Spice Description
Lovage leaves, seeds, stems, and rhizomes are used in foods, but the leaves are the most commonly used flavoring. Lovage has green, serrated leaves and hollow stems that are sold fresh, dried, frozen, or crystallized. The leaves, which resemble celery leaves, can be used whole or chopped. The younger leaves are smaller in size. The seeds (which resemble ajowan seeds) are tiny, ridged, crescent-shaped, brown, and aromatic. The roots are slightly thick and fleshy with a greyish brown color. The fresh leaves have a sharp, yeast-like and musky taste with a lemon and celery-like aroma. The dried leaves have a stronger flavor than the fresh leaf.