In his ninth-century poem Ya Sa’eli, Ibn Al Rumi describes some of his favourite foods and how he likes to enjoy them. The poet writes about taking the meat of chicken or beef, topping it with cheese and olives, and making it more flavourful with mint and tarragon.
The poem, while describing a delicious meal, is also evidence that people in the Arab world have long used condiments, such as mint, to flavour their food. Ne’ena’a is the Arabic word for mint, and it is quite a fun word to say, if you can pronounce the ain sound. The word is broadly the same across the Arab world, with some variations including na’ana’a in the levant.
The word ne'ena'a comes from the old Arabic word ne'ena'ah which was used to describe fragrant green plants. Over the years, ne'ena'a has become firmly associated with mint.
Mint, or mentha, are aromatic leaves that give off a pleasant and fresh smell. The English word comes from the Greek mythical creature Menthe. Its scent has been closely associated with cleanliness and freshness, whether used in soaps, toothpaste or chewing gum. It is also added to cheese and vegetable sandwiches for a slight kick. Lemon and mint juice is very popular in the region and is often consumed with meals for its digestive properties. The drink was referenced in Tahira Yaqoob's 2019 Mogford Prize-shortlisted story, Cafe Beirut.
One of the most prominent uses of ne’ena’a in the Arab world is dropping its leaves into tea to make it burst with flavour. Whether in Morocco, Syria or Iran, mint in tea is a staple of cafes and restaurants. The extracted essential oils from mint, as well as menthol, are used to clear nasal congestion or perfume a room.
In English cuisine, mint sauce has been served alongside lamb dishes since before the 18th century. Mint can also be found in deserts, mixed with chocolate for a rich flavour profile. A popular ice cream flavour around the world is mint chocolate chip, which was invented in 1973 by culinary student Marilyn Ricketts in Devon, England.
According to the Museum of Civil Ward Medicine, mint has been used for more than 3,500 years in many different ways. It was, for example, used to treat ailments such as gastritis, nausea, flatulence and to cover the taste of unpleasant medicines.
In the ancient Egyptian Ebers Papyrus – it dates to 1550BC and is one of the oldest surviving medical texts in the world – mint is cited as a digestive tool. English physician Tobias Venner wrote in 1620 that the excellent fragrant smell of both red garden mint and spearmint “doth greatly comfort the braine and spirits, stirre up the senses, especially the memorie, and make the heart cheerefull [sic]”.
In Spanish, the term for mint is hierba bueno, which translates to the good herb. Even though it is grown across North Africa, Australia and South America, the United States of America produces more than 70 per cent of the world's supply of peppermint and spearmint.
