What Is A Sprig Of Mint
Welcome to this post about what a sprig of mint really is. We have written a lot of different articles about just mint and this is probably one of the most fun ones since here it really gets to stand in the spotlight. Below we will talk about many different topics surrounding mint sprigs, the best way to really showcase the potential of the herb.
A sprig of mint is something that you will often see used in either cooking or as a garnish on a cocktail. It brings a lot of freshness and aromas to whatever it’s used on. In this article we will dive a bit deeper and discuss more about what it is, uses and how you can get one at home too.
What Is A Sprig Of Mint
A sprig of mint is often identified by being a stem of mint that has at least 3 or more leaves on it growing out and sprouting. This is the simplest explanation and often what it’s universally labeled as.
Ideally you would actually want a mint sprig that does not have two cut ends. Instead you want one end to have a small offshoot where new small ones are coming out. These are usually the tastiest ones and what we like to use ourselves the most. The inner stem where it’s getting thicker can be slightly duller and not as fresh in the flavor. Instead of lifting whatever’s added to it can instead drag it down.
What we also look for when taking a sprig of mint is the condition of the mint plant. Since we are harvesting from it we don’t want to take too much at one time. Instead we would like to take a maximum of 30 % of the plant in one go. This way we won’t run the risk of stressing the plant too much and we can actually make progress further.
If you would like to learn more about the difference between sage and mint then we have written an article just about that. You can find it here, Sage vs Mint.
How Many Sprigs Are In A Mint Leaf
Generally speaking we wouldn’t describe a sprig per mint leaf. Instead we count how many leaves are on a stem once we have picked it. This will indicate to us if it’s spring or not. So if you were to cut away a stem from a mint plant and it would have three or more leaves growing from it then we can call it a spring.
That’s the simplest and most universally used description for what a spring is. Now it can of course have more. A mint stem that you have cut off that has 5 or even 7 leaves from it will also be called a mint sprig.
How Long Is A Sprig Of Mint
The length of a mint sprig is usually about 2 inches. Since we are just counting the leaves on the stem to label it a spring we only need 3 leaves. Usually on most mint plants these will grow very close to each other and therefore the sprig of mint won’t be very long.
This smaller size also makes it easier to use mint sprigs for what they do best, as a cocktail garnish. They help bring a lot of freshness and aromatics to whichever cocktail you choose to use it with. It’s a favorite among a lot of people and we can clearly see why.
If you have ever wondered what the differences between basil and mint are then we have the perfect article for you. Here we discuss exactly that topic, Basil And Mint Difference.
