I've never come across chaste tree berries either in home cooking or professionally, but I shall certainly look out for them.
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Chaste tree | Ripening chaste tree fruits (drupes) | Dried chaste tree fruits |
| Species: | Vitex agnus-castus. |
Origin: | Mediterranean. |
Source: | Mediterranean region. |
Used Part: | Fruits. |
Family: | Verbenaceae (verbena family). |
Effect: | Aromatic, but with weak aroma. A slightly pungent and bitter taste. |
Etymology: | Chaste tree carries several "sacred" names, which more or less directly refer to its reputation as an anaphrodisiac. In Ancient Greece, the tree was called hagnos "chaste", which apparently the early Christians confused with Latin agnus "lamb", the Christian symbol of purity. Under the name agnus castus "chaste lamb", the plant was used by Christian monks to help suppress desires of the flesh. Many European names allude to chastity. |
Another group of names refers to the Biblical patriarch Abraham, e.g. English Abraham's balm, German Abrahamsstrauch and Russian Avraamovo derevo. The genus name vitex derives from Latin vitilis "made by plaiting", because the flexible branches of the tree were used in the construction of plaited fences. | |
Uses: | Dried chaste tree berries have been used in small scale as a pepper substitute, but the taste is rather weak. They have some merit in spice mixtures for barbecued or fried meat. Today, chaste tree berries are nearly forgotten, but they still appear in spice mixtures from Morocco. |