Romans dedicated Parsley to Persephone, queen of the underworld and to funeral rites. It became a staple of Greek funeral rituals and was scattered over graves during funeral ceremonies or planted over them.

There was also the saying, De'eis thai selinon – “to need only parsley,” which was a gentle way of saying someone had “one foot in the grave.”

It’s easy to think of parsley as a garnish to sprinkle over dinner or decorate a serving plate or cheese board, but it’s such a versatile herb. You can add it into a sauce, like chimichurri or pesto, stir it into a grain or bean salad, or throw it into a frittata.