Answers from Expert: Canadian Living Test Kitchen Staff

If you have a question for any of our experts, please visit our Just Ask page. Flat leaf/large leaf/Italian parsley is a variety of parsley, it is neither coriander nor cilantro. Its leaves are a darker green, and while the shape of the leaves may be somewhat similar to coriander/cilantro, the flavour is milder, and of course quite distinctly different. Parsley is in the Apiaceae (formerly Umbelliferae) family. There is considerable shifting of names for coriander. The fresh version of leaves is correctly known in English as coriander, although, you may find older references for it as "Chinese Parsley". As this herb was popularized in North America through Mexican and southwestern American cooking, it is now more commonly called by the Spanish name of the herb, "cilantro." McCormick's has a dried version of the herb labelled "cilantro" and the bunches of fresh herbs I find in most supermarkets are labelled "cilantro." On Food Network Canada, chefs from the UK refer to it as "coriander," While their American and often Canadian counterparts call it "coriander." Interestingly, the coriander/cilantro is in the same family as parsley, Apiaceae (formerly Umbelliferae). The seed of this plant is always called coriander. As a consumer you need to be aware that coriander/cilantro as a fresh herb is one and the same, and you can identify it immediately from its grassy lemony pervading odor and taste. If there is any confusion about this herb and parsley it probably arises out of misnaming the product. I hope this helps, Elizabeth Baird The Canadian Living Test Kitchen