Cilantro??

Tesco and ASDA seem to be the worst about randomly not carrying items. Now we have to spend 2 quid on a jar of Bonne Maman every week, and if they stop carrying that I don't know what we'll do. We're jam* snobs.

Sainsbury's? Marks and Spencer?

Sainsbury's? Marks and Spencer?

Curse you and your earth logic! *shakes fist* 

Mort, actually, I don't know where you can find fresh dill here. My boyfriend has never even eaten it before, so maybe it's just not a common herb? Which is kind of surprising given how nice it is with salmon.

We get it at the greengrocer year-round.

Rosemary and thyme grow outside alright, but they've got woody stems so are pretty hardy. I imagine something like dill or cilantro would have to be grown indoors.

Dill and coriander should be fine in the summer but, for some reason, my coriander always dies. I have friends who've been successful, though, but I have no idea what their secret it.

My rosemary, thyme, parsley, mint and lemon balm have been fine through the winter in previous years (because of moving, I didn't grow any this year). Basil is the only thing I haven't been able to keep going through the cold months.

Topic? I didn't realize that cilantro was such a big part of Indian cooking until I moved to the UK. Isn't it strange that two countries that are so far apart (India and Mexico) share so many common ingredients in their cuisines?

When I lived in Los Angeles, I had some clients who came to the US for the first time from Mumbai.  I took them for Mexican the first night, and they thought they had died and gone to heaven.  When they left, they took a HUGE jar of jalapenos.  They ate them like they were candy!  I still see one of the guys here in London, so now I take him to Wahaca.  He is almost as crazy about the place as I am!

We definitely call it cilantro in Florida. I remember reading an article that said that the way we perceive the taste of cilantro/coriander has to do with genes--apparently tasting soap is a genetic thing. And then I think man, I wish I could get paid to study things like the way people perceive the taste of cilantro. Think of all the pico de gallo I could eat!

My genes must have mutated at some point then because I used to hate cilantro and thought it tasted soapy and then suddenly I started liking it and now I love it!

I've seen fresh dill at Sainbury's once.  Maybe you have to freeze it when you actually do find it.  It doesn't seem to be around as much as some of the others.  Does anyone grow herbs inside?  I would think it would be too cold for them outside, but maybe I'm wrong?

Plant nerd strikes again.   

The indoor environment is (usually) controlled enough to the point where human comfort = not freezing = plants will survive. The more heat and sunlight you can provide in winter, the better off they will be.

Plant respond to signals like temperature, moisture and hours of light in order to understand that it's time to do things like germinate, grow or go to sleep.  Also, spring/summer is generally the time for growth while fall/winter is the time for rest.

So - depending on the plant and how it grows - if there are warm enough temps and sunlight, some plants will keep growing inside.  Other plants that only put up shoots in response to a specific combination of light and temp aren't going to do anything until they get specifically what they need.

I don't know for sure, but I suspect that cilantro only grows in the spring conditions, so it doesn't make for a good winter house plant.

My genes must have mutated at some point then because I used to hate cilantro and thought it tasted soapy and then suddenly I started liking it and now I love it!

Traitor!!

Traitor!!

The public burning is scheduled for next week.

Also, I think cilantro is an annual so once it "blooms" it will die. I know with dill, the way to prolong its life, you have to cut the flower buds before they bloom or else it'll be gone pretty quickly.

And I love throwing cilantro in any asian dishes I make. Yummy!

Traitor!!

The public burning is scheduled for next week.

 

It's OK, Melissa. We'll protect you in the coriander safe house.

It's OK, Melissa. We'll protect you in the coriander safe house.