Cilantro by any other name would taste as odious
I was in China during the summer of ‘99 when I was first faced with this foul herb. I took a big bite of a new dish and found my senses overwhelmed by an awful taste. I discreetly swallowed and then went through the dish one foreign plant at a time until I came upon something that looked like innocuous parsely. I would make the connection years later when cilantro invaded salsas everywhere and ruined more than one burrito. I hate cilantro and I am not alone.
More than one friend has called me loco when I would place my usual order at Bubby’s burrito stand: one with guac, extra cheese, no cilantro, red sauce inside please. And after years of having it sneak up on me, I find that I don’t detest it as much as I once did. I’m opposed to it more on principle now than anything. It is a rude seasoning that stomps on your taste buds without nuance and pushes aside any other flavor that may have been in that bite. Most cooks are so blithely enamored with this plant that it is rarely used as the subtle supplement that makes it a fine addition to most cuisine. So please remember as this salsa season heats up- take it easy on the cilantro!
September 7th, 2006 at 10:28 am
Mmm, cilantro . . .
I just want to spread some barbeque sauce on that and stick my face right in it . . .
September 7th, 2006 at 10:50 am
Thank God someone else hates cilantro. Most people I know rave about it. I feel like there’s something wrong with me because I can’t stand it.
September 7th, 2006 at 12:02 pm
There’s actually an enzyme in some people’s bodies that makes cilantro taste like soap!
I also hate it, and I cook all the time and people always ask why I don’t use it. I guess they don’t have that enzyme…
September 7th, 2006 at 12:39 pm
Thanks for the show of solidarity ladies. I\’ve heard the soap/enzyme thing before. The funny thing is it\’s never tasted like soap to me. I can\’t quite describe what it is exactly. Let\’s just call that flavor repugnant.
September 8th, 2006 at 1:47 am
I was actually meaning to post when I found out that a recent Dennett book mentioned the fact that cilantro preference is genetically determined. I also noticed that this didn’t quite fit with the way you have grown accustomed, in some ways, to the taste over time, but it certainly would provide an easy explanation to your complete aversion to a taste most everyone else finds pleasant. Which makes starting a website community rather absurd, but I digress.
September 9th, 2006 at 12:12 am
I’ve seen estimates that upwards of 20% of the population absolutely cannot stand cilantro. Is that how you would characterize most everyone? Granted cilantro being the squeaky wheel and all, I would take that estimate as a high end. But I have been able to find little scientific research out there on the matter besides this. (The original link is broken. If someone has pubmed access out there or some other scholarly connection, hook a brother up.) I’m beginning to think this genetic cilantro soap connection is a new wives tale.
ps as a poor example, Jews form less than 2% of the US population. Is it absurd that they have website communities?
September 9th, 2006 at 12:20 am
Twenty percent is an absurdly high estimate, Jurv.
September 9th, 2006 at 12:15 pm
It’s at least 7% amongst yltlswl contestants. I’d really like to find some real research on the matter as the few polls I’ve seen have been self-selecting populations. I got the 20% number here. That I’ve ameliorated my reaction through repeated exposure is supported here. Fortunately, I don’t experience the violent physical reactions that are detailed in many anti-cilantro threads around the web.
September 11th, 2006 at 2:25 am
i am your cilantro retching compatriot
September 15th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
Hey Jurv In Australia Cilantro is known by another name ( Corrianda)
September 16th, 2006 at 3:18 pm
Yeah, I’m Kale’s mom, impatient for the return of my “kids”, awaiting new photo’s of the wedding. So I googled “caitlin and kale” and found this site. I also hate cilantro, also known as coriander, and since I’ve cooked longer than any of you have been on this earth, I think I can say that it is really nasty! I love Mexican food, but I always serve the cilantro on the side for guests. I’m a medical technologist, and am wondering if maybe we have a blood type in common. I am an AB+ which is only about 4 % of the population, but it means we can receive just about any type; a universal recipient we are called, all though if exposed to a lot of transfusions we can develop antibodies. I doo go on and on don’t I?? So maybe a poll of ABO types of all cilantro haters would be informative. Anyway, enjoyed reading all these little snippets of shared experiences/knowledge. Love SK
October 7th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
Oh, Jurv. _Hate_ cilantro? Really? Even when it’s just a delicious little sprinkle in chalupas? Or a tasty addition to that friendly little bowl of chopped onions for your tacos?
I suppose I have a hard time hating anything that can be eaten. Even tripe.
On second thought, I probably wouldn’t eat Cambodian spiders. Or any fried spider. Ugh.
February 7th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
[…] In the short while I’ve been blogging, I’ve noticed that the posts I enjoy the most as an author rarely garner the attention and comments that I think they deserve. Meanwhile, cilantro has people crawling out of the woodwork. wtf? […]
August 25th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
i despise cliantro and i am an 0 negative blood type