Mints. For your mouth. Fresh breath. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some are strong, some are more subtle and yet others come surrounded by chocolate.
Yet, what confuses me is the difference between spearmint and peppermint. I know, I could Google it, but I prefer to pose questions here on chickenmonkeydog — our virtual office watercooler.
So, what is the difference between spearmint and peppermint?
Color — mint is red, spearmint is green. Well, unless you include wintergreen, then ya might as well lock this logic up in the freezer.
I have often thought about how mint came to be the smell of freshness of breadth. What about cinnamon? That’s a pleasant smell. Surely there must be other smells.
Different species of mint (the genus Menthaall of which are GREEN! Spearmint is Mentha spicata and peppermint is Mentha arvensis. Wintergreen is not mint at all.
@ Liam
I think you’ve hit on a pretty interesting question there. Why is mint the flavor of freshness?
Is it because the smell is widely accepted as pleasing? Sure.
Because it cuts through and covers up a lot of other smells / tastes? Sure.
How about the cooling effect of menthol in your mouth? I think that probably gives us the “refreshing” descriptor.
Still, I’d like to imagine a world where bacon was the standard or freshness!