What is peppermint bark made out of?
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Peppermint bark is a chocolate confection. Generally it consists of peppermint candy pieces, such as candy canes, in white chocolate on top of dark chocolate, but peppermint bark can refer to any chocolate with peppermint candy pieces in it.
Where does Peppermint come from?
Commercial peppermint history in the United States is believed to have begun in Wayne County, New York in the early part of the 1800s. It’s thought that for as long as 40 years, this region was the only area producing distilled mint. A.M. Todd believed the black muck soils of Michigan would produce a quality product.
When was peppermint candy invented?
Farmers in Europe began commercially growing the plant, which is a natural cross between watermint and spearmint, in the late 1700s. It is not known exactly when peppermint-flavored candy first appeared.
Is peppermint invasive in Australia?
Ecology. Outside of its native range, areas where peppermint was formerly grown for oil often have an abundance of feral plants, and it is considered invasive in Australia, the Galápagos Islands, New Zealand, and the United States in the Great Lakes region, noted since 1843.
History of Peppermint in England
Peppermint is thought to be a native English plant and possibly a hybrid between M. spicata and M. aquatica.
History of Peppermint in the United States
Commercial peppermint history in the United States is believed to have begun in Wayne County, New York in the early part of the 1800s. It’s thought that for as long as 40 years, this region was the only area producing distilled mint. A.M. Todd believed the black muck soils of Michigan would produce a quality product.
Peppermint History – Medicinal Uses of Peppermint Oil
Oil of peppermint contains menthol which is an antiseptic and anesthetic. Chewing a few peppermint leaves is thought to relieve a toothache. Indigestion, cold and flu sufferers can find some relief by drinking peppermint tea. However, peppermint tea can cause insomnia and it is therefore best avoided at night.
Additional Peppermint Information
With its strong, yet pleasant flavor, it’s no wonder that peppermint has been grown and cultivated for centuries. Along with this historical look at the origins and early uses of peppermint, Our Herb Garden has guides on Growing Peppermint and Peppermint Companion Planting.
Botany
Peppermint was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus from specimens that had been collected in England; he treated it as a species, but it is now universally agreed to be a hybrid. It is a herbaceous rhizomatous perennial plant that grows to be 30–90 cm (12–35 in) tall, with smooth stems, square in cross section.
Ecology
Peppermint typically occurs in moist habitats, including stream sides and drainage ditches. Being a hybrid, it is usually sterile, producing no seeds and reproducing only vegetatively, spreading by its runners. If placed, it can grow almost anywhere.
Cultivation
Peppermint generally grows best in moist, shaded locations, and expands by underground rhizomes. Young shoots are taken from old stocks and dibbled into the ground about 1.5 feet apart. They grow quickly and cover the ground with runners if it is permanently moist. For the home gardener, it is often grown in containers to restrict rapid spreading.
Production
In 2014, world production of peppermint was 92,296 tonnes, led by Morocco with 92% of the world total reported by FAOSTAT of the United Nations. Argentina accounted for 8% of the world total.
Chemical constituents
Peppermint has a high menthol content. The essential oil also contains menthone and carboxyl esters, particularly menthyl acetate. Dried peppermint typically has 0.3–0.4% of volatile oil containing menthol (7–48%), menthone (20–46%), menthyl acetate (3–10%), menthofuran (1–17%) and 1,8- cineol (3–6%).
Research and health effects
Peppermint oil is under preliminary research for its potential as a short-term treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, and has supposed uses in traditional medicine for minor ailments. Peppermint oil and leaves have a cooling effect when used topically for muscle pain, nerve pain, relief from itching, or as a fragrance.
Culinary and other uses
Fresh or dried peppermint leaves are often used alone in peppermint tea or with other herbs in herbal teas (tisanes, infusions). Peppermint is used for flavouring ice cream, candy, fruit preserves, alcoholic beverages, chewing gum, toothpaste, and some shampoos, soaps and skin care products.
History of National Peppermint Bark Day
In 1998, Williams Sonoma debuted The Original Peppermint Bark, which is now often copied but never matches in quality or flavor. Crafted in small batches with no added artificial flavor or color this top-quality bark is made with a custom blend of Guittard chocolate and triple-distilled peppermint oil.
National Peppermint Bark Day FAQ s
YES! Williams Sonoma’s founder, Chuck Williams invented the confection in 1998 after more than 20 rounds of recipe testing.
National Peppermint Bark Day Activities
There’s nothing better than enjoying Peppermint Bark yourself to kick off the season. Why not find a quiet spot during the festive season, a good book and enjoy some ‘me’ time. Alternatively, ring in the full festive experience by tucking into Peppermint Bark while you decorate the house, to really get you in the holiday spirit.
5 Delightfully Sweet Facts About Peppermint Bark
It took Williams Sonoma more than 20 rounds of testing before they landed on the perfect recipe for their Peppermint Bark.
Why We Love National Peppermint Bark Day
The combination of chocolate and peppermint is a classic. The striking contrast of the minty coolness with warm chocolate is worth celebrating.
They Focused on Nostalgia Over 'New.'
Its popularity may be surprising to some, but not to the man who helped create it. Chuck Williams—yup, the 'W' of the brand—was a huge fan of retro candies, and back in 1998, he challenged a team of three food merchants to come up with throwback treats that'd harken to back to his time as a kid visiting candy stores at Christmastime.
