Toss Those Cares Away with Caraway!

Folklore/Common Names: Caraway

Part Used:Fruit (seed) although the entire plant is edible.

Historical Reference

Caraway has been a staple food and medicinal herb since ancient times - and I do mean ancient. Evidence of caraway has been found among Mesolithic food remnants, dating it back at least 5000 years. Medicinally, its usage goes back at least 1500 years of recorded history, as it can be found in the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medicinal manuscripts. Some attribute its original usage to the Ancient Arabs, who still call the seeds Karawya, the clear origin of our word 'Caraway'.

Caraway, mixed with milk and formed into bread, was supposed to have been the "chara" of Julius Caesar and the soldiers of Valerius.

We know Caraway entered the awareness of Europeans around the 13th Century. By 1390, Richard II's cook was well aware of the culinary benefits of Caraway, mentioning it in his Form of Cury, a cookbook dating from that time.

M. Grieve tells us in A Modern Herbal that "The scattering of the seed over cakes has long been practised, and Caraway-seed cake was formerly a standing institution at the feasts given by farmers to their labourers at the end of the wheat-sowing."

In Europe, the oil extracted from Caraway fruit was used to flavor alcoholic liquors in much the same way as Anise. Both the Germans and the Russians were known for one Caraway flavored liqueur known as Kummel.

Caraway also maintains a rich folklore dating back as far as its factual history. Dioscorides advised the oil to be taken by pale-faced girls, urged to eat breads, cakes and fruits with caraway to "give them a rellish". Eventually Caraway took on a few aphrodisiac qualities, said to inspire lust in those who consumed such baked goods. An apple pie spiced with Caraway was said to have been especially enticing.

Similarly, Caraway was believed to keep lovers from straying, which led to its use in flavoring 'love potions'. It is a fact, actually, that tame pigeons (pigeons love the seeds), will never stray if they are given a piece of baked Caraway dough in their cote.

Yet another curious superstition was that Caraway would prevent the theft of any object which contained it, and holding the guilty party inside the house if theft was attempted.

Medicinal Use
Caution: There are no cautions regarding Caraway in recommended dosages, but I would urge you to stick to the seed, whole or powdered, and avoid Caraway Oil which can be irritating to the mucous membranes.

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