Angelica has a colorful history; its said that its medicinal properties are thought to have been discovered when a monk dreamt an angel showed him the plant and revealed to him its power to cure the plague. Its powers are also linked to protection from evil spirits and exorcism. Folklore has it used as a protection in the home and when it is burned in the house, it imparts a joyful outlook on all residents. Angelica is linked to the Archangel Michael, a patron saint of chivalry and warriors. He is also said to protect police officers and soldiers. The plant blooms in spring, it is said it blooms on May 8^th, St. Michael’s Day. One of its alternative names is “The Root of the Holy Ghost.” For those who believe in warding off evil, lucky amulets and the like, angelica is a powerful substance. Protection from evil, breaking a jinx, healing, blessing and keeping a marriage faithful are all included in the properties of this mystical herb.

In reality, research has shown that angelica does contain compounds that can kill bacteria and affect viruses, fungi and cancer cells and there is a possibility that it may boost the immune system. These effects may mean there is some basis of truth in its usefulness during the time of plague in Europe. It contains the vitamin B12, Zinc, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron and sugars. For medicinal purposes it has been used to cure colic, colds, coughs, urinary tract infections and fevers. As a tonic it is said to be good for women, children and the elderly as it has properties to strengthen the heart. As is true with any medicinal herb, care should be taken before giving it to a woman who is pregnant or nursing, a child or an elderly person to ensure there will be no adverse reactions or potential harm done. It is used as a gargle to sooth sore throats and mouth ulcers and as a poultice to ease swelling, itching and rheumatism. It has even been used to prevent acne and cure athlete’s foot. In an ironic twist, its powdered root is supposed to cause a “disgust for spirituous liquors” when taken as a tonic.

Herbalists use the root, fresh and dried and powdered, for making tonics, infusions, poultices and tea. The stalks are eaten both fresh and candied. Candied stalks are considered a delicacy and are used as confectionary decorations. Angelica can also be used in making jams and jellies. The leaves can be crushed and used for poultices to ease pulmonary ailments. The seeds are processed to obtain the oil, which is in turn used as a flavoring agent. The oil has also been used in making perfume.

Angelica is known to be used in Bombay gins, London Hill Dry Gin, Blackwood Vintage Dry Gin, Plymouth, Beefeater, Mercury and Juniper Green London Dry Gin. Its flavor is comparable to juniper, so it adds sweetness and boosts and compliments the flavor of the juniper berries. Gin distilleries shop for the freshest and most flavorful botanicals available to maintain the quality the sophisticated gin drinker has come to appreciate.

Orris root is the root of an iris plant. The plants are dug up in late summer, the third year of the plant’s life and are dried for 2 years until they have a chalky appearance. They are ground up and the resulting powder is used as a base for products such as natural toothpastes or as a fixative in sachets or potpourris that enhances the other scents. It is also used as a stabilizer in cosmetics and is used in dry shampoo and in the rinse water for laundering bed linens. The makers of Plymouth Gin, Bombay Sapphire and Mercury Gin, as well as many others use orris root to harmonize their flavors and add a touch of violet.

The oil of orris has a constituent called Irone that is used to impart the scent of violets to many perfumes. This oil has a strong yet delicate scent of fresh violet. It is used by perfumeries to substitute for the more expense real violet oil and is used to strengthen other scents and fix them to keep them from evaporating or getting lost.

This botanical has some of the medicinal properties of gin’s other herbal infusions. It can be taken for colds and sore throats and as an anti-inflammatory. Historically it was used to cure bronchitis and chronic diarrhea. It is a diuretic and was also used as a cure for edema, also known as “dropsy.” Due to its high allergen content, it should be used only under the care of a professional.

Orris root oil has magical uses, also. It is used for rites of exorcism, love, protection, spell-breaking, to stop gossip and for commanding. It is used with rose oil for casting love spells. They say to put a tiny amount on your finger and touch the object of your desire. Adding a bit of cinnamon to the powder increases the strength.

