Creme de Menthe

Crème de menthe is a intensely sweet liqueur flavoured with peppermint or spearmint. It comes in two forms: green (coloured with natural or artificial dyes) and white (clear), which taste identical. The name means “cream of mint” in French, though it contains no dairy.

It’s a classic cocktail ingredient — the Grasshopper and Stinger are its best-known vehicles — and it’s also used in desserts, drizzled over ice cream or folded into chocolate mousse. The white version is preferred when you want mint flavour without turning the drink green.

It’s strong and very sweet, so a little goes a long way. In Australia, it’s available from most bottle shops and is the sort of bottle that tends to live at the back of the liquor cabinet for years, pulled out occasionally for after-dinner drinks or baking.