Mint: Difference between revisions

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Sometimes (mis)classified as "Mentha cordifolia", which is simply an alternate (and apparently unaccepted) name for Spearmint.
Sometimes (mis)classified as "Mentha cordifolia", which is simply an alternate (and apparently unaccepted) name for Spearmint.


====Apple Mint====Mentha Suaveolens
====Apple Mint====
====Banana Mint====Mentha arvensis ‘Banana’
Mentha Suaveolens
====Banana Mint====
Mentha arvensis ‘Banana’


;Slender Mint: Mentha diemenica <ref>[https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp11/mentha-diemenica.html Mentha diemenica, Wild Mint, Slender Mint] (Australian National Herbarium)</ref> This dwarf, frost hearty, mint is native to Tasmania in Australia. It looks different from other mints, but can be used in most situations where common mint is called for.
====Slender Mint=====
Mentha diemenica <ref>[https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/gnp11/mentha-diemenica.html Mentha diemenica, Wild Mint, Slender Mint] (Australian National Herbarium)</ref> This dwarf, frost hearty, mint is native to Tasmania in Australia. It looks different from other mints, but can be used in most situations where common mint is called for.


;Egyptian Mint: Mentha Niliaca
====Egyptian Mint====
;Pennyroyal Mint: Mentha Pulegium
Mentha Niliaca
;Horsemint: Mentha Longifolia (not an acceptable species classification, actually just spicata)
====Pennyroyal Mint====
;Corsican Mint: Mentha Requieni
Mentha Pulegium
;Eau de Cologne Mint, Lemon Mint: Mentha x Piperita Citrata (not an acceptable species classification, actually just aquatica)
====Horsemint====
;Strawberry Mint: Mentha Spicata Subsp. Citrata ‘Strawberry’
Mentha Longifolia (not an acceptable species classification, actually just spicata)
;Mojito Mint: Mentha × villosa
====Corsican Mint====
 
Mentha Requieni
 
====Eau de Cologne Mint, Lemon Mint====
;Water mint: Mentha aquatica
Mentha x Piperita Citrata (not an acceptable species classification, actually just aquatica)
;Field mint, wild mint: Mentha arvensis
====Strawberry Mint====
;Gingermint: Mentha X gracilis
Mentha Spicata Subsp. Citrata ‘Strawberry’
;Mint: Mentha requienii
====Mojito Mint====
;Bigleaf mint, mint: Mentha X rotundifolia
Mentha × villosa
;Smith's mint: Mentha X smithiana Graham
====Field mint, wild mint====
Mentha arvensis
====Gingermint====
Mentha X gracilis
====Mint====
Mentha requienii
====Bigleaf mint, mint====
Mentha X rotundifolia
====Smith's mint====
Mentha X smithiana Graham
;bush mint, spearmint: Mentha spicata
;bush mint, spearmint: Mentha spicata
;bigleaf mint, mint, apple mint: Mentha suaveolens
;bigleaf mint, mint, apple mint: Mentha suaveolens

Revision as of 13:06, 22 June 2020

This page is very much a work in progress... My goal with this page is to try to list the various "types" of mint that might be used behind the bar by common name (ie. what you would see at a nursery) as well as details on what to expect flavorwise. Plus at the same time help to discuss the overall "mint" concept so that bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts will have a better idea of this rather complicated subject.

Mint is an increasingly common ingredient in several different cocktails, the Mojito and Mint Julep perhaps being the most well known. It is part of the plant family "Lamiaceae", which includes Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme, Hyssop, Marjoram, and Oregano.

Mentha

Within the plant family "Lamiaceae", Mint is also known as the genus "Mentha", with perhaps 24 known and accepted sub-species[1]. Mint, as one species or another, is a native plant almost throughout the world. It is not native in Central or South America, or in mid Africa but it has been introduced to many of these regionsMentha (Plants of the World)</ref> [2].

