spearmint.
Of the two, spearmint is the one almost always sold in grocery stores and markets. So when a recipe calls for mint, it’s generally spearmint, recognizable for its light-green, spear-shaped leaves and that classic sweet mint flavor. Spearmint is also commonly used to make gum and candy.
Is mint the same as peppermint or spearmint?
The term “mint” is an umbrella term for the Mentha plant family that includes spearmint, peppermint, orange mint, apple mint, pineapple mint and more.
Is peppermint mint a supermarket?
Supermarkets tend not to label their mint by type and it appears that most supermarket mint is closer to spearmint than peppermint, though may well be a hybrid of the two. If you like the flavour of your spearmint then you should be able to use in most dishes that specify mint.
What is difference between mint and spearmint?
While peppermint’s menthol content is a whopping 40 per cent, spearmint contains just 0.5 per cent. Therefore peppermint is especially pungent and even spicy, hence the ‘pepper’ in its name. Spearmint, on the other hand, contains a compound called carvone, which gives it a much subtler, sweeter flavour.
Is common mint spearmint?
Spearmint, also known as garden mint, common mint, lamb mint and mackerel mint, is a species of mint, Mentha spicata, native to Europe and southern temperate Asia, extending from France in the west to southern China in the east.
What type of mint is sold in grocery stores?
Spearmint
Spearmint and peppermint are the two most common and widely available of the many mint species. Of the two, spearmint is the one almost always sold in grocery stores and markets.
Can I use mint instead of spearmint?
Both also have square stems and spear-shaped leaves. However, when it comes down to it, spearmint is better in savory dishes while peppermint is better used for a chocolate dessert. Don’t fret, you won’t ruin a recipe by using the wrong mint, so if your grocery store only stocks one mint option you can still use it.
Which is better spearmint or peppermint?
If you are looking for a really intense minty flavor in a dish, peppermint is the way to go. If you are looking for a milder minty flavor that won’t overwhelm your dish, spearmint is the better choice.
Can you buy mint leaves at the grocery store?
Finally, most grocery stores now carry fresh mint in the produce section. These small packages typically cost between $2 and $4 — a hefty price to pay, considering you can buy an entire plant for your garden for the same price.
Is Fresh Mint the same as peppermint?
The main difference between mint and peppermint is that peppermint has the strongest flavour when compared to other members of the mint family. Mint refers to aromatic herbs produced by the species of the mint plant (Mentha). Peppermint is one such species.
What is the best mint for cooking?
Spearmint. Spearmint is most commonly used in cooking for many recipes, including lamb, vegetables, and of course, mint juleps and mojitos.
How do I know what kind of mint I have?
To distinguish between them, you’ll have to take a nibble. A strong menthol aftertaste means peppermint, while a sweet, light flavor means spearmint. Use young spearmint leaves in cooking, peppermint leaves for tea and other drinks. The climate in which the mint is growing can also help you identify it.
What type of mint is best for tea?
Peppermint
The two varieties used most often for tea are Peppermint and Spearmint. Both boast properties long celebrated in the ancient medicinal cultures of the world and are actually closely related.
Are spearmint and peppermint interchangeable?
Dried mint leaves lose much of their flavor and nuance, so it can matter less which variety you’re using and you may need more leaves to get the same flavor as fresh. Spearmint and peppermint aren’t interchangeable, despite both often being called simply ‘mint’.
Can I use mint instead of peppermint?
Mint leaves are inexpensive and readily available. They have less menthol in them, which means they may not yield as strong a flavor as peppermint extract, but gives a very similar result. Fresh mint leaves can be chopped and added to recipes in place of peppermint extract.
What kind of mint is in mint chocolate chip ice cream?
spearmint
Mint chocolate chip is an ice cream flavor composed of mint ice cream with small chocolate chips. In some cases the liqueur crème de menthe is used to provide the mint flavor, but in most cases peppermint or spearmint flavoring is used.
Is peppermint sweeter than spearmint?
Compared to peppermint, spearmint has a delicate flavor and fragrance that is often described as sweet.
Is peppermint or spearmint better for acne?
Spearmint is the most effective anti-inflammatory of all the mints.
Can I use spearmint for mojitos?
Spearmint is most commonly used for mojitos and is what you’ll likely find at the grocery store labeled generically as “mint.” For an authentic Cuban mojito, use mojito mint, or Mentha x villosa, a type of mint native to Cuba with a more understated flavor than that of spearmint.
Is there such a thing as plain mint?
Whether you call it chocolate mint or just plain peppermint, the herb is ideal for sweeter applications—its “mentholated coolness,” Belsinger speculates, might be the reason it brings chocolate to mind. (Spearmint, by contrast, contains little menthol.)
What is a substitute for fresh mint?
Whatever your reason for replacing it in a recipe, we suggest substituting fresh mint with dried mint or peppermint extract if you’re trying to mimic the flavor. For dishes that require fresh leaves, you can try basil, marjoram, or parsley. As you’ve probably guessed, no substitute will perfectly replace fresh mint.