Orris root powder was at one time used as snuff to cause exaggerated sneezing to clear a sinus headache. Pieces of the root were chewed, also, to cleanse the breath. The root had to be dried for this, when the root is fresh it causes the mouth to pucker up. The powdered root form is used in the kitchen to make Ras el Hanout, an exotic blend of up to 30 spices used in Middle Eastern cooking. The name translates to “top of the shop” and it is a point of pride among Moroccan spice sellers to have the best of each spice. Orris root adds the floral fragrance to this spicy mix.

Gins focused with a concentrated presence of Orris root are interesting in their variety. Some adhere to the London Dry style, tradition strong in their production and recipes. Others use both traditional botanicals but add innovations so as to push the standards. And there are those in between. Whether the focus is on the astringent, warm characteristics like the juniper berry or it’s more about the mellow, floral tones held together with the help of orris root, it doesn’t matter. Just keep experimenting and have another round.

One of the more popular examples among fans of mainstream gin is Hendrick’s. A traditional gin in most respects, Hendrick’s subtracts nothing noticeable from the blend of botanicals we’ve come to expect — but it adds cucumber and rose, and the cucumber in particular isn’t a background note like the grains of paradise used in Bombay Sapphire. It’s a pronounced, distinctive flavor — hardly as much as if it were cucumber schnapps we were talking about, or dill pickle vodka, but the cucumber is very much alive on the palate. Hendrick’s recommends that it be served with cucumber slices as garnish in place of the usual olive in the martini.

Another new gin that is a little further from the mainstream is Junipero, from the same part of the country responsible for the new century’s predilection for extreme IPAs. Anchor Steam Distillery — based in San Francisco — boosts the juniper in Junipero, making it the most Christmas tree smelling liquor you can imagine — a gin for gin-lovers who want strong flavors without cloaking that traditional blend. A gin to drink with cigars, perhaps, kicking brandy out of the back room, at least for the evening. San Francisco is also home to No. 209, a subtly herbal and spicy gin that diminishes the juniper considerably.

209 and many of the newer gins — especially the new gins that gin drinkers mean when they talk about “these modern gins” — are sweeter than the norm, which can make for an odd martini but should appeal to vodka drinkers accustomed to the sweeteners added to their flavored vodkas. One of the world’s best and most popular gin producers, Tanqueray, recently unveiled their latest gin: Tanqueray Rangpur is infused with rangpurs (a lime-like mandarin orange from India), floral and citrusy and electric green, and is sweet and smooth enough to drink straight or on the rocks. You may find it out of place in a martini, but it makes a good gimlet or gin and tonic.

Two French gins that have entered the market are less extreme than the new Americans. G’Vine is distilled from grapes (like the French vodka Ciroc) and includes grape blossoms in its botanicals; Citadelle has more citrus in the botanical blend than most gins. Citadelle, though, has considerably more juniper than its sweeter and mellower countryman.

In England, Whitley Neill is one of the more exotic gins around, using South African botanicals — baobab and Cape gooseberries — in a sort of “this could have been developed in the nineteenth century, but it wasn’t” blend. The usual botanicals are all still present, but the additions along with the diminishing of the juniper create something orangey and spicy — if you do make a martini with it, be sure and add a dash of orange bitters. Less spicy, despite the name, is Bulldog gin, which uses the longan (or dragon eye, as the company calls it, a relative of the more familiar lychee fruit), a fruit that does go especially well with gin. This is a gin that could easily be lost in a cocktail with too many ingredients — in a martini or a gin and tonic, it would be good garnished with a fresh longan or lychee, to emphasize that slightly fruity tropical note that has replaced some of the pine nose. It’s also excellent with grapefruit juice, in a Greyhound or Salty Dog. New gins can be quite good gins.

Coriander was found in King Tut’s tomb and mentioned in the Bible. The name may have derived from the Greek word for “bedbug” because of the unpleasant smell of the green berries and flowers. As the seeds ripen, they become sweeter and aromatic.

