what you should know

Like a seasoned diplomat, tarragon is somehow forceful and subtle at the same time. It's an elegantly tuned herb -- delicate, reasonable.

walks softly Tarragon's thin, long leaves have a slightly sweet, resinous flavor, like basil-infused licorice. Add fresh tarragon towards the end of cooking to retain that flavor in the dish.

carries big stick As with thyme and marjoram, too much tarragon can overpower a dish. If a recipe calls for fresh tarragon and all you have is dried, use less than the recipe calls for.

fine aliment Tarragon goes especially well with eggs, chicken, fish and cream. A fundamental herb of French cuisine, tarragon is paired with chives, chervil and parsley to create the classic French herb mix called fines herbes.

fit for a king The difference between Hollandaise sauce and Béarnaise sauce? For Hollandaise, you use lemon juice. For Béarnaise, you use vinegar and add tarragon.

fit for a tramp The famous character of Estragon the clochard in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot is named after the French word for tarragon.

what you need

This contraption might be the flashiest way to chop tarragon, though we think this knife would work just as well.

Has it been too long since your last reading of Beckett's Waiting for Godot? Nothing to do but read it again.

Got a witch in your life who needs to brush up on tarragon's many mystical applications? (It's been said to cure snake bites.) Get her Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.

For more traditional culinary uses of tarragon, Herbs and Spices: The Cook's Reference has got you covered.

what you do

Tarragon's delicate but distinctive flavor adds depth to many sauces and dressings, notably bearrnaise sauce, tarragon vinaigrette and Green Goddess dressing.

Earthy, green broccoli loves the anise-y flavor of tarragon in this creamy risotto.

While we love our morning pancakes, sometimes we like to mix it up with savory potato latkes and fried eggs.

We often find it unbearable to cook indoors during the month of August, when summer's end is in sight. Get outside and grill this tarragon chicken with carrots.

Cook & Eat's summery salmon noodle soup is a quick and comforting lunch.

Featured recipe: This week's Root Source Challenge recipe comes from eating club vancouver. These tarragon carrot deviled eggs are brighter and more complex than the usual deviled egg.

Visit Cookthink.com for more tarragon recipes