What exactly is horehound?

 

Most of us know about horehound – in name, if not in use. It’s made an appearance in such literary works as  where the young characters loved eating horehound candy. It’s funny, because many of our customers aren’t altogether sure if horehound is a literary invention or any actual thing. And if it is an actual thing – what is it? Where is it from?  And, what’s with that name? As for the former questions, we get all sort of wise-guy comments, as to the perceived promiscuous nature of horehound. I’m sure you know what I mean.

So, here’s a horehound primer:

 

Horehound: The Plant

Horehound is a plant that arrived in North America somewhere in the 1500s. It’s of the mint family but clearly a distant cousin where flavor is concerned. It’s not as invasive as mint and grows in a clump, more that an ever-extending stream of vines that swallow up everything in its path as, say, peppermint. Horehound is also the bitter herb of the Bible. It’s a lovely plant whose flowers grow in delicate clusters as seen in this Bonelli illustration of sound 1772:

Horehound: The Name???

Horehound (also spelled “Hoarhound”) was named for its leaves which were hoary…meaning had little hair-like threads on them. 

 

Horehound: The Venerable Candy

I say “venerable” but I really should have said “controversial.” The truth is, some people love it and some people don’t. To me, horehound tastes a bit like bitter salad greens. It has a tangy side to it, softened by sugar.  It is a true taste of the past, though, when flavors weren’t as homogenized, as sweet, and industrial as they are today. Even the NECCO company made horehound candy, as you can see from this ad of 1910:

Today’s horehound-makers are creating a milder taste, but it still has bite We’re still happy to say that horehound remains a viable candy – and tea – today.

Want to Make Horehound Tea? Here’s a Simple Recipe

Loose tea: Take a teaspoon or two to taste and add it to a strainer, tea ball, or other device and let it steep around five minutes. ADD honey, sugar or other ingredient to taste. 

Horehound: The Medicine

Like every hard candy I know, horehound candy started as a medicine. Early on, it was likely boiled with sugar of some sort into a syrup, hard candy, or eaten as is. (Think: Bitter Herb). While horehound had a range of medicinal values, according to experts, the most prevalent was (and still is) it’s value in easing sore throats and soothing upset stomachs. Does it actually cure ailments? Depends who you ask. 

In fact, at the blossoming of the Industrial Revolution, when marketing was becoming a vivid shaper of reality, ads for the wonders of horehound were aplenty. Here’s an example of 1861:

This notice appeared in 1880 – as found touts the many benefits of horehound and tar. You might be thinking TAR?? Yes, tar, which is the resin from spruce and other trees.  NOTICE: Horehound was touted as a “cure”:

BUT … when the Food and Drug Act of 1906 passed targeting adulterants in food, false advertising and so much more…horehound was caught in the fray. Advertisers shifted gear. No longer was it: “Horehound the Cure” but “Horehound the Relief” as in this 1909 ad:

For more on the history of Horehound the MEDICINE, go to the insightful article found here: Hale’s Honey of Horehound and Tar, C. N. Crittenton, New York – Bay Bottles

Horehound the Medicine? Horehound the Candy? What’s in a Name?

Through it all, during the Industrial Revolution and beyond, horehound had two identities…both at once. Call it – Horehound the Cross-Over. Here’s one from 1879 – very practical and tasty-ish: