Wormwood
Wormwood is the bitter, silvery herb behind absinthe and vermouth, and one of the most intensely bitter plants you will ever taste.
What It Is
Wormwood is a perennial shrub native to Europe and central Asia, with soft, silver-green leaves and a sharp, penetrating bitterness that comes from a compound called absinthine. It has been cultivated for centuries, showing up in ancient medicinal texts, monastic herb gardens, and the distilling traditions that gave us absinthe and many classic aperitif wines.
The dried herb is what most home cooks and home brewers encounter. Its role is almost always flavoring in small amounts, lending that characteristic dry, almost medicinal bitterness to drinks and herbal preparations. A little goes a very long way.
What To Do
Wormwood is most at home in homemade bitters, infused spirits, and vermouth-style wines. Steep a small pinch, no more than half a teaspoon, in a cup of neutral spirit for a few days, taste as you go, and strain it out before the bitterness becomes overwhelming. It is not a culinary herb in the everyday sense and does not belong in dinner recipes.
Store it in a sealed container away from light and heat. Because the flavor is so concentrated, fresh dried wormwood stays useful for a long time. Use it with intention and in very small quantities.
