# Peppermint or Spearmint? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [September 18, 2022, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759 "2022-09-18T16:29:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/41 "2022-09-19T03:54:31Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > that delightful taste of Pepto-Bismol! Maybe that makes a difference. I don’t think I’ve had Pepto-Bismol enough times in my life to remember what it tastes like. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/42 "2022-09-19T04:15:19Z")
I like all mints but for gum and Lifesavers, I prefer spearmint to peppermint. Peppermint is my favorite flavor of ice cream. I don’t know if anybody makes spearmint flavored ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/43 "2022-09-19T04:31:06Z")
I like peppermint for candy and spearmint for cooking in savory recipes (spearmint is the mint typically sold in grocery stores). ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/44 "2022-09-19T07:01:39Z")
I’m not sure I’ve ever had Pepto Bismol. But i grew up enjoying wintergreen lifesavers. It’s the only flavor where i like the artificial version better than the real flavor. I even have wintergreen growing in my backyard. And i do enjoy chewing on a leaf from time to time. But the fake flavor is better, and lacks the bitter leafiness of the real thing. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/45 "2022-09-19T08:07:39Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > I answered spearmint, as I sipped from my spearmint iced-tea. All the things spearmint! Have you tried spearmint in lemonade? The flavors really work well together. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/46 "2022-09-19T11:36:29Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Artificially flavored with most likely artificial sugar wrapped up in an indigestible mixture of polymers, plasticisers and resins. Mmmmmm, sounds yummy. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/47 "2022-09-19T11:40:48Z")
Gum is icky, but I can vote for the flavor itself. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/48 "2022-09-19T12:11:25Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Yeah, I’m a little surprised by all the love for wintergreen. It just tastes like medicine to me. I have a differing opinion. Wintergreen tastes like cleaning powder smells. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/49 "2022-09-19T12:11:45Z")
Peppermint all the way. I’m trying to think of something witty to add, but nothing happens. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/50 "2022-09-19T12:47:40Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > I’m trying to think of something witty to add, but nothing happens. _Going all the way with peppermint could result in pepperkids._ Best I can do before morning coffee. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/51 "2022-09-19T18:22:16Z")
> [@Bumbazine](#): > > We’ve grown both in our yard How do you grow gum? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/52 "2022-09-19T19:13:18Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > it’s worse for everything else. I don’t know… I think a peppermint mojito might be kind of horrid. I’m firmly in the spearmint camp; it’s easy to grow and has lots of uses in our house, and I just like it better. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/53 "2022-09-19T19:14:24Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I have a differing opinion. Wintergreen tastes like cleaning powder smells. We have a local chocolate shop that makes dark chocolate wafers infused with wintergreen. They would change your mind about wintergreen forever. ---
**Author:** ![frognot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frognot/32/8752_2.png) [@frognot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frognot)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/54 "2022-09-19T19:35:38Z")
You had me at free gum ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/55 "2022-09-19T19:47:49Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > How do you grow gum? Plant gumballs? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/56 "2022-09-19T21:13:36Z")
There’s a patch of mint along one side of our house. When I mow, I always cut into the patch a bit because it smells so nice. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/57 "2022-09-19T21:18:35Z")
I’ve never liked peppermint, but I do like spearmint. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/58 "2022-09-19T21:24:50Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > which tastes like the devil’s ass And just how did you come to know what the devil’s ass tastes like? Did he sell his soul to you in exchange for your talents? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/59 "2022-09-19T22:05:05Z")
There’s a patch of mint that has escaped my garden into my yard. I, too, enjoy mowing it. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2022, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759/60 "2022-09-19T22:22:33Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > I like all mints but for gum and Lifesavers, I prefer spearmint to peppermint. > > Peppermint is my favorite flavor of ice cream. I don’t know if anybody makes spearmint flavored ice cream. I made spearmint ice cream recently, not really on purpose – just used the kind of fresh mint they happened to have at the grocery, labeled “mint.” IIRC, it was the same mint that grows like weeds in SoCal (at our house it flourished under a dripping garden hose tap.) The ice cream result was kind of interesting. Not much at all like the pink-colored peppermint stuff you might get at Baskin-Robbins. It was minty, but also herbal and delicate and “grassy.” (The boiling water extract made it a lovely grass-green color, which combined with the eggy custard for a delicate light yellow-green result. Perfectly tasty, but not quite what we wanted. Next time, I’ll try to get my hands on fresh peppermint. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peppermint-or-spearmint/971759.md?page=4)