Common Name: Angelica

The name “angelica” may come from a legend that an angel (sometimes archangel Michael) appeared to a monk in a dream. The angel was said to have revealed the plant’s medicinal value during a bubonic plague epidemic.

Alternate names include Garden Angelica, Great Angelica, Holy Ghost, Masterwort, and Wild Celery

Scientific Name: Angelica archangelica

Editorial Note: This entry is part of The Culinary Compendium’s ongoing ingredient archive and will be expanded as new sources are examined.

History: Native to Northern European countries such as Lapland, Iceland, and Russia, angelica has been cultivated since the 10th century. It was a common herb in medieval apothecaries and monasteries. Early physicians steeped angelica root in brandy as a remedy for fevers.

The Nordic and Baltic people used it as a food source, and the Inuit people of Greenland still consider it a traditional food.

Interesting Facts: In Icelandic Sagas and Norse lore, it was considered a sacred plant.

Uses: Candied angelica stems were a popular confection and pastry decoration in Victorian England. During the 18th century, it was more prized than marzipan. When cut into small pieces, crystallized stems can be folded into cake batter and baked into shortbread cookies.

The seeds and roots are distilled into bitters and gin. It is a common addition to liqueurs like vermouth and chartreuse.

The leaves can be made into an herbal tea.

Selection & Storage: Young stems are harvested in early spring before they become fibrous, seeds are collected in the late summer, and the roots are harvested in the fall of the second year just before flowering.

Dried angelica leaves and seeds should be stored in an airtight container away from light, heat, and humidity, where they can be kept for about 2 years before losing potency.

When purchasing crystallized or candied angelica, be careful to ensure that it is really angelica and not an imitation, such as stiff green jelly.

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