The ingredient in mint which provides it's distinctive flavor and aroma is Menthol, which is present in various degrees in all varieties[3].

Spearmint

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is one of the more common and popular forms of mint, and is popularly used in beverages. The menthol content in spearmint is 0.5%, and it also contains "Carvone" (also found in Caraway and Dill) which has a sweet minty aroma.

There are several sub-cultivars within Spearmint, some of the more popular include:

Kentucky Colonel

Sometimes (mis)classified as "Mentha cordifolia", which is simply an alternate (and apparently unaccepted) name for Spearmint.

Apple Mint

Mentha Suaveolens

Banana Mint

Mentha arvensis ‘Banana’

Slender Mint=

Mentha diemenica [4] This dwarf, frost hearty, mint is native to Tasmania in Australia. It looks different from other mints, but can be used in most situations where common mint is called for.

Egyptian Mint

Mentha Niliaca

Pennyroyal Mint

Mentha Pulegium

Horsemint

Mentha Longifolia (not an acceptable species classification, actually just spicata)

Corsican Mint

Mentha Requieni

Eau de Cologne Mint, Lemon Mint

Mentha x Piperita Citrata (not an acceptable species classification, actually just aquatica)

Strawberry Mint

Mentha Spicata Subsp. Citrata ‘Strawberry’

Mojito Mint

Mentha × villosa

Field mint, wild mint

Mentha arvensis

Gingermint

Mentha X gracilis

Mint

Mentha requienii

Bigleaf mint, mint

Mentha X rotundifolia

Smith's mint

Mentha X smithiana Graham

bush mint, spearmint
Mentha spicata
bigleaf mint, mint, apple mint
Mentha suaveolens
mint
Mentha X verticillata
hairy mint
Mentha X villosa


Peppermint

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) is a hybrid variety, being a cross between Spearmint and Water Mint. It's menthol content is 40%, far more than spearmint, which provides a stronger (and some will say overpowering) flavor, making it better for usages where a mint flavor needs to be predominate, but not in situations where it needs to play well with others.

====Peppermint====Mentha x Piperita ====Grapefruit Mint====Mentha x Piperita ‘Grapefruit’ ====Chocolate Mint====Mentha × Piperita ‘Chocolate Mint’ ====Lavender Mint====Mentha × Piperita ‘Lavendula’


=Water Mint

Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) appears to have only one claim to fame, in that it is one-half of the lineage of Peppermint.

====Watermint====Mentha Aquatica


Yerba Buena

Yerba Buena, which literally means "Good Herb" in Spanish, is a general term that is applied to different herbs in different locales. Almost exclusively it is used to refer to a variety of mint, whichever one grows commonly and wild in that particular region.

Central America
Eau de Cologne mint, is a true mint and can sometimes be referred to as "bergamot mint". It has a strong citrus-like aroma and has a history of being used medicinally as well as culinary usages.
Cuba
Mentha X villosa (aka: "Mentha nemorosa", "Mentha alopecuroides", Large apple mint, foxtail mint, hairy mint, woolly mint, Cuban mint, Mojito mint). While mint does not appear to be native to Cuba, at some time in the past it was introduced and took hold, becoming a popular culinary and medicinal ingredient.
Puerto Rico
Satureja viminea (aka: Bush mint, Jamaican Mint Tree).
Philippines
Mentha Cordifolia (aka: Marsh Mint) [5]
Western United States
Clinopodium douglasii (aka: Satureja douglasii, Micromeria douglasii) is part of the genus Clinopodium, which is loosely related to Mentha, and has a menthol content which allows it to be a "local" substitute for mint in teas and some cooking applications.


References

  1. Mentha Plants of the World
  2. Mentha (Integrated Taxonomic Information System)
  3. Menthol (Wikipedia)
  4. Mentha diemenica, Wild Mint, Slender Mint (Australian National Herbarium)
  5. Herba Buena (Healing Wonders of Philippine Medicinal Plants)