Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is a hardy annual, in the same family as parsley and carrot. It's a pretty plant, with a growth habit much like parsley's, but chervil's bright-green, flat leaves are cut along the edges, giving the plant a delicate, fringed look. The flavor of those leaves is equally delicate, an elusive, anise like taste that dissipates with cooking. The plants grow to about 1 foot during their leaf stage, but reach 2-1⁄2 feet in flower. The best chervil crops have grown in rich, moisture-retentive soil and high shade or dappled sun. This is one herb that must be direct-sown, because its fragile, taprooted seedlings won't withstand transplanting. Chervil seeds sprout within two weeks of sowing. A dense planting keeps soil from splashing up onto the leaves, and that means no rinsing is needed at harvest. Chervil is a cinch to harvest by pinching or cutting the stems. When grown densely, it rarely needs washing, but if your chervil seems gritty, swish it in cool water and lay it between the folds of a paper towel to dry. To store it, refrigerate the leafy stems in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel, and they'll keep nicely for a week or more. Use the herb fresh to flavor vinaigrettes, omelets, softened cream cheese, herb butter, cooked carrots, chicken, salad...the list goes on and on.
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