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ATTENTION: Cilantro Haters. A must-read

ATTENTION: Cilantro Haters. A must-read

Old Apr 23, 2010, 7:02 pm
  #46  
 
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Originally Posted by Daawgon
It's the amount of cilantro that I hate - I can take it in small doses. It seems to me that it's used in much more abundance in Tex-Mex food than in real Mexican Food. As for Vietnamese, I've encountered very little in their food, but it's true that they love fresh herbs of all kinds.
Cilantro in classsic "TexMex" was always (until today) rarer than hen's teeth except in Pico de Gallo or maybe Guacamole. On the other hand true "Mexican" food from the Southern States of the Republic features Cilantro in all sorts of dishes. It remains much more common in "real" Mexican food than in "TexMex". Soup/stews like Menudo, Posole, Caldos, etc., traditionally arrive with chopped Onion, chopped Jalapeno (or other chili) and chopped Cilantro as flavoring garnishes.

As for Vietnamese food, Cilantro is the fresh herb most frequently used, almost over-used in Pho and similar dishes. Cilantro seems pretty popular in cuisines of both SEAsia and the Indian Subcontinent.
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Old Apr 24, 2010, 5:48 pm
  #47  
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Originally Posted by PresRDC
I hate it. Totally ruins anything it is in for me.

I would absolutely love to visit Vietnam, but the cilantro is literally the only thing that's stopping me.

I make my own guacamole and salsa and substitute parsley (which I love) for cilantro.

I don't eat Indian food at all, and cilantro is definately a big reason.
Come on -- I hate cilantro, too, but love Indian food (except for cauliflower items anyway). I wouldn't touch pho, but like other Vietnamese food (after picking out most of the cilantro garnish).

Parsley is, indeed, the perfect substitute. As for pico de gallo ... I hate raw tomatoes.

Originally Posted by Buster
This is my reaction to it - I don't find it to taste soapy, but I do find that it tastes very metallic. I hate it, as does my dad - I always wondered if there was a genetic component to that.
I'm convinced it's genetic. For what it's worth, I can't taste PTC - the other 18 lab students gagged and retched, while the girl across from me and I looked at each other and said, "Huh?"

Last edited by Points Scrounger; Apr 24, 2010 at 5:53 pm Reason: add second quote
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Old Apr 25, 2010, 11:56 pm
  #48  
 
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I think that the only reason why some people think that cilantro has the taste of soap is because the leaves have natually-occuring chemicals that act like surfactants. And surfactants are what makes soap-based products effective.

As for me, I love cilantro..especially in ethnic dishes. Cilantro in Tex-Mex foods like guacamole, pico de gallo, or chopped with onion and mixed with cooked carne de cachete barbacoa. Or cilantro in Chinese foods like rice congee (especially with century eggs, pork, and diced green onion). Or any Vietnamese dish, especially pho.
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Old Apr 26, 2010, 1:14 am
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I love cilantro as well as licorice, that other thing people either love or hate.
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Old Apr 26, 2010, 10:15 am
  #50  
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I like anise liqueurs, but licorice itself ... not so much.
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Old Apr 26, 2010, 1:19 pm
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To me, Tarragon has a more "anise-like" flavor than does Cilantro (which should be, if fresh, a last second addition to any dish, since both real aroma and flavor or fleeting, often leaving the metallic twng of which many here complain). Heat kills cilantro.

Great flavor combo....the Anise of Sambuca combined with the coffee bean flavor and kick of "con Mosca"
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Old Apr 26, 2010, 4:02 pm
  #52  
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Originally Posted by TMOliver
Cilantro in classsic "TexMex" was always (until today) rarer than hen's teeth except in Pico de Gallo or maybe Guacamole. On the other hand true "Mexican" food from the Southern States of the Republic features Cilantro in all sorts of dishes. It remains much more common in "real" Mexican food than in "TexMex". Soup/stews like Menudo, Posole, Caldos, etc., traditionally arrive with chopped Onion, chopped Jalapeno (or other chili) and chopped Cilantro as flavoring garnishes.
I should note that I actually do not reallt care for authentic Mexican food, but love Tex Mex. I know, I'm not a gourmet when it comes to Mexican food, but I like my sour cream and melted cheese!

My palate for French and Italian food is much more sophisticated.
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Old Apr 26, 2010, 7:45 pm
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Originally Posted by Points Scrounger
I'm convinced it's genetic. For what it's worth, I can't taste PTC - the other 18 lab students gagged and retched, while the girl across from me and I looked at each other and said, "Huh?"
That's interesting; I love cilantro and think PTC tastes disgusting, though I managed not to gag and retch while tasting it.
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Old May 8, 2010, 9:16 am
  #54  
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What an interesting article! I'm one of those who HATE cilantro. It definitely tastes soapy to me. However, having moved to Australia where every other item on any menu is a curry of some sort, I've come to tolerate it - in small amounts.
Still don't like it, though.
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Old Jan 12, 2020, 10:36 am
  #55  
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Still love cilantro. Still remember the first time I encountered it in a salsa and was amazed at how good it tasted.

Clearly, though, YMMV
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