Persicaria odorata Persicaria odorata Persicaria odorata, known as rau răm or Vietnamese coriander, is an herb whose leaves are used in Southeast Asian cooking. Other names for this herb include Vietnamese mint, Vietnamese cilantro, Cambodian mint, hot mint, laksa leaf, and praew leaf. Vietnamese coriander is not related to the mints, nor is it in the mint family Lamiaceae, but its general appearance and fragrance are reminiscent of them. "Persicaria" is in the family Polygonaceae, collectively known as "smartweeds" or "pinkweeds". Above all, the leaf is identified with Vietnamese cuisine, where it is commonly eaten fresh in salads (including chicken salad) and
The Herb Spectacles The Herb Spectacles The Herb Spectacles were a Dutch mariachi band formed in the Netherlands in 1999. The group was inspired by the likes of Chet Baker’s mariachi recordings and Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass. The Herb Spectacles formed in late 1999, when Marcel Kruup and Maarten Heijblok (both ex-Treble Spankers) teamed up with members from Amsterdam's Klezmerband and added a marimba player and percussionist. The group released its debut album, "The Incredible World of... " in June 2003 through Excelsior Recordings, after which the group made appearances at North Sea Jazz and Lowlands, two Dutch music festivals. In 2006, the