estragon) in oil cavities alongside the leaf veins Estragole is a close chemical relative of the anise aromatic anethole, and does have an anise-like character Tarragon is a component of the French mix fines herbes, is the primary flavoring in béarnaise sauce, and is often used to flavor vinegars “Mexican tarragon” is a marigold-like New World native, Tagetes lucida, whose leaves do indeed contain a mixture of aniselike anethole and tarragon’s estragole Tobacco Tobacco is used occasionally as a food flavoring, and its curing resembles the making of tea (p 437) The leaves of the notorious North American native Nicotiana tabacum, a relative of the potato and tomato, are harvested when they begin to turn yellow and develop resinous secretions, then either sun-cured or fermented in heaps for several weeks, and dried by contact with hot metal These treatments develop a complex aroma with woody, leathery, earthy, and spicy notes, and these are sometimes augmented with the addition of various essential oils (vanilla, cinnamon, clove, rose, and others) Tobacco leaves contain astringent tannins and bitter nicotine, so they are usually infused only lightly into sauces, syrups, and creams Sometimes whole leaves are used as a disposable wrapper to flavor a food during cooking Water Pepper Water pepper is a relative of rau ram, or Vietnamese coriander Polygonum hydropiper is a widespread native of wet areas in the Northern Hemisphere Its leaves have been used as a pepper substitute in Europe, and are now used mainly in Japan to provide a peppery, somewhat numbing pungency (from polygodial) Water pepper also has woody, pine, and eucalyptus notes Wintergreen Wintergreen is the leaf of Gaultheria procumbens or fragrantissima, a North American bush in the blueberry and .. .and these are sometimes augmented with the addition of various essential oils (vanilla, cinnamon, clove, rose, and others) Tobacco leaves contain astringent tannins and bitter nicotine, so they are usually infused only... rau ram, or Vietnamese coriander Polygonum hydropiper is a widespread native of wet areas in the Northern Hemisphere Its leaves have been used as a pepper substitute in Europe, and are now used mainly in Japan to provide a... pungency (from polygodial) Water pepper also has woody, pine, and eucalyptus notes Wintergreen Wintergreen is the leaf of Gaultheria procumbens or fragrantissima, a North American bush in the blueberry