Angelica Root
Name Variations[]
- archangel
- ground ash
- masterwort
About Angelica[]
Wikipedia Article About Angelica on Wikipedia
Masterwort typically refers to the plant Peucedanum ostruthium or Imperatoria ostruthium in the family Apiaceae, and not to be confused with great masterwort, Astrantia major, in the same family.
The classic variety of Angelica is Angelica Archangelica, and is most famously used for it's candied stems, which are used most often in England. The plant itself grows about 2 meters high when at full maturity and bolted. The hollow stems can reach a thickess of almost 2 cm. The leaves tend to be quite bitter but are nice as garnish.
The most common usage of Angelica is to candy the stems: Simmer the clean, trimmed stems in clean boiling water for about 7 minutes to soften. Drain, and bury in granulated sugar over night. Place the stems and resulting syrup in a sauce pan and boil until soft ball, remove and drain the stems, and then roll in granulated sugar. Store in an airtight container with dry paper towels at room temperature. Stores almost indefinitely.
The root of angelica, an aromatic plant used in medicine, or as a preserve, or as a sweet. There is also a liqueur called Angelica from France at 80 proof.