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Notes From the Apothecary: Caraway

Spring is in full swing for many in the northern hemisphere, yet we’re still weeks or even months away from having fruits and seeds to store. That’s why this is the season when many magical and medical herbalists reach for their store cupboards and the trusty dried herbs, fruits, seeds, and spices at their disposal.

With that exact goal in mind, I’ve picked out one of my favourite cupboard spices for this issue of Notes from the Apothecary: Caraway, or Carum carvi.

The Kitchen Garden

Caraway, a member of the carrot family Apiaceae, is a biennial herb. This means it has a two-year growing cycle, and will often only seed in the second year of growth. Savvy gardeners can trick caraway plants into flowering and seeding in their first season by planting the seeds in winter, however, this is only really possible in warm climates. A harsh frost will likely kill young caraway plants. Growing them in containers indoors is feasible. Alternatively, ensure they have a warm, sunny spot outdoors with no chance of frost.

Caraway has a unique, aromatic flavour much sought after for culinary purposes. It’s used to flavour different types of liqueurs, for example, Kümmel, a  European alcoholic drink often found in Germany and Latvia. Caraway seeds are also used in cakes and other baked goods, as well as soups and savoury dishes. They can be served as a side dish to aid digestion, and one Scottish tradition was to dip buttered bread directly into a dish of the seeds and eat it immediately.

You can buy caraway seeds at many supermarkets and grocery stores, however, the name “seed” is actually inaccurate. The “seeds” of caraway plants are actually tiny fruits.

The Apothecary

Caraway has been used medicinally for at least two thousand years and probably much longer. We know this thanks to the Greek pharmacologist and botanist Dioscorides. In his book De Materia Medica, published in the first century of the common era, he mentions that caraway or Carum is, “urinary, warming, good for the stomach, pleasant to the mouth and digestive.”. He also states that it can be taken with a mix of honey and vinegar, and that the roots make a good vegetable similar to a parsnip.

Another plant called wild caraway is mentioned in the same book, and this plant is recommended for facial beauty. Apparently, grinding the seeds and putting them into a lotion for the face helps stave off wrinkles. However, translators throughout the years are unsure if this is the same plant we call caraway today or something entirely different.

Fast-forward 1900 years or so and Mrs Grieve mentions caraway in her famous Modern Herbal. She covers some of the history of the plant, including that Roman leaders and soldiers ate a type of bread made from the roots. She notes that the primary active constituent, which she calls carvene but which today we call carvone, is also found in dill and cumin. We now know that you can also obtain carvone from the oils found in mandarin peel.

Carvone is a natural insect repellent, and is FDA-approved for this purpose. Studies also indicate that this chemical could be useful for limiting weight gain.

The Witch’s Kitchen

There are many unusual customs and folklore snippets surrounding caraway. Going back to Mrs Grieve, she states that caraway seeds were used as a kind of anti-theft device. Placing the seeds in an object meant it could not be taken, and if a thief broke into a home and tried to claim an item with caraway in, they would not be able to leave the premises. She also mentions that the spice was used as a tool to prevent infidelity, and to stop domestic pigeons from straying. Clearly, there’s a theme of retention and control about this plant!

On a connected theme, caraway may be a stimulant for the memory. So, the pigeons might not stray because they remember where to come back to, rather than being bound somehow by the magic of the seed. You could also make the assumption that this plant is associated with steadfastness and loyalty.

Other common modern associations with caraway include:

  • Lust
  • Protection against magic
  • Protection against negativity
  • Attraction; used in pouches and talismans to attract a partner
  • Luck
  • Cleansing
  • The element of Air
  • The planet Mercury

In German folklore, a bowl of caraway under the bed was a way to ward off malicious magical practitioners, particularly to protect children.

Home and Hearth

Using caraway in your spiritual practice means adapting the above correspondences to your own needs and path. If you can afford a large portion of the seeds/fruits, consider scattering them around the external boundaries of your home as a protective barrier and to cleanse and renew any existing metaphysical boundaries you have in place. Plus, you get the added bonus that birds love these seeds and will no doubt come visit you after your magic is done! Take note of what birds you see and look up any associations or meanings. For example, a goldfinch could be a sign of prosperity on the way.

You can also include caraway seeds in bread for offerings to imbue it with a protective nature or bestow luck upon yourself or your guests.

I Never Knew…

An alternative name for caraway is Persian cumin.

 

Image Credits

Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Caraway, Slick, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons