Tarragon
Tarragon
Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus ) outdated, also known as Dragon and Dragun, is a flowering plant in the sunflower family ( Asteraceae) and is related to relatively close to the vermouth.
Commercially available fresh or dried tarragon (also pharmaceutically as Herba dracunculi ) comes from agricultural production, which primarily comes from the Balkan countries and the Netherlands on the German and Austrian market.
Description
It is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches a height of 60 to 150 centimeters. The numerous weakly hairy, lance-shaped leaves are sessile, entire and slightly serrated. The rare flowering herb has small yellow flowers, which are in panicles.
Occurrence
In southern Europe, one finds tarragon as a wild plant. However, there he should have arrived from the Far East long ago. The rare occurrence of Austria are limited to ruderal areas in Burgenland and Vienna.
System
Artemisia dracunculus was first described in 1753 by Carolus Linnaeus in Species Plantarum, Volume 2, page 849. Synonyms for Artemisia dracunculus Artemisia are aromatica A.Nelson, Artemisia changaica Krasch. , Artemisia dracunculina S.Watson, Artemisia dracunculoides Pursh, Artemisia glauca Pall. ex Willd., Artemisia inodora Willd., Artemisia pamirica C.Winkl. , Artemisia redowskyi Ledeb. , Artemisia simplicifolia Pamp. , oligosporus changaicus ( Krasch. ) Polyakov, oligosporus dracunculus (L.) Polyakov and oligosporus pamiricus ( C.Winkl. ) Polyakov.
Use
Traditionally used to the young shoots or the leaves that can be harvested several times a year, for seasoning. Due to their delicate anise flavor the leaves have a delicate flavor. Since the content of seasoning essential oils is highest just before flowering, 20 to 30 cm long shoot tips are cut off at this time.
The commonly grown, seed -producing variety " Russian Tarragon " (Artemisia dracunculus var inodora ) survived to -10 ° C. The infertile "French Tarragon " (Artemisia dracunculus var sativa) called " German tarragon " or as a synonym must be propagated vegetatively and is sensitive to frost. Mostly, the "Russian Tarragon " grown in nurseries. He holds because of the lower content of essential oil but hardly tarragon flavor. Also, a phytochemical characterization shows clear differences in the flavonoid fingerprint.
Tarragon is used to flavor vinegar and mustard and seasoning pickles, poultry, rice or cooked fish as well as in sauces and marinade production (eg béarnaise sauce ). Tarragon is one next to parsley, chives and chervil to the classic French herb mixture fines herbes.
History
Tarragon (regional Bertram ) is regarded as the only traditional German cuisine spice that has not been used by the Romans. The oldest evidence of its use date back to the second millennium BC from China. Later, the Arabs flavored so that your food. Whether they independently took the tarragon in culture or whether they took him by the Chinese, is not to decide.
In the Middle East tarragon is first mentioned in the mid-12th century, the first mention in the West there is the Genoese Simon Ianuensis end of the 13th century.
Etymology
The term Tarragon comes from the Arabic / Persian word tarchun / طرخوم / tarhun (Persian ترخون, DMG tarhun ). At the time of the Crusades, the term came to Europe; In the 13th century the word in Medieval Latin appeared initially in medical texts in the modification Tarcon, resulting in Tarragona since 1592, the Spanish made .
Other nominations are in Romanian; Tarhon, Turkish; Tarhun, Hungarian; Tárkony, Sicilian; Straguni, in the Neapolitan; Stregoni and Venetian ( Erba Stragon ). In French, formed in 1564 from tarragon, in Spanish from 1762 onwards Estragón, from which is derived the German name. Other variations of the name are found in the Malay language and Indonesian language with Tarragon and in the Finnish language with Rakuuna.
Another version says that the name infers from the Latin word Draco = dragon or serpent; the scientific name of the plant is Artemisia dracunculus. It was believed earlier, the leaves would heal bites from poisonous snakes. Today's Danish name is derived Dragon.
In the German-speaking region or the other following trivial names were used for this species, some only regionally, related: Beer Tram ( Transylvania), Drachant ( Zurich ), Dragon ( Pomerania, Hamburg), Dragackel, drag the bottom ( lower Weser ), eggs herb Fieferkrott ( Transylvania), Emperor salad ( Thuringia), trotting and Zittwerkraut.
Estragon in herbal medicine
Since tarragon contains estragole, which is believed that it is carcinogenic to humans and mutagenic, should be limited to the kitchen preparation according to the Federal Institute for Health Protection of Consumers his consumption. However, this is contradicted by medical studies that assess themselves a 100-1000 times the typical consumption as non-hazardous.
Because of unused medical efficacy and the risks posed by the contained estragole a therapeutic administration of tarragon not be represented.
Tarragon affects digestive and bile flow promoting and diuretic and contains a lot of potassium. In the comparison of the two varieties shown at the Russian Tarragon, an approximately 4-5 times higher sodium content. It has been used as a medicinal plant in dropsy, kidney sluggishness, loss of appetite, dyspepsia and flatulence. As a home remedy relieves tarragon oil rheumatism and muscle spasms.
Ingredients: Essential oils ( estragole, phellandrene, ocimene ), flavonoids, tannins and bitter substances. Tarragon also contains small amounts of the benzodiazepine Delorazepam. However, the amounts contained are so small that they are not pharmacologically relevant.
Propagation: By root division in spring. In summer, take cuttings.