angélique

Angelica archangelica. Angélique (also known as garden angelica, wild celery, and Norwegian angelica) is the lightly anis-flavoured herb of ‘angels’. It was a popular green vegetable in medieval Scandinavia, being one of the few that could survive in a cold climate. Introduced to France in the 12th century, it was grown by monks for its healing properties, in fighting fevers and as an appetite stimulant.

Since the 17th century, angelica has been cultivated in the Marais Poitevin wetlands near Niort and used to flavour and colour drinks such as Chartreuse, Bénédictine, Dubonnet, and the herbal liqueur Angélique de Niort; the roots and seeds are used in teas and the stems are often candied as a popular fruit confit because they keep their vivid green colour.