For years, cilantro was known as "Chinese Parsley." As Mexican and Indian food became more popular, Americans discovered that cilantro's refreshing flavor was loved by cultures worldwide. Its tender, sweet taste elevates the flavor of nearly any dish, though some people are genetically cursed to find cilantro's flavor soapy and intolerable. If you're among them, you can still enjoy these seeds known as coriander by grinding them up and using them as a spice.
Cilantro is wonderful to have on hand: chop some up and toss in vegetable soups, or in curries, or on stir fries. It is best used just before serving, sprinkled on the dish at the table. Note that cilantro must be sown in succession in order to have an extended harvest. By nature, cilantro provides a brief harvest window of only a few weeks before bolting. Keep on sowing to keep on harvesting.
