Nepitella – Calamentha nepeta
Also known as calaminta, this herb grows wild in Italy, especially in Tuscany and Umbria. A “sleeper” herb, it is gaining popularity here in the states. Its flavor can best be described as a cross between mint and oregano. It is particularly complementary to beef and lamb. Try it added off the heat to a mushroom and vegetable saute, and Nepitella will become a kitchen staple. Add it judiciously though, it can easily overpower a dish.
If you know someone with a plant, just ask for a cutting. It is so easy to propagate. Snip a bit off, place it in some potting soil or directly in the ground, and before you know it, the Nepitella will have taken root. Easy. Nepitella seeds are available online from Valley Seed Company.
The plant grows equally well in the ground or pots, in sun and partial shade. At twelve to fifteen inches in height and with a somewhat compact habit, Nepitella makes a particularly good choice for a border. It is also surprisingly disease and pest resistant. Try this one. Before you know it, fellow cooks and gardeners will be knocking at your door asking for a cutting.
Addendum:
In the course of further reading about Nepitella, I have discovered this gem goes by other names along with alternate spellings. In the interest of academic integrity, here goes: Nipitella, Lesser Calamint, Calamintha nepeta. And thank you to Elizabeth Minchilli of Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome who has added that in Rome, this herb is known as mentuccia.
Click on the links for recipes with Nepitella:
Funghi e Zucchini Trifolati – Mushrooms and Zucchini with Nepitella and Italian Parsley
Zuppa di Funghi – Mushrrom Soup
Fresh Mushroom Herb Salad with Agrumanto Lemon & Herbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Note: You can click on any picture and see a slide show!
I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.
Thursday, May 10th 2012 at 8:37 pm |
I have a *brown* thumb, but this sounds like something even I could grow. I’n going to give it a try in a medium pot on the window.
Friday, May 11th 2012 at 6:44 am |
Ciao Foodie,
Ha! A brown thumb. Now that is a good one. But you bet you can grow this one. It actually grows all over Italy, almost like a weed. One could say this one is for the foragers among us!
Friday, May 11th 2012 at 6:39 am |
awesome to learn something new, especially something that fits in w/ my general type of cooking…I’m on the hunt for this now!! Grazie.
Friday, May 11th 2012 at 6:46 am |
Ciao Peter,
I am pleased to introduce you to this one. It really is unique, and I have no doubt you will make very good use of it. As Judy of Divina Cucina says, it is great with porcini. Thanks so much for stopping by. I await word of your experimentation.
Friday, May 11th 2012 at 1:42 pm |
Hey Adri — I have never heard of Nepitella before. Is this something that I could ask for at the fruit and vegetable stand in Rome or does one have to go to Tuscany and pick it or get the seeds and grow it. It sounds lovely and as though it could really be nice on a meat dish.
Friday, May 11th 2012 at 4:24 pm |
Hi Trisha,
Nepitella (calaminta) grows wild all over Italy, however as to the Roman nomenclature, I am in the dark. I grabbed my copy of The Oxford Companion to Italian Food by Gillian Riley and found the entry which follows.
“Calamint, calaminta, nepitella, Camamintha nepeta, one of the many Labitae is described as mentuccia in Sotti and Della Beffa (1989, p.48), which is confusing, since mentuccia as we know it is usually the name for Pennyroyal. This pungent herb is indeed similar to pennyroyal, and can be used in the same way. Apart from its affinity with artichokes, it is used in stuffings and marinades, and in Tuscany has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb, antispasmodic, tonic, and stimulant, with the power to calm gastric suffering and soothe upset nerves, as well as flavouring food and cordials.”
There are other names that are similar to mentuccia, and so this is pretty convoluted. Part of the wonder of this blogging life is learning. I enjoy a good question and research, and your inquiry has, as you can no doubt discern, gotten me going. I found The Oxford Companion’s response on the specifics of the name far from satisfying, and so I have messaged Elizabeth Minchilli of Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome, who will surely be the last word on the subject. I await her response. I love this. Thanks for stopping by The Front Burner.
Friday, May 11th 2012 at 11:40 pm |
It’s called mentuccia in Rome.
Saturday, May 12th 2012 at 6:47 am |
Hi Elizabeth,
I knew you would have the answer. Thank you!
Monday, May 14th 2012 at 8:15 pm |
Oh, now I really must order some of those seeds. I can see lots of uses for this herb. Your photos are so vibrant I could almost reach through the screen and touch those plants.
Monday, May 14th 2012 at 8:41 pm |
Hi Linda,
Oh yes, do get some seeds, or a plant. It is so easy to grow, and I bet you will find many ways to use it. It is especially complementary to mushrooms. In Italy it is very often used with porcini. The flavors are a perfect match. And thanks for the kind words about the photos. That one did not require too much set up!
Monday, July 2nd 2012 at 1:03 pm |
Im growing some now. It seems to grow like coleus, where you want to water it from the bottom. You know, sit the pot in a bowl of water. It grows very tiny delicate leaves at first and when I watered it from the top, I overwhelmed them. But mine are growing!
Monday, July 2nd 2012 at 1:08 pm |
Just put it in a pot of potting soil, keep it damp (I put plastic wrap on top of it), and sit the pot in a bowl of water, so it can get water from below. Watering from above overwhelms the delicate first leaves. Once I figured that out, mine are growing well from seed!
Monday, July 2nd 2012 at 5:05 pm |
I am thrilled to hear you found some seeds and that the Nepitella is doing well. I started with a small plant, so I never dealt with it from seed. Thanks for stopping by my site, and also for taking the time to let me know how your garden grows! I hope you find many good uses for the Nepitella in your kitchen. Take a look at my article Funghi Trifolati. You might enjoy this classic vegetable preparation. The Nepitella was a perfect addition. I hope you stop by often!
Saturday, August 4th 2012 at 8:32 am |
I just planted some seeds and the plants that are coming up really don’t look like these pictures. I got my seeds from nickels nursery, could there be different kinds?
Sunday, August 5th 2012 at 2:07 pm |
Hi Joe,
Oh dear! This could be as simple as our photography. We took the shots in full afternoon sun, and as a result the Nepitella looks somewhat lighter and brighter than it really is. Additionally, the Nepitella you see had been sprayed liberally with water just prior to the shoot, so along with really being a bit darker, Nepitella (in Nature) has a matte appearance. I am unaware of any varieties, so give the young plants some time to mature, and let’s see how it goes. Please check back with me in about a month. I would love to know how your plants are doing. Thanks so much for stopping by my site.