There are two types of parsley in the world, and I have a personal problem with one of them.

The Italians use a lot of parsley, and they don’t use curly leaf.

The French use a lot of parsley, and they don’t use curly leaf.

Every well regarded chef you care to ask about parsley doesn’t use curly leaf.

Curly leaf parsley doesn’t taste of parsley, it doesn’t taste of anything. It’s terrible.

Still, somehow it happens that it’s in every shop, and somebody must be buying the bloody stuff.

Whoever you are, STOP IT!

It merits a place in my affections right next to iceberg lettuce, another flavourless thing that is used because of the way that it looks.

Good garnish though?

I’ve heard people justify the use of curly leaf parsley with the fact that it is pretty and makes a good garnish. Maybe it is pretty, but I’m of the opinion that anything on the plate should be there for taste value, and that if it happens to look good then that is an additional bonus.

Curly leaf parsley and iceberg lettuce don’t merit inclusion on any plate for taste value, no matter how green and pretty they look.

In the garden

Flat leaf parsley on the other hand is great, and I use it all of the time for all sorts of things, so I like to have plenty to hand.

I am by no stretch of the imagination a gardener, but I love having fresh herbs outside to pick at and chop up as needed.

We grow plenty of parsley (not curly obviously) and I love to rip a load out just a few days after it has broken through the soil and use it as a microherb. The little baby parsley has so much flavour, it tastes young and fresh, and it looks fantastic with an amazing vivacity of colour.

It’s also worth remembering that while the leaves are pretty, it is actually the stalks that have the most flavour, so chop them finely and throw them into things as well.