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Old 27-04-2009, 04:41 PM posted to rec.gardens
Billy[_7_] Billy[_7_] is offline
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Default Mint - favorite varieties

In article ,
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

wrote:
I'm thinking about starting a few mint plants in containers... as a
starting point for using plants for culinary purposes..

Before plunking down the money for whatever is being sold locally,
are there
specific mint plants that you would recommend for their taste and use
in cooking ??

Are there any mint plants used specifically for fragrance ??

Thanks in advance for your advice and recommendations !!

Peter

ps.... easter lillies have been planted and are still developing new
pods
and blossoms... amazing plant...


There are many cultivars of mint and naming is probably regional and they
hybridise readily. So identifying a specific mint according to some
description from anywhere in the world and then obtaining it is doubtfull.
They are all esteemed for fragrance but taste varies.

Having said that my favourite for cooking has broad dark green leaves with
reddish stems. It's called 'mint' (!)

They all like damp conditions and will do OK with only part sun.

David


If you are going to be cooking Lebanese (tabouli for example) or
Moroccan cuisine, you'll probably want Mentha spicata (spearmint).

Peppermint is good in summer drinks and fruit salads as is Lemon Balm
(Melissa officinalis - L.) which tastes like lemons.

I use Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris - L.) to control blood pressure but
it can be used in salads, soups, stews, although it isn't as pungent as
the three listed above.
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants....nella+vulgaris
--

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