Lovage grows so well here in the Northwest everyone can cook with it — not just the region’s most respected chefs. A robust perennial member of the carrot family (Apiaceae), lovage grows to around 9 feet tall and has tender, aromatic leaves that work as beautifully with Mediterranean and Southern European (especially Czech and Romanian) dishes as they do in Southeast Asian soups (lovage plays well with garlic chives and chrysanthemum greens as a substitute for Chinese celery in Phnom Penh noodles). The seeds are a much larger, more fragrant substitute for celery seed in seafood boils, pickling spice or Bloody Marys (plus you can plant them). You can even make syrup from the leaves and flowers to drizzle on lemon tea cakes and creamy, fresh cheeses.
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