Why I'm happy when my cilantro bolts

I used to morn when my cilantro bolted. No more leaves to harvest, just big clusters of not particularly showy flowers.  Then I learned about green coriander seeds.

L to R: Cilantro, green coriander, mature coriander

Cilantro and Coriander are different names for the same plant. When we harvest the leaves, we call it cilantro. When we harvest the mature seeds, we call the coriander. The flavors of the two are both delicious, and quite different. But there is a magical in-between time when the seeds have started to develop, but are still immature: green coriander. I'd heard someone you could eat them at that stage, so last year I took a nibble.

Wow.

Think cilantro, but some sort of wonderful perfected and glorified cilantro with a lemony almost fruity flavor to it, what cilantro wishes it was but never quite is. In short, I basically don't harvest cilantro leaves any more. I plant it, and wait eagerly for it to bolt, so I can harvest these little nuggets of happiness. Pick them when they are little plump green balls, but before they start to turn brown and toughen. The plant will produce for a surprisingly long time, a couple months for me, if I keep them harvested. I'm careful, however, to never harvest them all, because left to their own devices, they'll self-sow, providing me wonderful flavor every year with essentially no work.

Green coriander is great in anything you'd put cilantro in. It is wonderful with beans, tomatoes (salsa!), and almost anything involving lemon or bacon. Try it in your favorite pasta or potato salad for instant happiness.

Chef + plant breeder + mint = exciting new flavors

Longtime readers will know that I love the intersection of plant breeding and great food, which is why I was so excited when looking through Richters Herbs' website, I noticed their mint offerings. I know the usual varieties: spearmint, peppermint, apple, pineapple, and chocolate mint, but here was a whole new range of mints with names like 'Candy Lime', 'Wintergreen', 'Berries and Cream', and even 'Oregano-thyme'! Reading the descriptions got me even more excited. These are part of a whole series of varieties developed by one Jim Westerfield who, in addition to being a plant breeder and mint enthusiast, is creator of an award winning gourmet restaurant, Westerfield House! I had to order some.

As soon as the box arrived, I pulled them out and start sniffing and nibbling my way through the selections. I wasn't disappointed. We're talking whole new sets of flavors here. I can't wait to start cooking with them! And they're mints, which means easy (sometimes too easy...) to grow!

Here are the 5 varieties I ordered, and my comments on them:

'Wintergreen'
I was skeptical about this one... really? Wintergreen? The dominate flavor is still mint, but there is a pronounced real winter green flavor as well! It also must have a really high methol concentration, because chewing a leaf fills your mouth with that distinctive tingly cooling sensation. I love making mint lemonade... this variety would be perfect for it! Or a mint-berry smoothie! Or... so much more! I hope this guy is a vigorous as most mints, because I'm going to be harvesting a lot of it.

'Oregano-thyme'
Again, I had to order this one because I couldn't quite believe it. Chewing a leaf, I don't know if I'd say oregano or thyme, but the flavor is definitely some sort of cross between mint and something of the rosemary-oregano-sage-thyme ilk. It really feels like a NEW flavor to play with! I can't wait to get it in the kitchen.

'Candy Lime'
This one is delicious. I mean, really, really delicious. Perhaps my favorite flavor just nibbling the leaves straight off the plant. It does indeed have a hint of lime to it, enough to make my boyfriend instantly say "Mojito!"

'Fruit Sensations'
I was a little disappointed here. This one tastes like mint. A very good mint, but nothing extraordinary. In other company, I would probably rave about it, but when the others are so delicious, I don't think I'll really ever use this one.

'Citrus Kitchen'
This one is also quite delicious, and surprisingly has a definite orange flavor to it. My first thought was that this is what I wish mint chocolate chip ice cream tasted like. Now I might have to get an ice cream maker... The tag recommends putting it in orange juice. I might just have to try that.