Mint Sugar

Besides being less minty, I wonder what my life was like before I discovered Mint Sugar.

Several years ago, when the Gourmet Cookbook came out, I wrote down a list of things I wanted to make out of it and a recipe for Fruit Salad with Mint Sugar caught my eye. The simplicity of it belies its greatness. What results from only two ingredients and a few spins in the food processor is a summery condiment, herbal and fragrant.

I keep a container of this in the fridge and find that its freshness particularly marry well with peaches, melon, and blackberries. And, in the case of a Mojito emergency, a few teaspoons of mint sugar replaces the traditional muddled mint quite nicely. If a pitcher of Mojitos would suit the occasion, then mint sugar is the surefire way to make cocktails for a crowd.

For about a cup:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup of loosely packed fresh mint leaves

Place both ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mint is finely chopped and the sugar turns green. Use immediately or refrigerate. The mint sugar will last about a week in a sealed container in the fridge.