Coriander

Are you a lover or a hater? Coriander (Coriander sativum), or cilantro if you are American, is SUCH a divisive taste. Some people despise it, and claim it tastes like soap, while other people love its fresh aromatic flavour.

It actually all comes down to our taste receptors. People have different variants of these receptors and they react differently to the volatile compounds that give food its flavour.

If you don’t like the leaves, you might be partial to the seeds or roots, both of which are used in various cuisines. While the seeds are typically eaten dry as a spice, I also really love fresh green ones - although maybe not for you if you don’t like the leaf flavour. The flowers are edible too, but taste like the leaves as well.

If you really can’t bring yourself to eat coriander, you can always grow it for the bees! This is particularly easy to do in warm climates when its natural tendency is to go straight to flower and seed anyway. Just tell people you were only growing it for the flowers anyway!

If you do want to grow it for its leaves, grow it in the cooler months and do not let it dry out. Sow a few seeds every week to keep the harvest coming and you’ll be feasting on Bahn mi in no time.

If you really struggle with it, or want a mid-summer option, try out some other coriander like herbs. Mexican/sawtooth coriander (Eryngium foetidum) is the closest in flavour, and loves wet, hot, humid summers and papalo/yerba porosa (Porophyllum ruderale) is the best on tacos (though beware it self seeds prolifically).