Moroccan Mint (Mentha spicata var. crispa) is a pretty, compact variety of mint that looks good in your garden and can be used to flavour food, make tea or simply scent your patio! Moroccan mint tea is extremely popular in the Arab nations, where the drink often has a ceremonial purpose, especially when made for guests by the man of the house.
As it combines imported ingredients (tea from China and imported sugar) with a local ingredient (fresh mint), Moroccan mint tea is an early example of globalization in cuisine.
The tea, which is also known as Tuareg tea, is the subject of this apt proverb: ‘The first glass is as bitter as life, the second is as strong as love, the third is as soothing as death’.