Botanical Name: Mentha piperita
Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distilled
Color: Clear with a Yellow Tinge
Consistency: Thin
Perfumery Note: Top
Strength of Initial Aroma: Strong
Aromatic Description: Minty, reminiscent of peppermint candies, but more concentrated. More fragrant than spearmint.
Possible Uses: Asthma, colic, exhaustion, fever, flatulence, headache, nausea, scabies, sinusitis, vertigo.
Description: Mint leaves are dried spearmint leaves of the species Mentha spicata. The dark green leaves have a pleasant warm, fresh, aromatic, sweet flavor with a cool aftertaste.
Uses: Use in teas, beverages, jellies, syrups, ice creams, confections, and lamb dishes. Mint is
used in Afghanistan, Egyptian, Indian, and Mid-Eastern cuisines and spice blends such as chat Mazola, mint sauce, and green Thai curry.
Origins
Mint is native to Europe and Asia and was previously grown in convent gardens. Today, Mint is commercially cultivated in the United States and Egypt.
Folklore: Mint was used by the ancient Assyrians in rituals to their fire god. The ancient Hebrews scattered mint leaves on the synagogue floor so that each footstep would produce a fragrant whiff. Spearmint was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans as a flavoring herb, culinary condiment, and in perfumes and bath scents. Mint was named by the Greeks after the mythical character, Menthe. During the middle Ages, besides culinary use, powdered mint leaves were used to whiten the teeth.