Many of the botanicals used in making gin have interesting histories and folklore attached to them. Coriander was used in medieval times to mask the flavor of rotten meats and in a similar usage, is used in sausage making even today. It was used by the Romans as a meat preserver and used in British pharmacies to hide the flavor of some medicines. It was thought to help with digestion when made into tea and it has been used as a diuretic when boiled with cumin and drunk as tea. It has been used to relieve gas, anxiety and muscle spasms. It has also been used to ease insomnia, although some medicinal list coriander as a stimulant. In folklore, its uses include love potions, spells and aphrodisiacs, although it did need to be added to wine to become a “lust-potion.” Some of its magical properties were thought to confer wisdom on the unborn child of the mother who consumed it, memory improvement and increased potency. Some cultures thought the overuse of the seed might have been narcotic.

In the kitchen, coriander is used in almost every culture and cuisine. The seeds are used for flavoring; the leaves in salads, soups and stews, and the roots are cooked like a vegetable or used in making flavored pastes such as red curry. Usually the seeds, also called the fruit, are purchased whole and are roasted or warmed to enhance the aroma before grinding. Ground coriander seeds lose their flavor quickly and the powder should be stored in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. Coriander is used in Indian curries and acts as a thickener for Indian gravies and sauces. They can be roasted and served as a snack. Asian cuisine uses the roots; most notably they are used in Thai cooking. The leaves are used in guacamole, salsa, chutneys and sometimes in sushi rolls. The distinctive flavor is sometimes described as metallic or soapy, but those flavors may not be universally experienced as there is a suggestion that there is a genetic trait involving an enzyme that changes the taste for some.

The fresh astringent flavor of coriander makes it a natural addition to gin. Its citrus flavor is often combined with sweet orange peel or lemon to blend with the aromatic juniper berries. Its properties are also similar to angelica root; another commonly used botanical in gin making. Both of these herbs when used medicinally are thought to cure digestive problems, calm the nerves and relieve insomnia. Is it any wonder that gin is still the first choice of so many when they decide to relax with a cocktail?

]]> http://wiredgin.com/gingredients/coriander-for-rotten-meat-love-potions-and-gin/feed/ 0 http://wiredgin.com/gingredients/cassia-bark-a-snickerdoodle-for-your-gin-cocktails/ http://wiredgin.com/gingredients/cassia-bark-a-snickerdoodle-for-your-gin-cocktails/#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 02:03:41 +0000 paul http://wiredgin.com/?p=45 When you bite into that Snickerdoodle from the local bakery or sprinkle a little cinnamon on your venti mocha from the coffee shop, did it ever take you to another plane? Did you realize that some days, the days you did sprinkle on that extra touch of cinnamon that you were feeling a little bit more creative or artistic? Cinnamon, or what we Americans know as cinnamon, in reality it is cassia bark, has long been thought to have magical powers. And like the other botanicals used to flavor gin, it has aromatherapy uses and medicinal properties. Cassia has a long history and an interesting story.

The spice that is sold in the United States and Canada is actually derived from the bark of the cassia tree. It is a stronger, hardier plant than the Ceylon cinnamon, which is true cinnamon. The flavor of the cassia is stronger, and branches and entire trees, small ones, are harvested for the bark. Ceylon cinnamon is harvested for small shoots, making it much more delicate and expensive. Cassia has a rougher texture and looks more like bark than true cinnamon. True cinnamon peels off in layers; cassia is one thick piece of bark.

Cassia is an Asian spice mentioned in the Bible and used in the mummification process in Egypt. Moses was ordered to use cinnamon along with other botanicals to anoint the Ark of the Covenant and it is mentioned again in the book of Psalms. Cassia is used mostly in cooking, it is aromatic, warm, sweet but compared to true cinnamon it is bitter and astringent. The Greeks and Romans used cassia to flavor wine and it is thought that the Greeks also left cassia at temples along with incense and myrrh as gifts for the temple. Doctors in ancient times thought cassia could cure snakebites, freckles, colds and kidney ailments.

Cassia is currently being tested to determine whether it has a real effect on blood pressure. It is possible that it may ease hypertension. It is also been tested for use by diabetics to reduce blood lipid levels. In Germany there were concerns that the coumarin levels were too high. Coumarin is a factor in cassia from which several anticoagulants are derived, that inhibits hepatic synthesis of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors. Other countries are not as concerned and have higher limits for coumarin intake.

