Samphire

samphire the name of two species of plant which are often confused although not closely related. They have, however, characteristics in common, especially in appearance, and both are pickled for table use. Rock samphire, Crithmum maritimum, is the important one. It belongs to the Umbelliferae family along with celery, fennel, etc. Marsh samphire, Salicornia europaea, is a chenopodium (of the beet family) and is more available but less prized. If one comes across a reference to ‘samphire’ in an old cookery book (or indeed a modern one), it is sometimes difficult to tell which sort is meant. As Jane Grigson (1978) observed, it would have been a great convenience if everyone had agreed long ago to call marsh samphire by its alternative name glasswort (given because it used to be burned to provide alkali for glass-makers).