Alexanders (Lat. Smyrnium Olusatrum) also called in French as Persil de Macedoine or Maceron refers to a plant now almost forgotten, which was formerly much used in England as pot-herb and in salads. It belongs to the cow parsley family and its flavor is somehow a cross between parsley and celery, but with a bitter after-taste. The stems can be used blanched, and are in season in April. Alexandres was used during the medieval times as substitute for bitter sorts of celery, however in the 18th century, Alexanders was supplemented by the improved kinds of celery and since then Alexanders is almost forgotten as a food item though it still grows wild in much of Europe, including Britain. It is growing around the sites of medieval monastery gardens where it has been cultivated as Alexandrian Parsley ( Petroselinum Alexandrinum) Alexanders is also known as Allisanders