Those who believe in its magical powers use cassia oil for meditation; those powers are purported to extend to defense, energy, power, protection, success, health and healing, lust and love, money and riches, creative work, astral projection and purification. On a slightly less esoteric level, its aromatherapy uses include use of the oil to get rid of lice and scabies, ease wasp stings, aid in poor circulation, stimulate contractions in childbirth, cure a number of gastric and digestive conditions, rheumatism, coughs, colds and viral infections and warts. Additionally it is used for strengthening, as a restorative and as an aphrodisiac.

These curative powers are a common thread running through the botanicals used in making gin. Cassia is warm, as is juniper, and the oil is an astringent. Its slightly bitter aspect blends well with the sweetness of angelica root and licorice and balances well with the citrus found in the sweet orange. Most of these botanicals are thought to help in digestion, aid in eliminating insomnia, are used to fight infection or disease and they all boast of being aphrodisiacs. With the new breed of superior gins like G’vine, some with as many as 19 infused and distilled herbal flavors, these botanicals are the secret ingredients that make the magic something to believe in.

The licorice plant is a member of the legume family, meaning it is closer to lima beans than jellybeans as most candies that taste like licorice these days are flavored with anise rather than licorice. It is the root of the plant that is used; the liquid is extracted from the pulpy root and boiled down to a thick, syrupy consistency or reduced even further to a solid form which can be powdered. Licorice root contains a compound that is 50 times sweeter than sugar; in some places the root is dug up washed and chewed to freshen the breath. Dried licorice root can be eaten like candy. In Syria, Italy and Egypt all have variations on drinks made from licorice extract.

Licorice root is also one of the botanicals used in some gins. Bombay uses licorice root, as do Blackwood’s Nordic Dry, Citadelle, Mercury and G’Vine, which also uses grape flower as a flavoring. Beefeater is also a common gin that also uses licorice root. It adds a bittersweet flavor that perfectly supports a gin & tonic as well as adding a bite to any cocktail where gin is front and center, such as a martini or French 75.

Licorice has a long history, going back 4,000 years. King Tut was buried with a supply to take with him into the next life. The Chinese have used licorice for medicinal purposes since ancient times. Started in the 1930’s, the use of licorice in the manufacturing of tobacco for chewing or smoking is still one of its primary uses, making up about 90% of the total usage. Some shampoos and conditioners are also scented with licorice root and it is used for some fore extinguisher compounds. Old wives’ tales about licorice say that chewing on bits of licorice root enhances lust and love, especially for women. Pass the Sen-Sen, please!

Cough syrups, throat lozenges, mouth ulcers and tooth powders are all uses for this botanical. Licorice is an expectorant, an agent that soothes and cools, an anti-inflammatory agent and has been known to successfully treat stomach ulcers. Canker sores have been effectively treated with a licorice mouthwash. The main active ingredient in licorice is glycyrrhizin and it is known to stimulate the activity of the adrenal glands. Licorice root is also being used to treat patients with hepatitis C. Further studies are also beginning to suggest licorice is an effective treatment for heart disease as it may help to reduce high blood pressure. One study has shown some effectiveness in treating patients with HIV and Japanese encephalitis, but those studies remain inconclusive and the findings have yet to be duplicated in larger studies.

Licorice can be administered in teas, lozenges, mouthwashes, chewable tablets, liquid form (tinctures) and dried root. As with any herbal medication, special care should be taken to see if licorice reacts with any medications already being taken. Using licorice for extended periods of time can also have adverse effects, so care must be taken to avoid adverse reactions or side effects.

As you sip pensively on your martini this week, know that the subtle licorice flavor evokes much more than the box of Good ‘n’ Plenty that you get at the movie theater. As a medicinal herb, it’s been around a long time. Ancient warriors chewed on the root of the sweet licorice plant to quench their thirst when there was no water to be found. Licorice is the gin botanical of a million uses, including making your gin more tasty.

[SB digg stumble]