The Gentian, the adventure of the yellow fairy | Clade/Jolles

Who hasn't admired, during a summer walk, the majestic stalks of yellow gentians that abundantly populate the high-altitude pastures? Yet, it is neither the majesty of the plant nor the beauty of the flowers that interest humans, but its hidden part, the root.

Since time immemorial, this root has been recognized for its therapeutic properties in China, the East, and Europe. Gradually, it left the pharmacists' dispensaries to conquer the palates of discerning gourmets, offering its inimitable flavor to liqueurs, aperitifs, and digestifs, and then to culinary preparations.

But, at no time and regardless of its use, has gentian lost its therapeutic virtues. Even better: today's pharmacy and medicine confirm the empirical observations of the ancients and discover new applications for it.

This book tells the story of the yellow gentian, a mythical plant on par with absinthe, anise, or quinine. It is also a true societal phenomenon, closely associated, since the mid-19th century, with the rise and development of advertising throughout Europe.

ED: Cabédita (2006), 165x240 mm, 180 pages, paperback