Farming by wendy

Summer just isn’t the same without Lovage! What is Lovage you ask??(I get this a lot at my cooking classes, it’s okay!) It’s a big, beautiful, tasty perennial that has so many uses I am always amazed that we overlook this guy the way we do. I first came across Lovage in 1993 at the Plymouth Plantation of all places. I was visiting the plantation with my toddler son, nieces and nephew for a family field trip. While the  kids were running around playing Pilgrims and Indians, I was immediately drawn to the abundant gardens that seem to be everywhere. The ‘gardener’ was present, doing some weeding and watering, so I took the opportunity to get a little education of my own. I learned that the pilgrims had several different gardens, all with very specific purposes. The Medicine Garden was most intriguing and that’s where I met Lovage……. it was love at first site!

I learned that day that the lovage plant was brought to America on the Mayflower by the Pilgrims, how cool. Widely used in England and Europe, lovage is not only a delicious addition to salads, soups and sauces it can be turned into a tea to stimulate digestion or applied to wounds as an antiseptic. When the gardener ripped a leaf off, handed it to me and said ‘try it’ I was a little skeptical. How could something that heals wounds taste good? I will try anything once, so I bravely started chewing. I was immediately blindsided by the essence of celery. As I continued to chew, the ‘in your face flavor of celery’ mellowed and then came a lovely peppery flavor, so refreshing, so surprising. In an instant about a dozen recipe ideas flash before my very eyes. It didn’t take me long to track down my own lovage . I can’t remember where I got that first plant, but I see them now from time to time at farmers markets and nurseries. If you do decide to plant your own lovage, allow plenty of room. By the third year you may end up with an 8 foot beauty like mine!

Incorporating this lovely leaf into your culinary regiment is easy! Simply clip off a few tender ‘branches’, rinse clean under cold water and pat dry. Lovage can be roughly torn or try a chiffonade by stacking the leaves on top of each other, roll tight and cut across the rolled leaves with a sharp knife.

So where ever you like a blast of celery, try lovage instead! Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this healthy herb.

Add a tablespoon or two to egg salad; toss into your favorite garden salad for a spicy alternative; add to marinades for just about anything going on the grill!