284378 Fri Apr 07 16:43:25 -0700 2006 3 31 Home Cooking 0 1520199 Just bought a nepitella plant, a strong earthy, minty-smelling herb that looks more like oregano. This plant's origin was Italy, but where else is it used? I would love to know how people use it, history, anything. Fri Apr 07 16:43:25 -0700 2006 0 Junie D 1 1520472 Nepitella's Latin* (or *universal botanical)name is Calamintha nepeta. Sometimes given the common* (*not universally used) name of Catmint. (to confuse things, Nepeta mussenii and N. fassenii are also commonly called Catmint.) Characteristics are that it belongs to the family that includes mints. Indeed, it has a strong fragrance that is vauguely minty. It reminds me of a cross between lavender and mint in aroma. It is fairly tidy in the garden as a drought hardy perennial and displays pretty small, light purple flowers. Cats adore it and will go all goo-goo, rubbing their jowls in it and drooling profusely. It can be dried to use as stuffing in "catnip" mice. (true Catnip is Nepeta cataria) Nepitella is native to Italy and appears to be used often in cooking there. A Google search for 'nepitella' revealed several pages in humorously translated Italian, listing recipes. Below is linked a page that descibes some of the uses of Nepeta, or catnip. If you find Nepeta in a nursery, it should be interchangeable in use with anything called for as 'Nepitella' in a recipe, however, the flavor would be similar, but not exactly the same. Link: http://www.viableherbalsolutions.com/singles/herbs/s826.htm Sun Apr 09 22:50:36 -0700 2006 1520199 0 toodie jane 2 1520806 Thanks very much. I will have to scour my Italian cookbooks when I unpack them. Our cat is a sucker for catnip but he either isn't wild for this or hasn't noticed it yet. Tue Apr 11 12:47:57 -0700 2006 1520472 0 Junie D 2 1520823 I would not say that the calamints tastes the same as nepetas - the calamints are definititely mintier. Also, cats dont go for the calamints AT ALL tho they destroy nepeta (catnip). So if you are looking to grow "nepitella" definitely search out some calamintha nepeta ssp. nepeta - its thoroughly perennial here in NYC, a truly great plant and available by mailorder if you cant find it locally. If you cant find the calamint Id go for mint or oregano as a sub. Tue Apr 11 14:26:47 -0700 2006 1520472 0 jen kalb