Common Name: Chamomile
Scientific Name: Matricaria chamomilla (German chamomile) / Chamaemelum nobile (Roman chamomile)
Color: White petals with a soft yellow center, like small daisies scattered through grass
Blooming Time: Spring to early summer
Delicate flowering herb primarily used dried or fresh in infusions, valued for its gentle floral aroma and soothing, lightly bitter notes.
Flavour Profile
Delicate and lightly honeyed, with notes of apple skin, hay, and dried grasses.
If over-steeped, a gentle bitterness appears—quiet, herbal, slightly grounding rather than sharp.
Culinary Uses
Preparations:
Most commonly used in infusions, warm milks, light syrups, baking blends, or chilled desserts where its aroma can remain subtle.
Pairings:
Pairs well with mild, comforting ingredients: honey, lemon peel, oats, pear, vanilla, white flowers, almonds, and stone fruits.
Kitchen Note:
This flower prefers gentleness: hot water rather than boiling preserves its soft, rounded aroma and avoids bitterness.
Historical & Cultural Notes
Chamomile has been used for centuries across Europe and the Mediterranean, both in kitchens and in household remedies.
Its name comes from the Greek chamaimelon—“ground apple”—referring to the apple-like scent released when the flowers are crushed.
In traditional flower symbolism, chamomile represents patience and quiet strength. It was known as a plant that grows stronger when walked upon, a symbol of resilience rather than fragility.
Sensory Profile
Sight: Small white flowers, low-growing, often blending into meadows and garden edges.
Touch: Light, papery petals with a firm, rounded center when dried.
Smell: Warm, familiar, herbal-fruity; comforting without being sweet.
Taste: Soft and floral, with a subtle bitterness that lingers gently.
Botanical Note
German and Roman chamomile are closely related and often used interchangeably in culinary contexts, though German chamomile is more common in edible preparations.
Fun Fact
The scent of chamomile intensifies when the flowers are gently crushed. In old garden lore, it was sometimes planted near weaker plants, believed to help restore balance and vigor.