Lovage: Levisticum officinale
Most likely when you think of spices and herbs, you think of flavor—in these modern times we are privileged to have the world of flavor all around us. But in the old days, spices and herbs, though still flavorful, were utilitarian. Spices have always been used to preserve food, or at the least, to make foods that were on the edge of being spoiled taste a little better. Spices and herbs also served our health as medicines.
Lovage is an old European herb—it was once more popular than it is now. Before colonialism brought the entire world of spices to Europe, herbs like lovage were more prominent. In fact, lovage seeds were expensive, and even when black pepper became available as an exotic new flavor, for a time lovage seeds cost the same as the expensive import. Lovage was important to the Greeks as a staple because it helped with digestion and decreased flatulence.
Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is in the carrot family (Apiaceae) with a murky history, as is the case with many old foods. The exact native range is disputed; some sources cite it as native to much of Europe and southwestern Asia, others from only the eastern Mediterranean region in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, and yet others only to southwestern Asia in Iran and Afghanistan, citing European populations as naturalized.
The root is eaten as a vegetable, the leaves as a green (raw and cooked), and the seeds as a spice. It is an ingredient used in the making many liqueurs. In the markets in Europe you can still find lovage leaves. Online if you hunt, you can find the seeds or dried roots for use as spices. Lovage has a delicate flavor—reminiscent of celery or parsley but with anise undertones. Some people say its flavor has hints of cardamom. It is bolder than chervil, but more delicate than many of the herbs with anise flavors.
The most common current home uses for lovage are in salads (the leaves or grated roots), as a pickling spice (the seeds, sometimes the leaves), and in soups (the leaves and/or roots). Lovage leaves are delicious pounded with garlic and salt and added to meatballs and burgers (a recipe from Alice Waters). Lovage also makes a great pesto!
Lovage roots must be cleaned well before eating.
Lovage grows in full to part sun. Often it is treated as a winter annual in our climate, but with afternoon shade in summer, your plant is more likely to perennialize (live more than one season). These plants can get tall—4-7’ tall for some. But it’s usually a bit shorter in our climate. You can grow it in a container if you pay close attention to watering and feeding (container plants usually need a lot more food and water) and make sure your pot is deep enough to accommodate the roots. Lovage isn’t needy, especially in the ground, and has few pests. It’s totally hardy to the cold, so you don’t have to cover it. Once established, it’s not needy for water for a garden plant. Some occasional organic food will keep plants dark green and healthy, but it isn’t absolutely necessary. Plant will flower and produce seed, and if they have developed decent tap roots, they will keep growing, but you should cut them back after flowering.
