You Can Grow Chervil All Year Round

Chervil (lat. Anthriscus cerefolium) is an undemanding herb that grows very quickly and is easy to cultivate indoors. It bears a striking resemblance to parsley, not only in its aroma but also in appearance. In the past, it was a very popular Lenten herb, consumed for example on Maundy Thursday. Chervil is a characteristic herb of French cuisine.

The chervil plant originates from southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. In its homeland, it grows wild on hillsides or in lowlands, in shrublands, along fences, or in acacia forests. People used it as a spice in ancient times; Greeks and Romans flavored their soups with chervil.

It became well-known through writings on monastery medicine. Later, herbalists considered this plant a warming and drying herb that helps with fever, digestive disorders, or vomiting. Chervil is therefore one of the indispensable herbs and spices.

Chervil is also known by alternative names such as French parsley or garden chervil. We can grow it in an herb garden or in a pot indoors.

Growing Chervil

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is an annual herb that grows to a height of 25 - 40cm. It belongs to the carrot family (lat. Apiaceae). We grow chervil from seeds, which germinate very quickly. The chervil plant does not tolerate transplanting. Since it is cold-resistant, we can plant it in lower altitudes as early as March, at a spacing of 25cm, but night temperatures must not drop below 7°C. The chervil stem is thin, finely grooved, and branches upward. It has light green lacy leaves with a distinct vein structure and bristles on both upper and lower surfaces. In appearance, they strikingly resemble ferns.

At the end of the stem, small white flowers grow in umbels, blooming from April to approximately July. Chervil seeds are dark brown, long and narrow, approximately 6mm in size. During warm summer days, the seeds ripen quickly. We grow the plant in light, well-drained soil, in a location with partial shade (e.g., under deciduous trees). In strong sunlight, it bolts very quickly and loses its original color and flavor! Chervil requires adequate watering, so we water it frequently. We grow chervil regardless of the season - in winter it can replace parsley for us!

We harvest chervil leaves just before flowering, or when the plant reaches a size of 10 cm. It is recommended to use gloves when harvesting. The harvested leaves should either be frozen or always used fresh, as dried chervil loses its aroma and flavor.

Detoxifying and Medicinal Effects of Chervil

Chervil contains flavonoids, bitters, glycosides, essential oil, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, carotene and other substances.

This plant is used to support digestion, improve blood circulation, detoxify the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, increase kidney blood flow and helps with chronic diarrhea and high blood pressure. It regenerates the human body during fasting periods and during body detoxification.

• How to prepare fresh tea according to grandmothers? We prepare chervil tea by adding a few fresh leaves to 250 ml of boiling water and letting it steep for 15 minutes. The maximum daily dose is 5g of herb. When treating with chervil, we drink plenty of clean water. The tea can also be used for eye compresses, which help relieve eye pain.

Chervil instead of parsley

We use chervil in the kitchen as a spice, because it has a pleasant aroma and taste, which also resembles anise. It is part of soups, vegetable dishes and sauces. It goes well with baked potatoes, fish, poultry and lamb. It is part of vegetable salads, herb butter and dishes prepared from eggs. We also add it to other herbs to enhance their aroma.

Chervil, together with parsley, chives and tarragon, is part of the famous French mixture fines herbes. The mixture is added to dishes just before finishing, so it doesn't lose its taste and aroma. We also prepare vinegar from it.

What is chervil?

Chervil (lat. Anthriscus cerefolium) is a well-known medicinal and culinary plant. It is undemanding to grow, grows very quickly, best in shade in light soil and can be grown all year round. We grow it indoors in a pot or as part of a herb garden. It helps with digestive problems, regenerates and detoxifies the body during diets and fasting. Chervil is an effective substitute for parsley and is part of the famous French spice mixture fines herbes. In spring it is a suitable source of vitamin C.

By mixing chervil with cottage cheese, we prepare a tasty and healthy treat for children. In tea, it can be used to cleanse the complexion and smooth wrinkles.