Two Ingredients Make Each Bite Better Than Competitors' Barks
That said, the company has been doing everything it can to iterate on its hit, capitalizing on that short sales window with products ranging from brownie mixes to bark in the shape of paw prints (a nod to the barking dalmatian that's been part of the company's peppermint bark branding since the beginning).
They Think They've Found the Next Sugar Rush
Out of all of the different peppermint bark-infused and -inspired products the company's released over the years, the original bark remains the most popular. This season, though, Haas thinks they've finally come up with a contender that could unseat the OG as people's favorite.
Peppermint's Origins
While the origin of peppermint candy is unclear, historical accounts show that peppermint oils have been used since ancient times to calm the stomach and for other remedies. Farmers in Europe began commercially growing the plant, which is a natural cross between watermint and spearmint, in the late 1700s.
Peppermint in Candy
It is not known exactly when peppermint-flavored candy first appeared. The confection is mentioned by slaves in the Library of Congress' American Memory project. Smith Kendon developed Altoids in 1780 to relieve intestinal discomfort, and Life Savers introduced its Pep-O-Mint flavor in 1912.
Peppermint Candy Legends
There are several legends surrounding peppermint candy canes. For example, an account in "Sweet!" by Ann Love and Jane Drake says that in 1670 a German choirmaster gave out sticks of sugar candy to children to keep them quiet.
History of Peppermint – Earliest Recorded Uses
Peppermint bark is a chocolate confection. Generally it consists of peppermint candy pieces, such as candy canes, in white chocolate on top of dark chocolate, but peppermint bark can refer to any chocolate with peppermint candy pieces in it.
It is especially popular around the Christmas season. Companies known for sell…
History of Peppermint in England.
History of Peppermint in The United States
Peppermint History – Medicinal Uses of Peppermint Oil.
- Peppermint is thought to be a native English plant and possibly a hybrid between M. spicata and M. aquatica. Early English peppermint history has the herb being included in the work or Ray (1627 – 1705) in 1696. John Ray is most well-known for his work Methodus Plantarum Nova in 1682 which was influential in the world of botany. In 1721, it was included in the London Pharmacopc…
Additional Peppermint information.
- Commercial peppermint history in the United States is believed to have begun in Wayne County, New York in the early part of the 1800s. It’s thought that for as long as 40 years, this region was the only area producing distilled mint. A.M. Todd believed the black muck soils of Michigan would produce a quality product. Around 1870, he began cultivati...
Overview
- Oil of peppermint contains menthol which is an antiseptic and anesthetic. Chewing a few peppermint leaves is thought to relieve a toothache. Indigestion, cold and flu sufferers can find some relief by drinking peppermint tea. However, peppermint tea can cause insomnia and it is therefore best avoided at night. Peppermint oil is useful in combating flatulence and mild indige…
Botany
- With its strong, yet pleasant flavor, it’s no wonder that peppermint has been grown and cultivated for centuries. Along with this historical look at the origins and early uses of peppermint, Our Herb Garden has guides on Growing Peppermint and Peppermint Companion Planting.
Ecology
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita) is a hybrid species of mint, a cross between watermint and spearmint. Indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now widely spread and cultivated in many regions of the world. It is occasionally found in the wild with its parent species.
Although the genus Mentha comprises more than 25 species, the one in most …
Cultivation
Peppermint was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus from specimens that had been collected in England; he treated it as a species, but it is now universally agreed to be a hybrid. It is a herbaceous, rhizomatous, perennial plant that grows to be 30–90 cm (12–35 in) tall, with smooth stems, square in cross section. The rhizomes are wide-spreading and fleshy, and bear fibrous roots. The leaves can …
Chemical constituents
Peppermint typically occurs in moist habitats, including stream sides and drainage ditches. Being a hybrid, it is usually sterile, producing no seeds and reproducing only vegetatively, spreading by its runners.
Outside of its native range, areas where peppermint was formerly grown for oil often have an abundance of feral plants, and it is considered invasive in Australia, the Galápagos Islands, New Z…
Oil
Peppermint generally grows best in moist, shaded locations, and expands by underground rhizomes. Young shoots are taken from old stocks and dibbled into the ground about 0.5 m (1.5 ft) apart. They grow quickly and cover the ground with runners if it is permanently moist. For the home gardener, it is often grown in containers to restrict rapid spreading. It grows best with a good supply of w…
Research and health effects
Peppermint has a high menthol content. The essential oil also contains menthone and carboxyl esters, particularly menthyl acetate. Dried peppermint typically has 0.3–0.4% of volatile oil containing menthol (7–48%), menthone (20–46%), menthyl acetate (3–10%), menthofuran (1–17%), and 1,8-cineol (3–6%). Peppermint oil also contains small amounts of many additional compounds, including limonene, pulegone, caryophyllene, and pinene.
Culinary and other uses
Peppermint oil has a high concentration of natural pesticides, mainly pulegone (found mainly in M. arvensis var. piperascens (cornmint, field mint, or Japanese mint), and to a lesser extent (6,530 ppm) in Mentha × piperita subsp. notho ) and menthone. It is known to repel some pest insects, including mosquitos, and has uses in organic gardening. It is also widely used to repel rodents.
The chemical composition of the essential oil from peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.) was analy…