The BARTELEUR’ mint

Playing with mint in cocktails requires a certain savoirfaire which only few people learn to master. Mint is often used in singular form as if only one existed, but did you know that there is in fact over 15 different types of mints, all with their unique properties?

The most common of them all is the Mentha aquatica, the Mentha canadensis, and the Mentha spicata. These three species are used in culinary recepees, medicinal formulas and essential oils. While travelling from country to country, I realized that there were in fact more species of mint than one can realize, and that no matter where we are on earth, we almost all have a type of mint somewhere in our garden.

While travelling in Moroco, I discovered the Mentha gattefossei, when welcoming my caustralian cousin, he brought me some Mentha australis, and when I met the wise men Soan ming Chen in China, we talked about the Mentha japonica. I think I heard of at least eighteen types of mints in total. Which one do I prepfer ? I like the freshness of the Mentha japonica and the complexity of the Mentha suaveolens. The next time you enjoy a glass of Negroni, try to analyse which mints I have used in my Negroni. But fair warning, the more mint you ingest, the more your loving pulsions will be revealed.