Peppermint

Our spice is peppermint, which is a pungent and aromatic mint (Mentha piperita) with dark green lanceolate leaves and whorls of small pink flowers in spikes. Peppermint is used in baking (candy, cookies, taffy, teas and many others), in aromatherapy, and oils.

It is now located all over the world, but it originated probably in England and then spread to Central and Southern Europe and Africa (main cultivation area). Peppermint is a perennial plant grown in fields. When it is harvested it is best fresh. It can be frozen with a little bit of water into ice cubes.

Peppermint, like I said, originated in England. It is a plant. Peppermint can be extracted many ways. The ways vary with the item that is being made. For example, if you re wanting peppermint in your tea, a leaf or two can be dropped in and it comes out naturally. If it is to be put in a cream of some sort, it can be heated or frozen in water to extract it. Peppermint is native to Asia. It was used by Egyptians, and was cultivated commercially before the Civil War.

Peppermint leaves can be steeped into a tea which traditional medicine used as a remedy for cramps, headaches, nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, colds and “whatever ails you.” For cooking purposes, peppermint is used primarily to flavor sweets, candies or various liquors after being infused into oil or alcohol.

In conclusion, peppermint is a spice with many different purposes. It is grown in many different places. We ve learned quite a bit about this spice.