Blog →
Peppermint in the Kitchen

Peppermint in the Kitchen

by Mireille Kilgour

Peppermint has been a popular flavour for thousands of years, with Jesus even making mention of it in the Bible. It was popular in Greece and Egypt and has been used in cooking and herbal medicine since 1500 BC.

These days, peppermint is best associated with tea, candy canes, after dinner mints, chewing gum and toothpaste. Yet for chefs, it makes a delicious pairing with dishes such as lamb, Vietnamese curries and Greek salads.

Peppermint is versatile and not restricted to just sweet or savoury recipes. Savoury dishes tend to call on fresh mint, while sweet dishes tend to call on peppermint extract or essence. When used as an essence, peppermint adds a distinct coolness to cakes, slices and drinks.

Peppermint and chocolate is the combination most people know well, and the pairing is as close to perfection as you can get. When combined with a rich, flavoursome cocoa, the mint lends a contrasting burst of freshness that is divine. Taste magazine said that the cool flavour is intensified when used in ice cream.

Bio
Latest Posts

Mireille Kilgour

Mireille Kilgour has been an entrepreneur for 35 years in the hospitality sector. French born, she has been an accomplished business owner and operator for a number of Sydney venues. Leading the industry with high profile institutions such as Lamrock Café Bondi, she has endless passion for the industry, and now has the pleasure of supporting restaurants to fill their tables with the new Good Food Gift Card program.