Product Review

Though tarragon connoisseurs know that true French tarragon cannot be grown from seed, this variety, called Russian tarragon, has its own virtues and advantages. Its faint, slightly bitter anise flavor is well suited for fresh use in salads or in making herbal vinegars. Perhaps its most well known use is medicinal, since scientific research shows that Russian tarragon can be very helpful in regulating insulin and lowering blood sugar, cleansing the blood, treating headaches and dizziness, and acting as a mild sedative. Russian tarragon also readily reseeds itself and has hardy growth, making it more readily obtainable than its delicate French cousin. The English word tarragon is derived from the French word estragon, or "little dragon", in reference to the ancient belief that this herb could cure poisonous snake bites. Unlike many herbs, tarragon was completely unknown to ancient civilizations such as Greece and Rome; the first records of its presence in the Western world are found in the 16th century. The Arab botanist and pharmacist, Ibn-al-Baytar of Spain, recommended it as a breath freshener, a seasoning for vegetables, and as a treatment for insomnia.