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Cilantro

June 26th, 2013

I LOVE cilantro!  Perhaps it stems from my childhood in Colombia, where it was sprinkled on top of pretty much everything, perhaps I just like it, who knows. It’s probably from my childhood though, because I like it when it starts to bloom. The ferny bits of cilantro are much better in my opinion. That’s how we always had it in Colombia, the flat, parsley like leaves weren’t seen very often.
fresh cilantro
My mom had a plant in the garden that was blooming, so I’ve been enjoying ferny cilantro sprinkled on everything. The other morning I made soup for breakfast with duck stock and freshly cut yucca.
breakfast soup small
If only I had some ripe hot peppers, I’d make the Colombian version of hot sauce that’s green from all the cilantro.

What’s your favorite fresh herb?

18 Comments to “Cilantro”
  1. Crinia on June 26, 2013 at 6:24 am

    We use a lot of Rosemary here as a herb, it’s my favourite especially with lamb dishes.

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  2. Lemongrass on June 26, 2013 at 6:55 am

    I was head over heels in love with cilantro when I first got introduced to it years ago. A friend at my community garden in Brooklyn, NY made the hook up. You’re right, I have it with everthing. I was twice smitten when my plants sent out their beautiful blossoms and went into seed. Am disheartened as my last set of seeds did not germinate. I have to try a new batch.
    Yacca in any soup is the best. Would like a Colombian vision of your hot sauce…………lots of hot peppers growing everywhere.
    Cilantro, cilantro, cilantro!

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  3. Lori on June 26, 2013 at 7:14 am

    I love chives, especially the blossoms. I grow as much of it as I can. I’m a huge fan of onions and general, and sprinkle chives on everything!

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  4. Joan on June 26, 2013 at 7:17 am

    I LOVE cilantro. It’s my second favorite herb – basil is my first. But, I use cilantro more fresh than basil (I use more frozen basil though, pesto cubes go in almost everything we cook). I’m not as fond of cilantros taste when it flowers – I just ripped up all of mine that had flowered. Maybe I need to work on acquiring this taste!

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  5. Misti on June 26, 2013 at 8:29 am

    I love cilantro too but it always grows on opposite seasons as everything else to make salsa (here in the south)! Entirely frustrating for me.

    I love fresh basil but I think I could make oregano a favorite.

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  6. Nita on June 26, 2013 at 11:29 am

    Cilantro hands down! It has naturalized in our gardens and greenhouse so we always have some on hand once the growing season commences. But we love it so much we plant it too :)

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  7. amy on June 26, 2013 at 11:30 am

    Cannot pick just one….terribly fond of pesto but also of so many other herbs.. Cilantro has become a perennial for me….I let it all go to seed and then pick some of the seed heads for coriander….which is actually what I like a bit better and use more of than the cilantro leaves….Cilantro took some getting use to for me….but I love it in salsa!

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  8. Elyse on June 26, 2013 at 11:40 am

    Oregano is tops, but it’s so hard to choose! I want to grow lots of different herbs, especially rosemary.

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  9. KimH on June 26, 2013 at 1:30 pm

    Ohh.. I hate “favorites” questions.. I can never answer them with just one.
    My top 4 that are probably about equal in love (cant live without them) are cilantro, rosemary, cumin, & garlic.. I could live without every other herb/spice if I had to.. but not those 4..

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  10. Aria on June 26, 2013 at 3:08 pm

    Cilantro is my favourite herb. I only discovered my love for it when I moved out on my own since my mother is one of those people who just hates it. Seems there’s a genetic reason for so many people disliking it:
    http://www.nature.com/news/soapy-taste-of-coriander-linked-to-genetic-variants-1.11398

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  11. Caroline on June 26, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    I’m fairly new to fresh herbs, but I do enjoy cilantro and parsley together. Basil and oregano dried are loved by the Italian in me. I look forward to trying out some fresh basil this summer.

    I bought some lemon thyme and lime basil because they smelled soooo yummy, I’m just not sure what I’m going to do with them!

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  12. laura on June 26, 2013 at 4:11 pm

    i love cilantro but every time i grow it it immediately bolts and i have seeds. any suggestions as to how to make it last longer before setting seed?
    blessings
    ~*~

    Reply to laura's comment

    • Lemongrass on June 26, 2013 at 5:40 pm

      Laura, cilantro likes cool weather. When I lived in SC I planted in the late summer for a fall crop. Leaving a few plants to reseed would allow for an early spring harvest. It also grew well under plastic covers during SC’s short winter. I am trying for the first time to grow it in the Caribbean.

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    • Susy on June 26, 2013 at 8:48 pm

      You can also buy Slow Bolt Cilantro, I know Baker Creek carries it, here’s the link: http://www.rareseeds.com/cilantro-slo-bolt/?F_Keyword=slo%20bolt%20cilantro

      Reply to Susy's comment

  13. Crinia on June 26, 2013 at 9:04 pm

    For the French, British, and Australians. Cilantro is the Spanish word for Coriander – now you know what they are taking about :)

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    • Susy on June 26, 2013 at 9:29 pm

      Here in the US it’s Cilantro when it’s a leafy fresh herb and coriander when it’s the seeds.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  14. Kim of SakuraSundries on June 27, 2013 at 12:15 am

    Please, please, please share your recipe for the “hot sauce,” we love cilantro around here and have a ton of hot peppers all year (living in Florida). If you want some peppers I’d be happy to send you some, they hold up well in the mail!

    Reply to Kim of SakuraSundries's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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