"Andrew Ostrander" wrote in message
...
I think you are off-base on tarragon. Dried tarragon has little
flavour but
freezing it works, and so does making tarragon vinegar. As for your
remark
about cultivars of tarragon, I understand that French tarragon doesn't
set
seed, so all the tarragon plants in the world are clones, and
therefore the
same strain.

(Russian tarragon is a different herb, inferior in for cuisinary use.)


Perhaps our differences are a case of international variation in
material available and conditions. I have found store-bought dried
tarragon to be very flavoursome most of the time and I cook with it
quite a bit. I suspect the stuff that wasn't good was old stock or was
not stored properly, perhaps that has been your problem.

I wonder about the provenence of the "French" tarragon around the world,
it would be interesting to see if the material in various countries
could be traced back to some one ancestral source or if the non-seeding
variety has arisen more than once in history. I don't know how you do
such a study short of DNA analysis.

I have found considerable variation in the flavour of fresh tarragon.
Was this because of different cultivars of French tarragon or was it due
to confusion of French and Russian varieties (some nurseries don't seem
to know that there are two sorts and I cannot tell the difference by
sight) or variations in growing conditions and seasonal effects? I
don't know. Now that I have more time and space for gardening perhaps I
will conduct a grand tarragon study - win, lose or draw it would be fun
(yum!).

David

Down here we have "Mexican" tarragon--strong anise smell, grows like a weed,
laughs at freezes. In effect, it becomes a small sturdy bush with long
creeping branches that die down if it gets too cold.
zemedelec

I find tarragon preserved in vinegar is all I need for the cooking I do with
it, although I also have some in the freezer. If you want help tasting the
Bearnaise sauces, I'm available.

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
news

"Andrew Ostrander" wrote in message
...
I think you are off-base on tarragon. Dried tarragon has little
flavour but
freezing it works, and so does making tarragon vinegar. As for your
remark
about cultivars of tarragon, I understand that French tarragon doesn't
set
seed, so all the tarragon plants in the world are clones, and
therefore the
same strain.

(Russian tarragon is a different herb, inferior in for cuisinary use.)


Perhaps our differences are a case of international variation in
material available and conditions. I have found store-bought dried
tarragon to be very flavoursome most of the time and I cook with it
quite a bit. I suspect the stuff that wasn't good was old stock or was
not stored properly, perhaps that has been your problem.

I wonder about the provenence of the "French" tarragon around the world,
it would be interesting to see if the material in various countries
could be traced back to some one ancestral source or if the non-seeding
variety has arisen more than once in history. I don't know how you do
such a study short of DNA analysis.

I have found considerable variation in the flavour of fresh tarragon.
Was this because of different cultivars of French tarragon or was it due
to confusion of French and Russian varieties (some nurseries don't seem
to know that there are two sorts and I cannot tell the difference by
sight) or variations in growing conditions and seasonal effects? I
don't know. Now that I have more time and space for gardening perhaps I
will conduct a grand tarragon study - win, lose or draw it would be fun
(yum!).

David

tarragon is about smell, nothing the tongue picks up. I bring my tarragon in from
outside, toss some in the freezer, let some dry in the drawer. it is not as strong,
but when I strip a branch to add to food I can smell the aroma and know it is fine.
if the leaves are crushed and they dont smell... well toss that.
Ingrid

"David Hare-Scott" wrote:


"Andrew Ostrander" wrote in message
...
I think you are off-base on tarragon. Dried tarragon has little
flavour but
freezing it works, and so does making tarragon vinegar. As for your
remark
about cultivars of tarragon, I understand that French tarragon doesn't
set
seed, so all the tarragon plants in the world are clones, and
therefore the
same strain.

(Russian tarragon is a different herb, inferior in for cuisinary use.)


Perhaps our differences are a case of international variation in
material available and conditions. I have found store-bought dried
tarragon to be very flavoursome most of the time and I cook with it
quite a bit. I suspect the stuff that wasn't good was old stock or was
not stored properly, perhaps that has been your problem.

I wonder about the provenence of the "French" tarragon around the world,
it would be interesting to see if the material in various countries
could be traced back to some one ancestral source or if the non-seeding
variety has arisen more than once in history. I don't know how you do
such a study short of DNA analysis.

I have found considerable variation in the flavour of fresh tarragon.
Was this because of different cultivars of French tarragon or was it due
to confusion of French and Russian varieties (some nurseries don't seem
to know that there are two sorts and I cannot tell the difference by
sight) or variations in growing conditions and seasonal effects? I
don't know. Now that I have more time and space for gardening perhaps I
will conduct a grand tarragon study - win, lose or draw it would be fun
(yum!).

David






~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

snipped

I have found considerable variation in the flavour of fresh tarragon.
Was this because of different cultivars of French tarragon or was it due
to confusion of French and Russian varieties (some nurseries don't seem
to know that there are two sorts and I cannot tell the difference by
sight) or variations in growing conditions and seasonal effects? I
don't know. Now that I have more time and space for gardening perhaps I
will conduct a grand tarragon study - win, lose or draw it would be fun
(yum!).

