Angelica archangelica 1:1 extract: garden angelica by the drop
Garden angelica is a tall member of the carrot family. It grows naturally across northern Europe, Greenland and parts of northern and central Asia, and it spread along the big rivers until it reached the river deltas of the Low Countries. The plant lives for two years and can pass two metres in height. Its root is what made the species famous: aromatic and bittersweet at once, which is why it turns up in liqueurs and aperitifs such as Chartreuse and Bénédictine. Confectioners candy the hollow stems, and angelica oil is pressed from seed and root.
This bottle holds 10 ml of liquid 1:1 extract. The ratio says something about concentration: roughly one gram of plant material has gone into every millilitre of liquid. A 2.5:1 extract packs two and a half grams into that same millilitre. A 1:1 extract therefore sits close to the raw material, which keeps that distinctive herbal flavour easy to recognise. Convenience is the main argument for a tincture: no root to grate or weigh, every dose the same size, and a bottle that keeps going for months.
Using the extract
Shake the bottle before use. Take a number of drops in a glass of water or juice, or straight under the tongue. The taste is firmly bitter and aromatic. Some people like it exactly that way, others prefer to soften it with apple juice or a spoonful of honey.
Storage and good to know
Keep the bottle cool, dry and dark, and out of reach of young children. If you take medication, are pregnant or are breastfeeding, speak to your doctor first. The same category at Avalon Magic Plants holds dozens of other 1:1 extracts, among them nettle, chamomile, peppermint, ginger and dandelion.
