Angelica stem jam.

When the angelica (Angelica archangelica) first starts to grow the stems are tender and soft.

And that's the right time to pick them for angelica stem jam, sugared angelica stems and similar.

Pic: Young angelica leaf.
So I picked a handful of angelica leaf while the plant was still just a small mound, a few days ago. I could wait until early summer and pick the flowerstalks as they form, teensy tiny things, too.

I used the leaf stem only: the leaf itself has a very strong taste, and is best discarded. I haven't tried making something sugary of the flowerbuds, but it's entirely possible that they can be used, too.

Angelica stem jam

100 g sliced-up young angelica stems and stalks
1 dl water
200 g sugar
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, or a sprinkling or two of citric acid

Mix sugar, lemon juice and water and bring to a boil. Add sliced-up angelica bits and let boil for a while - the recipe I used said "until they're half transparent", which is impossible to judge in my pan. I let it boil under a lid on lowest heat for 10-15 minutes, which seems to be about right.

Pour into a jar, let cool, add labels.

Pic: Some angelica stem jam.
I didn't make much - I don't much like sugary things, and I currently only have the one angelica.
There's our wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris) of course, but it's far stronger in taste and I haven't seen it yet this spring.

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I have to say, the lemon juice / citric acid was a very good idea. Yum for lemony angelica!