I LOVE cilantro because...

[tommy]

you can eat the stems and everything.

[Suvir Saran]

Because they can make something not sol lively, become alive by their addition.

I also love cilantro seeds (coriander seeds), their powder can make most dishes become delicious and the most heavy foods can become easily digestible.

[jeniac42]

...good Lord, have you smelled it? How could you NOT love cilantro?

(I used to think it tasted like soap, but now I eat it like it's going out of style.)

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

you can eat the stems and everything.

stems AND seeds.

[mamster]

And the roots! The roots are the best part.

[Suvir Saran]

The stems give great flavor with least visibility. They are used in many marinades where you do not want the color of the leaves, but want the fresh flavor.

[helenas]

And unlike many other herbs it withstands the long cooking: just check the recipe for braised cilantro and chard in Deborah Madison's book: just great!

And not to forget charmoula!

[jhlurie]

What I DON'T love is that its absolute hell to grow yourself.

[davidscooking]

I love cilantro because it tastes like brightness. And because it's the perfect herbal compliment to chile peppers. And because even though it IS hell to grow yourself (upon reaching maturity, it goes to immediately and aggressively to seed, so it's useful for like a day), it's widely available and of consistent quality--I love it because I can depend on it.

[snowangel]

And the roots!  The roots are the best part.

Bingo!

[docsconz]

How do you use the roots?

[Xanthippe]

And not to forget charmoula!

Yummmm, charmoula!! Redolent of garlic, cilantro, and the spices of warm climates!

Yemenite z'houg is wonderful as well . . .

[Jason Perlow]

What I DON'T love is that its absolute hell to grow yourself.

Actually Jon, it grew in our garden like a weed last summer. Its probably a pain in the ass to grow indoors though.

[snowangel]

How do you use the roots?

scrub well, use as you would cilantro. Mince finely. It is more intensely "cilantroey." Due to many, many Hmong in our area, most cilantro sold in my neighborhood (at Asian or regular grocery stores) is sold with roots on. $.29/bunch, so why bother to grow it?

[johnjohn]

I love cilantro when chefs don't overdo it when adding it to a dish. I find it has a strong taste and can easily overpower other flavors. Thankfully, this was more of a problem a few years ago - haven't run into it much lately.

johnjohn

[ballast_regime]

. . . it reminds me of one of my favorite cuisines: vietnamese.

much peace,

iml

ballast/regime

[torakris]

everything about cilantro is wonderful! It goes form SE Asian foods to Indian foods, over the middle east and all the way to Mexico.

Snowangel I am so jealous of the price you get it for!!

[Blue Heron]

I love the way cilantro tastes ... fresh and festive. I love it in Salsas (Pico de gallo) and Vietnamese cuisine (and it's also great in those Thai Crab Salad in Endive Leaves that I make). It grows well in my garden, but tends to flower and bolt quickly. So it's best to stagger the planting of seeds, especially to make sure there is plenty of cilantro by the time the garden tomatoes are ripe in the late summer. My hubby does not care for it, but fortunately it's easy for me to add several sprigs separately at the last minute to my plate.

[snowangel]

It grows well in my garden, but tends to flower and bolt quickly.  So it's best to stagger the planting of seeds, especially to make sure there is plenty of cilantro by the time the garden tomatoes are ripe in the late summer.  My hubby does not care for it, but fortunately it's easy for me to add several sprigs separately at the last minute to my plate.

It helps to grow in and amongst other plants. It seems to bolt less rapidly when it is somewhat shaded, so I stick seeds in whereever I need ground cover.

[Blue Heron]

It grows well in my garden, but tends to flower and bolt quickly.  So it's best to stagger the planting of seeds, especially to make sure there is plenty of cilantro by the time the garden tomatoes are ripe in the late summer. My hubby does not care for it, but fortunately it's easy for me to add several sprigs separately at the last minute to my plate.

It helps to grow in and amongst other plants. It seems to bolt less rapidly when it is somewhat shaded, so I stick seeds in whereever I need ground cover.

snowangle... thanks for the tip, I will try that.

[fyfas]

I, too, love cilantro and was often annoyed with a friend or two who would shriek... "o-o-o-hhh ! Cilantro !!!" and never eat what it was on/in. I thought , how picky ! Then I found out that there is, in fact, a specific chemical in cilantro that some people are truly repulsed by though it is not actually an allergy that has risk. It's just that, for them, the taste is horrible where, to us, it is wonderful.

All of that just fwiw and to add to the discussion. Now, if only I could master growing it. It really is a pain !

[cabingirl]

Now, if only I could master growing it.  It really is a pain !

Maybe I can help you out - where do you live? I sow it both in pots and directly into the ground, in about a week or so (I'm in SE PA) and do successive plantings (like every two weeks) because both bolt and go to seed. It honestly grows like a weed. All I do is keep it watered.

Have you tried getting plants from a local nursery? Or have you tried from seed?

[tissue]

One of the reasons I love cilantro is the way it brightens my gaucamole.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

because you can EAT the stems and seeds...always a plus...

[Ron Johnson]

Then I found out that there is, in fact, a specific chemical  in cilantro that some people are truly repulsed by though it is not actually an allergy that has risk.

What chemical is that?