Whole Tarragon
Estimated Inventory, 4 oz : 13.00
This item was last sold on : 02/08/25
Description/Taste
Dried Tarragon is comprised of roughly chopped leaves and stems with an ashy green hue and brittle texture, easily crumbled and crushed when handled. The dried leaves have a mild herbaceous scent with a hint of anise. The flavor of the herb is pungent and bittersweet with strong notes of herbal licorice and anise.
Seasons/Availability
Dried Tarragon is available year-round.
Current Facts
Dried Tarragon is commercially produced by drying the leaves, stems, and flowers of the Tarragon plant, a small, shrubby herb related to the sunflower and botanically classified as Artemisia dracunculus. The variety of tarragon used for the spice, known as Estragon, is popularly utilized fresh or dried in French cuisine. The leaves of French tarragon are glossier and more pungent than other varieties of tarragon and are the preferred variety of chefs for cooking and drying. French tarragon is also the most challenging and time-consuming to grow due to its delicate nature and sterile flowers. Besides the French variety of tarragon, there is also Russian and Mexican tarragon. The Russian variety has a milder flavor and is easier to grow, making it the most affordable variety. Mexican tarragon, also known as Spanish tarragon, is a lesser-known type but has a similar flavor to French tarragon and grows in warmer and dryer climates. Tarragon is a popular herb used primarily in French, English, and American cuisine.
Nutritional Value
Dried Tarragon is a moderate source of many vitamins and minerals vital to daily health, including manganese, iron, and potassium. These essential nutrients help maintain brain health, cell function, blood production, and muscle and nerve function. In limited studies, tarragon has also been shown to have antibacterial properties that may reduce food-borne illness bacterial strains such as staphylococcus aureus and E. coli.
Applications
Dried Tarragon can be used in place of fresh tarragon in a variety of recipes and applications. Tarragon is popular in French cuisine, where it adds a punch of bittersweet anise flavor to many traditional recipes and spice mixes. The herb is a common flavoring for olive oils and vinegar and can be added to pickles, mustards, and dressings. The aromatic herb is also the key flavor in sauce bearnaise, a secondary sauce derived from the mother sauce, hollandaise in French cuisine. Bearnaise can be served over grilled steak, salmon, chicken, or eggs. Tarragon adds a distinctive flavor to salads, marinades, potatoes, fish, and poultry and can be combined with salt and butter to create a delicious compound butter used to finish dishes. The anise-flavored herb is one of four ingredients used to create the French herb blend, Fines Herbes. This blend combines chives, parsley, chervil, and tarragon and can be added to sauces, soups, and poultry. The sweet anise flavor of the herb also lends itself to some dessert applications and can be added to sorbets, cookies, and bread, or it can be used to flavor drinks like Tarhun, a soft drink popular in central Asia and Russia. Dried Tarragon has a more robust flavor than fresh tarragon and should be used sparingly, added toward the end of cooking for the best flavor. Store Dried Tarragon in a cool and dry place in an airtight container to maintain freshness and use within six months.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The English name for the herb, Tarragon, was formed by mispronouncing the French name “Estragon,” which itself was derived from the Latin “Dracunculus,” which translates to “little dragon.” This has led to the herb also being called Little Dragon Mugwort and Herbe au Dragon. These names were bestowed upon the herb due to the serpentine pattern created by the herb's roots, which led many healers in the dark ages to believe Tarragon could be used to cure the bites and stings of venomous snakes and other animals and even cure wounds caused by rabid dogs. Many legends surrounded the origin of Tarragon, with some believing it was a gift from the Greek goddess of healing, Artemis, directly relating to the herb’s botanical name Artemisia dracunculus. Another origin story says the herb can be sprouted from flaxseed buried with a radish root. Today, it is known that the herb, which is a key component of French cuisine, does not produce its own seed, meaning it must be cultivated by hand.
Geography/History
Tarragon is native to Russia and Western Asia, specifically Siberia. Unlike many other herbs, tarragon was not popular in ancient cultures, although Hippocrates mentioned it in 500 BCE and was used occasionally for medicinal purposes in Greece and Rome. The herb was spread into Europe, where it was also used medicinally through the early Middle Ages. The herb gained some popularity in Europe toward the late Medieval period, specifically in French and Italian cuisine. The herb was introduced to England by the Tudors in the 16th century and was brought to the United States in the early 19th century. Tarragon grows in dry, sunny regions across the Northern Hemisphere, from Asia to the United States. French tarragon is cultivated in France, Spain, and North America, with France being the primary producer of Dried Tarragon. Dried Tarragon can be found in the spice aisle of many grocery stores across the United States and Europe.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| La Jolla Country Club | San Diego CA | 858-454-9601 |
| Lafayette Hotel | San Diego CA | 619-296-2101 |
| Urban Kitchen Catering | San Diego CA | 619-276-8803 |
| The Flavor Chef (Catering) | Vista CA | 619-295-3172 |
