What it is
A leafy culinary herb used in drinks, salads, sauces, and botanical infusions.
Plain-language buying tip
Choose spearmint for a softer, sweeter mint profile than peppermint.
Forms and use
Use fresh leaves in tea, salads, yogurt sauces, fruit, and grain dishes; steep dried leaf covered in hot water.
Common forms include fresh leaves, dried leaves, tea blends. Match the form to the job: visible ingredient, even distribution, or a slow infusion you can strain.
Storage
- Dried leaf: about a year at useful strength, which is unusually good for a soft-leaved herb. Buy it in leaf form rather than powder; the powder cakes and fades within months.
- Fresh sprigs: about a week in the refrigerator (at or below 40°F/4°C) — stems in a little water, loose bag over the leaves. Mint bruises where it is packed tight, and bruised mint blackens.
- Freezing: mint freezes acceptably for cooked and blended uses, badly for garnish.
- Container and place: sealed and out of the light. Dried mint fades from grey-green to pale brown, and the fade tracks the flavour.
- Gone when: a rubbed pinch smells of tea-dust rather than mint. Spearmint loses its sweetness first and can end up smelling faintly of hay and soap.
Quick questions
What should I check before buying Spearmint?
Check the stated botanical identity or style when available, the form, and the ingredient list. These details are more useful than relying on a broad category name alone.
Is this guide a product offer?
No. This is culinary editorial information. Leaf & Larder will connect only verified, available products when inventory exists.
Editorial boundary
This guide describes flavor, form, storage, and culinary use. It does not make medical, therapeutic, or supplement claims.