David

Don't even bother planting a Russian tarragon: that is the first kind I
planted 6 years ago and it's a large ugly plant that seems to have no useful
purpose.

The French tarragon has survived several Colorado winters. It is a smaller
plant and looks like a little version of the Russian with shorter stems and
smaller leaves. It is quite fragrant and does dries well. Actually, I mainly
use it dried as the mate is overwhelmed by the anise taste of it fresh, except
when it's used sparingly on rotisserie chickens.

"Andrew Ostrander" wrote in message
...
I find tarragon preserved in vinegar is all I need for the cooking I
do with
it, although I also have some in the freezer. If you want help
tasting the
Bearnaise sauces, I'm available.


The queue starts on the right but you will have to fight off some
children who have been indulged in this respect.

David

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
news

"Andrew Ostrander" wrote in message
...
I think you are off-base on tarragon. Dried tarragon has little
flavour but
freezing it works, and so does making tarragon vinegar. As for your
remark
about cultivars of tarragon, I understand that French tarragon doesn't
set
seed, so all the tarragon plants in the world are clones, and
therefore the
same strain.

(Russian tarragon is a different herb, inferior in for cuisinary use.)


Perhaps our differences are a case of international variation in
material available and conditions. I have found store-bought dried
tarragon to be very flavoursome most of the time and I cook with it
quite a bit. I suspect the stuff that wasn't good was old stock or was
not stored properly, perhaps that has been your problem.

I wonder about the provenence of the "French" tarragon around the world,
it would be interesting to see if the material in various countries
could be traced back to some one ancestral source or if the non-seeding
variety has arisen more than once in history. I don't know how you do
such a study short of DNA analysis.

I have found considerable variation in the flavour of fresh tarragon.
Was this because of different cultivars of French tarragon or was it due
to confusion of French and Russian varieties (some nurseries don't seem
to know that there are two sorts and I cannot tell the difference by
sight) or variations in growing conditions and seasonal effects? I
don't know. Now that I have more time and space for gardening perhaps I
will conduct a grand tarragon study - win, lose or draw it would be fun
(yum!).

David

Russian tarragon is often available because it is grown from seed and is
tasteless. I have found that nurseries don't know the difference and sell
the Russian as the real thing and most of them buy the seedlings from
wholesalers anyway. Even seed companies sell the seeds as a culinary herb.
OTOH French tarragon can only be propagated from splitting rootstock, which
is best done in spring. I would imagine that growing conditions might
contribute to flavour variations as well as different cultivars. Mine is
quite strong. Ahhh, the smell in the kitchen of tarragon chicken
cooking........

Graham

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
news

"Andrew Ostrander" wrote in message
...
I think you are off-base on tarragon. Dried tarragon has little
flavour but
freezing it works, and so does making tarragon vinegar. As for your
remark
about cultivars of tarragon, I understand that French tarragon doesn't
set
seed, so all the tarragon plants in the world are clones, and
therefore the
same strain.

(Russian tarragon is a different herb, inferior in for cuisinary use.)


Perhaps our differences are a case of international variation in
material available and conditions. I have found store-bought dried
tarragon to be very flavoursome most of the time and I cook with it
quite a bit. I suspect the stuff that wasn't good was old stock or was
not stored properly, perhaps that has been your problem.

I wonder about the provenence of the "French" tarragon around the world,
it would be interesting to see if the material in various countries
could be traced back to some one ancestral source or if the non-seeding
variety has arisen more than once in history. I don't know how you do
such a study short of DNA analysis.

I have found considerable variation in the flavour of fresh tarragon.
Was this because of different cultivars of French tarragon or was it due
to confusion of French and Russian varieties (some nurseries don't seem
to know that there are two sorts and I cannot tell the difference by
sight) or variations in growing conditions and seasonal effects? I
don't know. Now that I have more time and space for gardening perhaps I
will conduct a grand tarragon study - win, lose or draw it would be fun
(yum!).

David

Russian tarragon is often available because it is grown from seed and is
tasteless. I have found that nurseries don't know the difference and sell
the Russian as the real thing and most of them buy the seedlings from
wholesalers anyway. Even seed companies sell the seeds as a culinary herb.
OTOH French tarragon can only be propagated from splitting rootstock, which
is best done in spring. I would imagine that growing conditions might
contribute to flavour variations as well as different cultivars. Mine is
quite strong. Ahhh, the smell in the kitchen of tarragon chicken
cooking........

Graham

"Skirmishd" wrote in message
...
snipped

Snip
Actually, I mainly
use it dried as the mate is overwhelmed by the anise taste of it fresh,
except
when it's used sparingly on rotisserie chickens.


Quarter a lemon and put two pieces in the cavity of a chicken with a bunch
of fresh tarragon and truss. Poach it in chicken stock (with a bit of white
wine) and remove when done and keep warm while you boil down the stock to
make a sauce. Deeeeelish.

Graham

Quarter a lemon and put two pieces in the cavity of a chicken with a bunch
of fresh tarragon and truss. Poach it in chicken stock (with a bit of white
wine) and remove when done and keep warm while you boil down the stock to
make a sauce. Deeeeelish.

Graham

I'm guessing that would work well on the outdoor rotisserie.

Thanks