After eggnog, peppermint may be one of the most quintessentially “holiday” flavors. Visually, the red and white striped candy cane is synonymous with Christmas. Minty and refreshing, peppermint flavors are a great complement to the richer, heavier flavors popular this time of the year.

At Rebecca’s Natural Food, we proudly carry peppermint products from Seely Mint, a 4th generation peppermint farm. Because we get excited about this kind of thing, we’d love to share their story. Note: these are not the kind of peppermints you’ll find at Rite Aid (no offense to Rite Aid…).

 While essential oils and peppermint are ubiquitous in 2018, this wasn’t always the case. The first Seelys to raise mint started in the 1940s and were among the first in their home state of Washington to plant peppermint to produce essential oil. This work was labor intensive! According to their records, “pitchforks were used to load the cut mint onto trailers for the trip back to the still. The first year we even used a wood-fired boiler!”

Now based in Oregon, the Seely family continues to live and work at their mint farm, growing peppermint and spearmint for essential oils. They employ many of the same agricultural practices and harvesting methods passed down from generation to generation.

What makes it different?

The Seely family raises their mint sustainably, and they grow only premium-quality Black Mitchum Peppermint and Native Spearmint. Coupled with the effects of the region’s fertile soils and climate along the Columbia River, their methods result in peppermint that has an extraordinary taste. It’s stronger than what many are used to, but smoother as well. The flavor of a Seely product is a bit more intense than your run of the mill peppermint candy, but to know real peppermint is to love it. Whether you’re looking for an easy gift, something to make your co-workers’ day, or some classic holiday cheer to keep around your home (or office), we carry their candy canes, ribbon candy, chocolate peppermint patties, and dark chocolate mint melts.

We love their holiday offerings. Their artisanal Mint Peppermint Patty combines European dark chocolate with Seely’s heirloom mint. We also have their candy canes, ribbon candy, and dark chocolate mint melts. We’re lucky to carry this American agricultural and confectionary gem in our stores!

Peppermint benefits

Peppermint is delicious, festive, and refreshing as a flavoring. While peppermint flavoring lends itself to excellent Holiday treats, we’re also fans of peppermint oils, supplements, and teas in general. Peppermint oil can be used therapeutically as an aroma, ingested in capsule form, and applied to the skin. As a tea, peppermint helps with digestion, and recent studies have shown that peppermint oil can even help treat IBS. This versatile herb has so many benefits! If you’ve never tried incorporating it into your health routine, perhaps you’ll find inspiration from the season and give it a try.

D.I.Y. tip: If you’re feeling extra festive and want to bake something with peppermint, try this recipe for Seely Mint Brownies!