tarragon

tarragon, bushy, aromatic perennial herb of the family Asteraceae, the dried leaves and flowering tops of which are used to add tang and piquancy to many foods, particularly fish, chicken, stews, sauces, omelets, cheeses, vegetables, tomatoes, and pickles. Tarragon is a common ingredient in seasoning blends, such as fines herbes used in French cuisine. The fresh leaves are used in salads, and vinegar in which fresh tarragon has been steeped is a distinctive condiment.

Description, types, and taste profile

The plant is named dracunculus (Latin for “small dragon”), possibly for its slender, tongue-shaped leaves that some associate with snake tongues, or for the serpentine coils of its root clusters. Tarragon leaves are bright green, have a warm odor, and taste like anise. Individual plants can grow up to 150 cm (59 inches) tall. Flower and seed production depends on the variety of tarragon that is cultivated.

Tarragon is thought to be native to Siberia but is also found in the wild in Central Asia, eastern Europe, the Mediterranean region, and North America. Mainly two varieties of this herb are cultivated. The French variety (A. dracunculus var. sativa), which is also called true tarragon, is cultivated in Europe, particularly France and Spain, and in North America. This variety does not produce seeds and is propagated through cuttings. The Russian variety (recognized either as A. dracunculus var. inodora or A. dracunculus var. dracunculoides) has a weaker taste and aroma than the French variety. It is mostly found in Siberia and western Asia and can be grown from seeds. Both varieties need ample sunshine and sufficiently dry soil, with the Russian variety showing more resistance to drought and neglect.

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French tarragon has been described by food experts as having a sweet taste almost like licorice and a slightly bitter aftertaste. Its flavor has been compared to that of anise and basil. Russian tarragon is known to have a more bitter, pungent taste without the hint of anise, and is less flavorful than the French variety.

Chemical composition and functional properties

Tarragon contains 0.3 to 1.0 percent essential oil, the principal component of which is the phenylpropanoid methyl chavicol, which is also called estragole. The essential oil in French tarragon can have up to 82 percent of this compound, which gives it the characteristic bittersweet, licorice-like taste. The proportion of methyl chavicol is negligible in Russian tarragon, by comparison. Other important phenylpropanoids in tarragon essential oil are methyl eugenol and elemicin, whereas monoterpenoids, such as sabinene and limonene, and sesquiterpenoids, such as spathulenol and α-humulene, have also been reported. In addition, coumarins make up about 1 percent of the essential oil, notable among which are herniarin, esculetin, coumarin, scopoletin, and artemidine. Flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannin, fatty acids, and the enzyme peroxidase have also been isolated from tarragon plant extracts.

Extracts and essential oils of tarragon have shown antibacterial, antifungal, anticoagulant, antioxidant, antidepressant, and anticancer properties. These extracts can also reduce inflammation, modulate immunity, decrease blood sugar, regulate thyroid hormone profile, and protect the liver. Tarragon essential oils have been found to repel insects such as the bluebottle fly and kill larvae of the mosquito Anopheles stephensi, which spreads malaria on the Arabian peninsula and in Southeast Asia and Africa.

Uses

Traditional medicine systems of Asia and Russia have for centuries used tarragon for treating fever, gastric ailments, ulcers, intestinal cramps, menstrual problems, toothache, loss of appetite, indigestion, and allergic rashes. Plant extracts are also used by Indigenous peoples in the Himalayas to treat wounds and injuries of their livestock. By contrast the use of tarragon in the Western World has mostly been culinary rather than medicinal. The tips of the plant and its leaves are used to season meat, fish, vegetables, sauces, and salads. It is an important component of commercial vinegars and mustard and is also used to flavor alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks.

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Nonculinary uses of tarragon include its use in the cosmetics industry as an ingredient of moisturizing creams, cleansing milks, shampoos, lotions, and perfumes. Tarragon is also used in aromatherapy.