Q.: When a recipe calls for mint leaves, which should I use? There are many.
— K.B., Wadsworth
A.: You are correct, there are many varieties of mint out there. Garden peppermint is one of the most common and is a good all-purpose mint to grow to use in cooking. It will work equally well in a salad, mojito, or for tea.
There are plenty of other types of mint available. Depending on where you shop for seeds or starts, you may find curly spearmint, apple mint, pineapple mint and even chocolate mint for your garden.
Each has its own distinctive flavors and you will have to sample your way through them to determine which ones you like and may want to grow. Mint has a tendency to take over in the garden. Growing more than one variety means you will have to remain extra vigilant with keeping it in check or you may wake up one day to discover that you no longer have a backyard, only a mint patch.
Got a food question? Lisa Abraham has the answer. Call 330-996-3737; email her at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com with “Ask Lisa” in the subject line; or write to her at 44 E. Exchange St., P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640. Please include your name (initials will be printed on request), hometown and phone number.
