The angel of the garden

09/25/2003
The angel of the garden

Do you have angelica (Angelica archangelica) in your herb garden? Do you even know what it is? Angelica is one of the unsung heroes of both garden and kitchen, and you should find a spot for it.

Perhaps its biennial nature is responsible for angelica's relative obscurity. We American gardeners have always been a bit befuddled by biennials--plants that seem to begin like perennials, but finish more like annuals, always dying after going to seed their second year (hence, biennials).

In fact, angelica is a remarkable plant, both for aesthetics and cooking. With bold, fresh green, compound foliage the first year augmented by bold purple stalks crowned with huge striking umbels the second year, angelica is so beautiful that it is at home in the ornamental garden as well as among your herbs. It is exceedingly well behaved, never turning into the giant that lovage, a plant with somewhat similar architecture, does in milder climates. Angelica looks wonderful fronted with chives, whose fine texture contrasts with its boldness, while chives' mauve flowers echo the purple tones in angelica's stems.

Angelica has been prized throughout history for its medicinal properties. It has been used against coughs, colds, pleurisy, urinary tract infections, rheumatism, and "wind" (intestinal gas), but is contraindicated for diabetics as it elevates sugar in the urine. In fact, its virtues were so reknowned in France that Louis IV bought a patent for it.

Since angelica is an important flavoring agent in many liqueurs, it is hardly less valued today in my adopted country. Its seeds are an important ingredient in the distillation of Chartreuse and vermouth. Myriad small label aperitifs and digestifs are flavored with this ancient herb in France, and my French recipe book for "beverages" (almost all of which are alcoholic) has at least 10 recettes for angelica-flavored liqueurs. I admit to having concocted several of these.

However, the most interesting uses of angelica are culinary. Some of you have probably heard of the candied stems being used as a cake decoration. These stems, if well made (or home-made) have such an intriguing flavor that they should not be relegated to cake deco. Although sometimes the taste is compared to that of juniper berries, I find it much less pungent and acrid, rather very aromatic, with a fresh, muscatel-like perfume. The fresh stems can also be used to infuse broths or cut into very thin rounds (they're entirely hollow) to create a surprising flavor accent. In short, some of my most interesting culinary adventures have included angelica, and I feel lucky to have it in my garden. See Dans la cuisine for recipes that will intrigue your friends with their mystifying flavor.

Angelica is easy to grow. It likes well-drained, but evenly moist, rich deep soil, full sun or light shade. It's simple to grow from seed, which should be planted fresh (right after harvest or purchase) where you wish the plant to grow, as it will transplant poorly due to its taproot. In fact, if you let the plant go to seed in your garden and you refrain from mulching around it, you'll have an abundance of seedlings to choose from without any effort on your part at all.

Harvest the stems when they begin to shoot up the second year. If you persistently cut off all the stems and prevent flowering, you'll trick the plant into behaving like a perennial and surviving another year. Of course, if you want more plants, or want to use the seeds (the usual liqueur-flavoring agent), you'll have to sacrifice the plant. Just remember to let a few seeds fall on fertile ground as you harvest them. That's all it takes to have a steady supply of angelica.

Caution! Always wear long sleeves and pants when working with angelica! Contact with angelica on moist (read sweating) skin and in the presence of bright sunlight can cause a severe dermatitis with huge blisters. I once made the mistake of harvesting angelica in a 2-piece bathing suit on a bright June day, and the next day had what looked like huge third-degree burns.