IngredientsSpices
Beifußmugwort
Artemisia vulgaris, a daisy relative. The leaves are deeply cut, dark green on top and silvery white underneath.
It belongs to the Martinmas goose and the Christmas goose. A sprig goes inside the bird or into the roasting tin, and it is taken out, not eaten.
Geschmacktaste
Bitter, resinous, slightly harsh. That bitterness is exactly why it suits fatty meat.
It is cut before flowering. After that the plant turns more bitter still and goes unpleasant in a roast.
In Mexikoin Mexico
It is called artemisa. Herbolarias stock it now and then, usually dried and sold as a medicinal herb.
Dried mugwort is also available online. One small sprig does a goose, so a bag lasts years.
Ersatzwhat to use
Marjoram plus a little sage. The marjoram gives the resinous note, the sage the bitterness.
Go light on both or the mix covers the roast. The job is a counterweight to the fat, not a second main flavour.
Vorsichtcareful
In a herbolaria artemisa sits on the shelf as a medicinal plant, not as food. Look for clean, pure material.
Loose herb with no label is a gamble: you cannot tell what was dried along with it.