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Lovage

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A lovage leaf

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is the only species in its genus and belongs to the subfamily Apioideae of the family Apiaceae (which also contains carrots and celery). Lovage is a perennial plant native to Afghanistan and Iran but has been cultivated in Europe for centuries. Lovage has also been introduced into Southeast Asia, North America, and South America. The leaves are used as a herb, the roots as a vegetable, and the seeds as a spice.

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  • Lovage (Levisticum officinale, Koch.), a perennial, native of the Mediterranean region. The large, dark-green, shining radical leaves are usually divided into two or three segments. Toward the top the thick, hollow, erect stems divide to form opposite, whorled branches which bear umbels of yellow flowers, followed by highly aromatic, hollowed fruits ("seeds") with three prominent ribs. Propagation is by division or by seeds not over three years old. In late summer when the seed ripens, it is sown and the seedlings transplanted either in the fall or as early in spring as possible to their permanent places. Rich, moist soil is needed. Root division is performed in early spring. With cultivation and alternation like that given to Angelica, the plants should last for several years.
    Formerly lovage was used for a great variety of purposes, but nowadays it is restricted almost wholly to confectionery, the young stems being handled like those of Angelica. So far as I have been able to learn, the leaf stalks and stem bases, which were formerly blanched like celery, are no longer used in this way.
  • Herbs ... were an ubiquitous feature of the (English) countryside, found in hedgerows, woods, and fields. Lovage (Levisticum officinale Koch.), which belongs to the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family, is a perennial plant that grows easily and has an umami-like taste and a celery-like flavour, thus leading to its name as the Maggi plant. Lovage also gives rise to a gentle mouth-tingling gustatory effect due to the presence of ligustilide, a volatile TRPA1 modulator. Charting the history of lovage's use in cooking, this narrative historical review will hopefully help to draw attention to a versatile and flavourful culinary herb that has largely been replaced in recipes by celery and/or parsley.
  • Lovage. Ligusticum levisticum L.
    This plant is yet to be rarely found in gardens. At the present day, says Vilmorin, Lovage is almost exclusively used in the manufacture of confectionery; formerly the leaf stalks and bottoms of the stems were eaten, blanched like celery. ... The whole plant has a strong, sweetish, aromatic odor, and a warm, pungent taste, and is probably grown now in America, as in 1806, rather as a medicinal than as a culinary herb. It appears to have known to Ruellius in 1536, who calls it Levisticum officinarum, and www only seen in gardens by Chabræus ... in 1677.
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