I have a confession to make. I have an absolutely darling “Cilantro.in.a.Bag” that my sister-in-law Rachel gave me for graduation. Well, I was going to wait until I was all moved into my new place before I opened it up and began growing…

Last week I made the big decision to get the ball rolling. I cut off the top of the bag, pulled out the little bag of seeds, dehydrated soil wafer and packing peanuts and followed the directions exactly:

5 or 6 peanuts on the bottom for drainage
1 1/4 cup warm water over the wafer held in place until reconstituted
sprinkle seeds and lightly cover with soil
place a plastic bag over the top and keep in a warm, shady place 7-10 days until seeds sprout

This last step seemed funny to me…I thought I’d just set it on the windowsill in the kitchen from day one-but not to worry, brilliant as I am I found just the warm, shady location for my baby cilantro.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t until I smelled melting plastic that I remembered that I was not going to forget to take the “Garden.in.a.bag” out of the oven before I preheated it for something…I had forgotten!

I yanked open the oven door to see a shrink-wrapped looking garden. I’m sorry that I forgot! How careless!

I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away. I put it up in a cupboard. Forgotten, again.

Well, those weren’t just any old cilantro seeds. I guess 300 degree temperatures and crisp Ziploc were just the thing!

Today I went to grab something and pulled out the Garden. It was alive! 3 inches of sprout above the soil! I decided to relieve it of the still stuck plastic, and set it in it’s new home-the windowsill in the kitchen.

Rachel, Thank you for giving me something so wonderful- not only one of my favorite herbs, but in a form that could survive life with me as it’s guardian!

I love it and can’t wait to watch it grow!

I love you, too!