I Love Lovage!

Reader Contribution by Nan K. Chase
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Here’s an herb you may not know…but should. It’s lovage, a relative of the carrot rather than of the celery it so closely resembles. Pronounced either “LOVE-age” or “luh-VAHGE,” this hardy herb, Levisticum officinale in Latin, is useful in the edible landscape and a sultry addition to the kitchen.

So plain and unassuming in the garden, lovage has what one source calls a “bold” streak in the kitchen. Too strong to prepare by itself, with a flavor like intense celery but slightly oily, lovage in small quantities nonetheless adds a delectable taste, bringing smokiness to soups and stews, sauces and meat stuffings. I use lovage anytime I use a bay leaf. In fact I grow the bay leaves themselves on a sturdy bush that’s tucked away in a sheltered semi-shady part of the garden. 

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