Lemon Balm

I recently received a lemon balm plant at my church plant exchange and I have NO idea what to do with it. I know it's edible and when I crush a leaf up it smells similar to fresh lemon. Do I just chop it up and use it like basil, etc? We grow lots of basil, chives, oregano and flat leaf parsley and I'm always on the look-out for new herbs to use in cooking. I've heard marjoram is nice in Italian food, but I've never seen any recipe call for lemon balm.

Mostly for desserts and sweets. I like to stir a few fresh leaves into a bowl of sugar. After it sits for a bit, the sugar will take on a lemon flavoring. Then, you can use that sugar for baking or sweetening tea with a hint of lemon.

This link has good information and recipes too. http://oldfashionedliving.com/lemonbalm.html

Podster,
Thanks so much for that link! I very rarely have lemon peel and knowing that I can use lemon balm in the place of lemon peel is nice! I love the idea of lemony sugar to use for baking or tea and also using the lemon balm to flavor savory dishes, I'm a lover of all things lemon.

I love Lemon Balm because it's pretty carefree. I grow it in the shade (since I'm in Texas and it gets HOT here) The smell reminds me of lemon Pledge, which my mother used to dust with!

Pattie, thanks for that link!

It also can be used to make tea, or place a sprig in your glass of iced tea or lemonade!

The leaves dry nicely, and can be used in pot-pourri or as bath herbs.

I think the lemon-sugar idea sounds great, too. Thanks, Podster!

I added this to my garden in 2009. It does well in every climate N.E. has thrown at it and it comes back stronger and bigger than ever every year so far. I moved it in 2010 and separated it this spring into four new plants. They are all doing well. Lemon balm is used to ward off squash bugs and you can rub the leaves on your skin to use as a mosquito repellant - they don't like the scent. I haven't used this as a repellant or tea yet but I have never had a squash bug with this in my garden.

Oooh!! I didn't know about the squash bug thing. That alone makes me have a greater appreciation of lemon balm! :D THANK YOU Lovie!

No problem! I am learning more and more about companion planting in order to remain a organic gardner and I loved that some things I did naturally (like pairing my lemon balm next to my squash plants) that turned out to be the right way to comapnion garden!

i just substituted some lemon balm for basil in a recipe. I had the dried basil the recipe called for, but thought I'd substitute the lemon balm as an experiment. The recipe was for marinated cucumbers, and I'll let you know tomorrow how the recipe went with the substitution, but it smelled FANTASTIC!

Did you use fresh lemon balm or did you have some dried on hand?

oh, I'm sorry - fresh from the garden.

the cukes have to marinade in the vinegar/oil/water solution, but just went to mix it around a bit more, and it smells wonderful!