Tuscany to flavor pork, mushroom, and artichoke dishes “Korean mint” comes from an anise-flavored Asian member of the mint family, Agastache rugosa Oregano There are about 40 species in the Mediterranean genus Origanum, most of them low, shrubby inhabitants of rocky places The name comes from the Greek for “joy (or ornament) of the mountains,” though we have no evidence about how the Greeks enjoyed it Oregano was little known in the United States until the rise of the pizza after World War II Oregano species easily form hybrids with each other, so it’s not easy to sort out identities The important thing for the cook is that they come in a range of flavors, from mild to strong and penetrating The penetrating quality comes from the phenolic compound carvacrol Greek oreganos are typically rich in carvacrol, while milder Italian, Turkish, and Spanish oreganos contain more thyme-like thymol and fresh, green, floral, and woody terpenes Mexican oregano is an entirely different plant, various species of the Mexican genus Lippia, a member of the verbena family Some varieties do have a high carvacrol content, some more resemble thyme, and some are more woody and piney They all have a substantially higher essential oil content than true oregano (3–4% in the dry leaf, vs 1%), and therefore seem stronger Despite its name, Cuban oregano is an Asian member of the mint family, Plectranthus amboinicus, with fuzzy succulent leaves and a good dose of carvacrol It’s now widely cultivated throughout the tropics; in India the fresh leaves are battered and fried Perilla or Shiso Perilla is the leaf of Perilla frutescens, a mint relative native to China and India It was taken to Japan in the 8th or 9th ... Some varieties do have a high carvacrol content, some more resemble thyme, and some are more woody and piney They all have a substantially higher essential oil content than true oregano (3 –4% in the dry leaf, vs 1%), and therefore seem stronger... It’s now widely cultivated throughout the tropics; in India the fresh leaves are battered and fried Perilla or Shiso Perilla is the leaf of Perilla frutescens, a mint relative native to China and India It was taken to Japan in the. ..more thyme-like thymol and fresh, green, floral, and woody terpenes Mexican oregano is an entirely different plant, various species of the Mexican genus Lippia, a member of the verbena family Some varieties do have a high carvacrol