<p>I have grown both. Love both, but they have very distinctive differences.
Cilantro is great for marinades paired with lime and garlic. I think parsley is more versatile.
I lost all of my parlsey and dill a couple of yrs ago to Swallowtail butterflies…they did not like the cilantro</p>
<p>Rosemary is quirky. In North Jersey, our rosemary rarely made it through the winter. In South Jersey, which, where we are, is a different zone, it’s growing exponentially.</p>
<p>Hey, look up–gardening ad :).</p>
<p>The swallowtails are one of the best parts! That’s why I let it go to seed the second year.</p>
<p>My ad says “learn audio recording…”</p>
<p>Remember Garland, you and I are neighbors. If Rosemary is a tough customer in northern NJ, then no wonder my seeds haven’t produced any plants. I guess I’ll go buy the Rosemary plants I found at a nearby Shop-Rite and try to rehabilitate them.</p>
<p>Oh, I see that you said ‘south Jersey.’ Well, that’s only a Turnpike away, neighbor. By the way, I got sunburned last weekend at an outdoor festival in Monmouth County. I couldn’t believe it.</p>
<p>My rosemary never lasts through the winter, even when I bring it inside.</p>
<p>I think rosemary doesn’t like northern light. Or me. But boy I love it, i could live on rosemary roasted chicken and potatoes (particularly ones just out of the garden).</p>
<p>LW–Monmouth County is where I grew up. We mostly still live in North Jersey now (near Newark), but bought our retirement home way down near the D. Bay, so we spend every weekend there. (having grown up near the water, it’s nice to be back again.) Anyhoo, way down there, even though Jersey is a small state, the climate really is different. It stays warmer through the winter, takes longer to warm up in the spring, but stays warmer far longer in the fall (in 08 we were swimming in the bay and ocean well into October, but not last year). So, we are adjusting our gardening there to a whole nother set of circumstances.</p>
<p>Overall, NJ being as small as it is, all parts of it are still “neighbor” to me! 
(we are not near the Turnpike–we have been Parkway denizens are whole lives.)</p>
<p>O.K., I bought the Parsely and the Rosemary plants. Parsely now looks rejuvenated and much healthier (which is due to simply to luck, prayers and water, I’m sure). The Rosemary became healthy enough trim into separate seedlings. As for the other the seedlings, the yellow squash and the snap sugar peas are vibrant, as are the Romaine lettuce leaves. Basil finally sprouted.</p>
<p>Let the parsley go to seed yearly and take those seeds and replant 'em and you have parsley forever. Right now my Parsley is in the going to seed process and I will have new plants coming along. We have so much rosemary growing in the park in my neighborhood that I pick it when I need it. It never dies back here and grows in enormous bushes.</p>
<p>All my rosemary plants died back this winter. It was a tough winter. Everyone I know is cutting back dead rosemary and hoping it comes back from the roots.</p>
<p>I have tarragon, oregano, chives, rosemary, sage, parsley, cilantro, lemon balm, and a bay leaf tree (European bay laurel, not Californian–the CA variety has a weird aftertaste to me). </p>
<p>One of my favorite salad garnishes is “deep-fried” sage leaves. Take big fresh sage leaves and fry them until bright green in very hot olive oil (about 1/8" deep), then drain on paper towels. They are very crisp and very sweet, without that bitter sage flavor. You have to try them once to believe it. (Then use the olive oil in your salad dressing. Yummy!)</p>
<p>Cool idea with the sage leaves, dmd. I will try that!</p>
<p>I am fascinated by this because I looooooove cilantro, and my husband loathes it. I just thought he was being difficult. Go figure!</p>
<p>Sage is bitter?! A Germany friend of mine used to serve fried sage leaves with fresh cheese ravioli as an appetizer. Yummy!</p>
<p>Those who think parsley is tasteless should try flat leaf parsley. I find the curly parsley is tasteless and only good for garnishes, but the flat leaf kind has a stronger flavor, which I find delicious. Flat leaf parsley and cilantro look similar, but if there’s doubt I just taste a leaf. </p>
<p>For me, cilantro has a soapy flavor, but I love it anyway. I couldn’t cook Mexican or Indian food without it.</p>
<p>I must have flat leaf. The leaves are enormous but they are several generations from the original plants. Beautiful parsley.</p>
<p>Dmd77; I had seen a TV recipe that included fried sage leaves so since you and Mathmom have recomended it I’ll have to give it a try. By the way, does anyone here besides Rachael “Oh My God” Ray toast their dried spices?</p>
<p>"Flat leaf parsley and cilantro look similar, but if there’s doubt I just taste a leaf. "</p>
<p>Or just bruise a bit and sniff.</p>
<p>"By the way, does anyone here besides Rachael “Oh My God” Ray toast their dried spices? "</p>
<p>I toast things like seeds ( mustard, cumin, coriander) , oregano, and dried chiles.</p>