DESCRIPTION

There are hundreds of varieties of mint, but spearmint, which is native to Europe
and Asia, is the one used most often in the kitchen. It is an ancient perennial,
known to the early Greeks and Romans and mentioned in the Bible. Its name
comes from the shape of its narrow green leaves, although there is a type of
spearmint with rounder leaves. Its fragrance is refreshing, as is its flavor, which
is sweet and less pungent than that of many other mints. (All mints contain
menthol, the source of the mint flavor.) Peppermint is a more recent variety,
dating back to the 1600s and believed to be a cross between spearmint and water
mint.