Chocolate Mint

‏Chocolate mint is a close relative to peppermint (Mentha piperita). This hybrid is formed by crossing M. citrata (orange mint) with M. piperita to make the ‘Chocolate’ cultivar, a sterile hybrid with the aroma of chocolate.

Mint chocolate (or chocolate mint) is a popular type of chocolate, made by adding a mint flavoring, such as peppermint, spearmint, or crème de menthe, to chocolate. Mint chocolate can be found in a wide variety of confectionery items, such as candy, mints, cookies, mint chocolate chip ice cream, hot chocolate, and others.

In addition, it is marketed in a non-edible format as cosmetics. Depending widely on the ingredients and the process used, mint chocolate can give off a very distinctive mint fragrance. The chocolate component can be milk chocolate, regular dark chocolate, or white chocolate; due to this, mint chocolate has no one specific flavor, and so each chocolate-plus-flavor combination can be unique.

Harvesting chocolate mint is easy. This herb is grown for its edible leaves, which you can remove at any time. Some say that mint is tastiest just before flowers appear. When harvesting, pinch or pluck directly above a node where two new stems are growing. This will encourage bushy growth and a full plant.