SC - orris/iris root

[Jenne Heise]

> After taking a closer look at a bottle of 'Bombay Sapphire' (gin) I came across a spice/herb I haven't heard of. All spices used in the gin are listed and one of them is orris.  On the label it says 'Orris (Iris root), from Italy'. 
> I checked the spice pages at
> http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/engl/index.html
> but couldn't find any info.  Anyone out there who could enlighten me ?

Um. Orris root is the rhizome from the Florentine Iris. These Irises have
a rhizome (sort of like a root, rather than a bulb: ginger, galangal, and
tumeric are all rhizomes), which is dried and powdered and sold as 'Orris
root'; also, the essential oil is extracted and sold as 'orris oil'.
Freshly ground Orris has a violet scent and I've read that it was
the primary ingredient in violet powder, along with oil of Parma violet.

It isn't generally used in cooking, though the Encyclopedia Britannica
does note that it is used in some gin.

If you want to make a period-style body powder or sachet, Orris powder
makes a good base.

 -- 
Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise	      jenne at tulgey.browser.net
disclaimer: i speak for no-one and no-one speaks for me.
"Our kingdom is a garden and such gardens are not made/By singing "Oh how
beautiful!" and sitting in the shade..." --Kipling, "Glory of the Garden"