Campaign Platform

If you make an honest appraisal,
You will surely vote for basil.

I'm Italian, so I was practically born with a sprig of basil in one hand and a tomato in the other.   It's the tastiest, most useful herb I know, and you should vote for Basil for One Seed Chicago. 

Unlike my colleagues, I'm not a gardening expert; in fact, I'm something of a novice.  I have tried to grow herbs in my windows and on my porch countless times, and the I have the skeletons of thyme, lemon verbena and, yes, cilantro plants to show for it.  But Basil has never let me down.  It's almost laughably easy to grow - and it lasts forever.  Most people have never seen a full-grown basil plant, just the babies at the store.  They can grow to be the size of a small bush!

Basil originally came from India (and is prominent in Indian cuisine) but most Americans identify it with Italy.   Pasta sauce would just be red goo without it, and pesto would be nothing but pine nuts soaking in olive oil.   I dry it, freeze it, and put it in my canned goods so I can use it all year round.  

Basil comes in many varieties, each of which is a little different.  Purple basil, licorice basil, lemon basil, thai basil.  Once you've grown one, you'll want to try the whole rainbow of options.  Is it healthy?  It might help fight arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.  Plus, basil essential oil can repel mosquitos.  What's not to love?"

Anthony Todd

Campaign Platform

Multicultural appeal and easy to grow! You should vote for Cilantro!

Coriandrum sativum, commonly known as either coriander or cilantro, is an ancient herb native to southern Europe and the Middle East. Coriander is mentioned in the Old Testament, and coriander seeds were recovered from King Tut's tomb in Egypt. Historically, the leaves, seeds, and essential oils were used for various medicinal, religious, and culinary purposes.

The herb was brought to the Americas by European explorers and was eventually popularized as a culinary her,b particularly in Mexican cuisine. However, cilantro's utility goes far beyond just salsa. Worldwide, cilantro is used in many cuisines, including Indian, Chinese, and southeastern Asian cultures.

Cilantro is an easy herb to grow in a home garden, as it can be directly sown into your garden plot (no need to start indoors under lights) and grows quickly (harvest leaves in as little as 6 weeks and seeds in 9 weeks after sowing). It works well as a container plant too. Cilantro can tollerate cooler temperatures, so you can sow seeds a few weeks prior to last spring frost to get a head start. Also, it is very easy to save seeds from cilantro to replant in your garden. Cilantro seeds will not cross-pollenate with any of your other garden crops. Also, cilantro will often self-seed on its own. Cilantro plants are also good garden neighbors as the herb is thought to repel undesirable insects such as aphids and to attract beneficial pollinators.

All in all, cilantro's ease of culture and breadth of use make it the best choice for One Seed Chicago.

Jessica Rinks

Comments from Supporters

My favorite herb is purple basil. I grow it every summer and make a salad with my garden tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese and a lemon/olive oil dressing.
Kathryn

I think cilantro tastes like soap-this may be a genetic thing-one nephew is allergic, and a few others in the family also think it tastes like a chemical rather than food. Makes eating Thai and Mexican food difficult to say the least, Chamomile -is there anything you can do with it other than make tea? Basil has to be the winner; so delicious in so many dishes!
Lauren

Comments from Supporters

Comments from Supporters

Cilantro is the only logical choice. Against an unidentified variety of basil and an herb that's a common allergen? Come on! I mean how many people are going to make their own tea! And I HAVE ENOUGH BASIL TO SEND THE CITY OF CHICAGO!
My Skinny Garden