How can I enhance the flavour of peppermint plants?

Question

I love using pieces of my peppermint plants in juices and creams and so forth, to give that cooling sensation and typical mint flavour. I started growing my own peppermints in a medium pot with mulch (just as it came, without adding anything to it). Now they are thriving and already seem to be pretty useful for what I've mentioned.

I want to know if there are any known and tested ways, methods, tricks or something to enhance/make stronger the flavour and cooling effect of peppermint plants. I'm thinking it would mean improving its menthol production.

I came here with this question because I know there are ways to improve the production of specific chemicals on other plants, and wonder about something that would work for mint. I'm not a chemist nor a botanist and I know not how this usually works.

Answer 1

I know of no way to enhance or strengthen the menthol content of a growing mint plant. Certainly, there are many varieties of mint available with differences in taste, some of which may be subtle differences, and it's said the taste is stronger just before flowering, and that the newer leaves have a stronger taste. I can't say I've noticed either of those things - the mint I grow is Mentha spicata, but there's a list of the different mints available in the link below and according to this site, the strongest tasting one is Mentha spp micromeria

http://www.pepperpotherbplants.co.uk/acatalog/Mint_Herb_Plant_Varieties.html