of mint and poppy seed or any other uses such as religious practices and medicinal uses. It is less known about the uses for mint and poppy seed around the world and how it is incorporated into daily life. Mint is a very aromatic herb that originated in Europe and the Mediterranean. The romans also helped carry it throughout most of Europe from the Mediterranean. Mint is usually famous for its cool, airy taste. The Greeks believed that mint was “once the nymph Mentha. She angered Pluto’s wife Persephone, who turned her into this aromatic herb” (Deluxe). Later, mint was considered a sign of hospitality towards guests to have mint served with their food during a meal. In Greek mythology, mint receives its sign of hospitality by the story of “two strangers were walking through a village. The villagers ignored them and offered neither food nor drink….” Except for Philemon and Baucis, who were an old couple, and “before the four sat down for their meal, the couple rubbed the table with mint leaves to clean and freshen it. The strangers turned out to be the gods Zeus and Hermes in disguise. As a reward for the hospitality Philemon and Baucis had shown them, the gods turned the humble home into a temple,” (Mint). Now leaving anything involving mint such as chocolate dinner mints is common to show hospitality. Mint is also used in religious practices such as rituals. In the Wiccan religion, if mint is placed on ones alter, before every ritual, it is believed to help bring good spirits to one’s ritual and promote protection for the person doing the ritual. It is also used for purifications and to promote healing of the body and soul. In Wicca, it

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