Tarragon is a highly valued perennial herb, celebrated in European cuisine for its complex, subtly sweet, and slightly peppery flavor. While its slender leaves are the star of classic French dishes, the plant’s small flowers often raise questions about their use and edibility. The delicate blooms are entirely safe to consume, allowing use of the entire herb. They offer a mild, decorative touch that extends the use of the plant beyond just its foliage.
Edibility and Flavor Profile
Tarragon flowers are edible, though their flavor contribution is notably more subtle than the strong, anise-like taste of the leaves. Tarragon foliage, particularly the French variety, contains a significant concentration of the aromatic compound estragole, responsible for the characteristic licorice note. In contrast, the tiny, pale green or whitish-yellow flowers possess a much lower concentration of these volatile oils, resulting in a gentle, sweet herbaceousness.
The texture of the blooms is soft and delicate, making them unsuitable for cooking but perfect for raw applications. Their primary role in the kitchen is visual, used to add a fine, elegant flourish to a finished dish. Using the flowers allows incorporation of the herb’s aesthetic without introducing the intensity of the leaf’s flavor. They are best used as a finishing garnish, where their faint flavor complements the dish without overpowering it.
The Importance of Tarragon Variety
Understanding the specific variety of tarragon is paramount for harvesting and using the flowers, as tarragon encompasses three distinct types, each with different flowering habits and flavor profiles. French tarragon (\(Artemisia dracunculus\) ‘Sativa’), the most prized culinary herb, is typically propagated from cuttings because its flowers are often sterile and rarely appear. When French tarragon does produce flowers, they are generally tiny, greenish-white, and have the mildest flavor of all the varieties.
Russian tarragon (\(Artemisia dracunculoides\)) is a hardier plant that flowers profusely and grows easily from seed. However, its leaves and flowers contain far less estragole, giving them an inferior, grassy, or slightly bitter taste disregarded for fine cooking. A third option, Mexican tarragon (\(Tagetes lucida\)), is botanically a marigold but offers a strong, anise-like flavor similar to the French variety. This plant produces prominent golden-yellow flowers that are both flavorful and visually striking, making them an excellent substitute for those seeking a more potent edible flower.
Culinary Applications and Harvesting
Harvest tarragon flowers for culinary use just after they have fully opened, preferably in the morning after the dew has dried. Select pesticide-free plants and gently wash the delicate blooms before use. Since the flowers are fragile, they must be used immediately after picking, as they do not store well.
Tarragon flowers serve as an exceptional garnish, providing a delicate presentation when scattered over salads, soups, or egg dishes. The flowers can also be used to infuse liquids, imparting a subtle herbaceous quality to simple syrups for cocktails or sparkling water. For a lasting application, the blooms can be steeped in white wine vinegar or neutral oils, creating a decorative, faintly flavored infusion perfect for vinaigrettes or marinades.