Lovely Lovage

Celery is something I don’t usually touch, having been traumatized by too much celery dumplings as a kid. However, occasionally recipes call for it, and because I don’t like it, I never have it in my fridge even when I need it.

In comes Lovage, (levisticum officinale), tasting strongly of celery (blech, for me who hates celery, but yum for those who do not) but is a hardy, herbaceous perennial that comes back every year.

It’s very attractive, and makes for a great forefront plant in a permascape setting. As a bonus, it’s hardy to USDA Zone 4 (yowza that’s cold!) I find it hasn’t been too picky about water or soil requirements, sitting in a very sandy spot–but it does require full sun. As such, it’s quite drought tolerant. It supposedly self seeds but I haven’t seen it do so in my garden yet, but this is only the 2nd year I have had it, having planted it last spring.

Oddly, it’s not as popular as it should be in the United States, maybe because regular celery is so readily available. I’ve only had it once in a restaurant, by accident, when I ordered a beef carpaccio dish. It threw me for a loop at the moment, but was quite nice as a garnish, paired with thinly sliced raw beef and a delicious vinaigrette.

I use it when I make gumbo or cajun style dishes like beans and rice, and although I don’t use it often, it’s wonderful to have it when you need it rather than going, “Damn, guess I can’t make that today.”

A word of warning, if you hate celery or only like it in certain applications like I do, use gloves to pick and handle lovage or else the smell stays with you like a celery ghost is haunting you, and that’s a horror I don’t wish to repeat.