The spice is obtained from an evergreen tree which grows to about 8 m (26 ft) high and is native to southeastern China. It is a very ancient tree belonging to a primitive family. In China, where it was known long before the Christian era, it was one of the most popular of spices along with cinnamon.
Hyssop is native to the Mediterranean region and central Asia and was introduced to central Europe in the 10th century by the Benedictine monks. In medieval times it was a popular kitchen herb, its leaves being used in soups, pickled vegetables, meat pts and poultry stuffings.
It is used to this day in European cookery for its sweet smell reminiscent of camphor for flavouring vegetable soups, salads, sauces and meat dishes, including game. Hyssop is also a medicinal plant used to aid digestion and to limit sweating, for which reason it is apparently, used in the Orient in preparing the slightly alcoholic beverage called sherbet.
The ripe follicles burst on the ventral side to release the single seed contained in each. They are harvested when ripe and then dried. The seeds have a pungent, spicy flavour.'
They are perennial but only the roots overwinter, putting up new shoots again in spring. Hops are propagated by means of cuttings from these shoots. The female flowers or strobiles (1), covered with glossy greenish-yellow glands containing bitter and resinous lupulin, ripen in late summer.
They are harvested mechanically and dried by artificial heat on mesh sheets in drying sheds.
Hyssop is native to the Mediterranean region and central Asia and was introduced to central Europe in the 10th century by the Benedictine monks. In medieval times it was a popular kitchen herb, its leaves being used in soups, pickled vegetables, meat pts and poultry stuffings.
It is used to this day in European cookery for its sweet smell reminiscent of camphor for flavouring vegetable soups, salads, sauces and meat dishes, including game. Hyssop is also a medicinal plant used to aid digestion and to limit sweating, for which reason it is apparently, used in the Orient in preparing the slightly alcoholic beverage called sherbet.
The ripe follicles burst on the ventral side to release the single seed contained in each. They are harvested when ripe and then dried. The seeds have a pungent, spicy flavour.'
They are perennial but only the roots overwinter, putting up new shoots again in spring. Hops are propagated by means of cuttings from these shoots. The female flowers or strobiles (1), covered with glossy greenish-yellow glands containing bitter and resinous lupulin, ripen in late summer.
They are harvested mechanically and dried by artificial heat on mesh sheets in drying sheds.
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