What is the best mint for cooking?

My recipe for mint sauce is to chop the mint leaves, put in the sauce boat, add a pinch of sugar, pour on a little boiling water to dissolve the sugar and draw the flavour out of the mint, and finally top up with vinegar of your choice. I use organic cider apple vinegar.

Thanks Primrose that sounds really yummy.

Good thought Allira. I’ll be cooking for guests next weekend so will try something out.

Keepingquiet it always smells lovely when I give it a brief rinse. I guess I’m washing the taste out.

Shysal mint sauce was my job too, same recipe as you. In-laws added boiling water which was a very strange innovation to me. Prefer it without the water though.

Thank you everyone. Mint season is nearly over here and the bees are enjoying the flowers. I am planning a small herb garden for next year so will do some mint research, though it’ll have to be in pots or I’ll have a mint garden!

I like apple mint. My father grew it and it always has the best smell and flavour for me, especially in mint sauce which was always my job to make as a child - chopped leaves with vinegar and sugar.

lixy

Thank you.
Maybe I’m doing something wrong with the cooking. I think the mint I have is a spearmint. It smells very minty when picked and during chopping.

So how do I get that flavour into mint sauce? Or pea soup? It just seems to disappear no matter how late I add it.

Mango salsa sounds good - I make one with chillies but haven’t tried it with mint.

Is it you?

My sense of smell hasn't properly come back since had Covid ages ago. Taste is ok, I think, I can taste bitter things eg rocket from the garden and peppery radish from the garden, but not everything seems as strong as previously.

Ask someone else for a taste test.

I wouldn't cook at all- but just add at the end. You may need quite a bit.
I wouldn't wash it either, though you are told to, as this will take the flavour too.

lixy

Thank you.
Maybe I’m doing something wrong with the cooking. I think the mint I have is a spearmint. It smells very minty when picked and during chopping.

So how do I get that flavour into mint sauce? Or pea soup? It just seems to disappear no matter how late I add it.

Mango salsa sounds good - I make one with chillies but haven’t tried it with mint.

It’s mango and roasted red peppers with coriander and mint. Sometimes I add red onion or cucumber.

Thank you.
Maybe I’m doing something wrong with the cooking. I think the mint I have is a spearmint. It smells very minty when picked and during chopping.

So how do I get that flavour into mint sauce? Or pea soup? It just seems to disappear no matter how late I add it.

Mango salsa sounds good - I make one with chillies but haven’t tried it with mint.

Common garden mint or spearmint are the best for cooking or making mint sauce with. My plant came from my mother and her mother before that.

I grow just plain old Mint and use it in new potatoes and a very nice mango salsa I make.

I also hang a big bunch in our horses field shelter to deter flies in this hot weather.

I grow ginger mint and Moroccan mint. Both seem to hold their flavours.