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Tarragon – Herbal Cuisine Par Excellence

Within the daisy family, tarragon belongs to the mugwort family. The stems, which are up to 150 cm high, have elongated, narrow leaves that reach a length of approx. 6 cm. They can be smooth or hairy and are used in cooking to flavor various dishes.

Origin

The homeland of tarragon is believed to be in Asia. Today it is distributed from Russia to North America. However, it is mainly grown in Europe, especially in Italy and France.

Season

Tarragon is harvested from May to October. It is available all year round as a greenhouse product or as a potted herb.

Taste

A distinction is made between two types of tarragon. The Russian or Siberian tarragon is strong growing, robust but not very aromatic. The German or French tarragon, on the other hand, is much more sensitive, but has an aromatic taste. The taste is slightly reminiscent of aniseed and resembles the fennel aroma.

Use

Tarragon is mainly used in French cuisine. It’s a key ingredient in béarnaise sauce, a creamy white sauce made with white wine and butter. Tarragon is also used to flavor meat marinades and white fish sauces. It goes well with vegetable dishes, especially kohlrabi and beans. Salad dressings, vinegars, mustard and herb butter can be refined with tarragon. The herb develops a very intense aroma when cooking and should therefore be used sparingly. You use tarragon raw for the salad, which you use to refine our fried herring.

Storage

Wrapped in a damp cloth and stored in the refrigerator, fresh tarragon will keep for a few days. It is also suitable for drying, but this loses a lot of its aroma. Tarragon also freezes well.

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Written by John Myers

Professional Chef with 25 years of industry experience at the highest levels. Restaurant owner. Beverage Director with experience creating world-class nationally recognized cocktail programs. Food writer with a distinctive Chef-driven voice and point of view.

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