Description

Coriander (also known as cilantro) is one of the world’s most popular and polarizing herbs, celebrated for its bright, citrusy, and refreshing flavor. While the delicate, lacy green leaves are used fresh to lift the flavor of salsas and curries, the plant also produces flavorful seeds that offer a warm, nutty spice. It is a dual-purpose herb that brings a “zing” to almost any global cuisine.

Coriander is one of the oldest known herbs, native to the Mediterranean and Western Asia. Its seeds were found in ancient Egyptian tombs, including that of Tutankhamun, suggesting it was used for both food and medicine over 3,000 years ago. The ancient Greeks believed it had aphrodisiac properties, while the Romans used it to preserve meats. It eventually traveled to the Americas with Spanish conquistadors, where it became the soul of Mexican cooking.

Coriander is a cool-season herb that thrives in Spring and Autumn. It grows incredibly fast but is sensitive to heat; as soon as the summer temperatures rise, the plant will “bolt” (go to seed) and the leaves will lose their tender flavor. For the best leafy harvest, it is picked in the mild weeks of early spring or late summer.