There have been numerous threads on mint. You might want to check out the following for more information on mint.

Agreed. Mint is one of the all-time most popular threads here and there is a treasure-trove of information waiting for you.

My fav's are just plain old, regular varieties of peppermint and spearmint. I've been disappointed with the "flavored" varieties.

FataMorgana

I agree about the flavored varieties. I grow them for the fun of it, but I like peppermint and spearmint the best.

I also like Doublemint Madalene Hill Mentha xgracilis 'Madalene Hill' named after Madalene because of her work to broaden the cultivation and use of this wonderful culinary mint. It is a hybrid between M. arvensis and M. spicata. It is the only mint having both peppermint and spearmint oils, which give it an especially subtle and complex flavor.

Another mint I like is Mint the Best M. spicata.

That's good to know about the flavored mint. I should probably wait until the fall since I'll need to order plants. Our selection of mints around here is scarce which is why I ended up using a mint from the grocery store. I'm going to take mine out of a pot and put it in a shady spot in the ground as it's starting to get root bound and hot.
I forgot to mention my other all time favorite mint dish. Tabouli!!!
Thanks all!

Plain old spearmint for me (mint juleps and iced tea aren't really possible without it), but I keep it up away from the ground in hanging baskets or window boxes. Once it gets free....!

Hi Tracydr,

If you like the mint from the grocery store - typically a great spearmint- you can plant the stems left over from when you use the leaves.

Really, try it. Pick off all the leaves. Stick the stem in some nice, moist potting soil with a bit of the stem sticking out of the dirt. Make sure at least one of the ex-leaf intersections is under the dirt line.

Put it in a sunny window, keep it moist but not soggy. You may see new growth within a week.

The mint from the store was actually a "living" herb which came in a tiny pot. I potted it in a giant pot last October and that's what I've been using for our mint recipes. I'm thinking I may want to plant another of some sort in the ground. Just wondering if this is the best tasting mint or if I should try for something better.

If you can find Doublemint Madalene Hill Mentha xgracilis 'Madalene Hill' I think that you will like it. It really is great!

Even cut and bunched mints are still live.
Last year I rooted some that I bought from Korean market and planted them
in a remote are, mostly shaded in summer. Now I have lots of it. They are called Korean Mints.
The best mint I have tasted. They have big, wide leaves, with pleasant mint smell and taste.
I used them in salads, tea, on sandwuches, fish..., just like basil.

I'll have to try the Asian market. Most of my mint usage is In Asian and middle eastern recipes. Love Thai and Indian salads plus mint chutney.

Spearmint! It's milder than peppermint, has pretty purple flowers and it's the only thing I've found that can overtake quackgrass :)

What do the Thai restaurants use in savory dishes?

Basil and lots of it! I grow thai basil every year in the garden and it is wonderful in so many asian dishes. My favorite is pho (Vietnamese noodle soup).

FataMorgana

For the sheer "here smell this!" entertainment factor for guests and children, I like chocolate mint. It really does smell like an Ande's candy. The variegated pineapple mint is pretty for decorative purposes, although I don't think it really smells/tastes much like pineapple.

For everyday use, I love spearmint, as others have said. I've read that it doesn't really come true from seed, although I did start some. For a plant that spreads so aggressively, it sure was slow to get started. I planted it with/for my 6.5 year old son in early March.

tracydr, I don't know if you saw the implied warning about putting mint in the ground. It can really take over. Read up on it so you know what you are getting in to before you decide to do that.

Lisa