lemon balm, any practical uses??

[kernowyon]

I was lucky enough to be given a pot of lemon balm which I planted into a bucket, it has grown fantastically well and it needs a haircut, are there any practical uses that it can be used it for and how do you store/preserve it?

[Starchild]

Lemon Balm, Melissa Officinalis
Lemon balm tea, lovely to clam down when stressed. I give it to my youngest before bedtime. Also good with peppermint in tea for wind and bloatedness.
You can dry them or freeze them (whole). Freezing is far better. I freeze them in the amounts I use for the tea.
more info here
Herb Fact Sheet - Lemon Balm

[Two_Sheds]

It smells so nice and lemony ~ use it as pot pourri around the house, or in bouquets as 'foliage'

[goldmother]

Never mind the house, make yourself smell lemony!! It makes a fab insect repellent, I just take a few sprigs and rub them on my ankles on arms when I'm sitting outside in the evening. It keeps the midges away a treat

[zanussi101]

i stumbled across this recipe for lemon balm schnapps- i've got some maturing in the cupboard now but no idea what it'll taste like or even if it'll be drinkable!
Lemon Balm Schnapps - Recipe

[scarey55]

I made lemon balm wine once and as I can remember it was very good but then, hic

[kentvegplot]

Some years ago I made a lemon balm cheesecake - good, but no idea where the receipe came from !

[kernowyon]

i like the sound of the alcoholic uses (funny that)
will try the schnapps one and will google a wine recipe, thanks for all the suggestions

[BarleySugar]

Found this, don't know if it works, PLEASE READ: Lemon Balm Cheesecake

[percy charlie]

my sis chops it up and puts it in sponge cake then when cool she uses lemon juice and icing suger to make a drizzel icing, she also adds to stir frys with chicken or prawns

[divvy]

If you grow gooseberries as well you can make a very nice cake/pudding. You just make a sponge mix and at the end add lemon balm leaves chopped and whole gooseberries, stir them in and bake. Lovely with a dollop of cream on top.

[greenlung]

It makes a fab insect repellent

I agree - it's very good at deterring mosquitoes, ticks etc. You can also leave sprigs next to rows of carrots, as it seems to deter carrot root fly.

[armadillo]

Maybe good to stuff trout/mackerel with along with some thyme before wrapping in foil & baking?

[PurpleBecca]

I was using my lemon balm in quiche - I make a mixed herb quiche with a filling of sauted onion and fresh herbs - a 1 pint jug full of a mixture of herbs (go easy on the strong stuff like sage)

However - now I've seen all these great ideas - not sure I will bother again!

[New_Bud]

You could use it to make Hugh Fernely-Whittingstalls ice lollies, he used pure fruit juice by boiling lemon juice from real lemons in one pan and plum and wild blackberry as fruit in another with sugar, seived them then added the lemon balm to the separate mixtures. He then half froze them (each mixture in separate cups), inserted sticks at this stage so they would stand upright, then froze entirely.
They looked delicious and very refreshing for the type of weather we're having now!