<p>“Two studies published this week link the aversion for cilantro with specific genes involved in taste and smell. But, just like the flavors of the herb itself, the findings are nuanced: The genes appear to influence our opinion of cilantro but probably not as much as we initially thought.”</p>
<p>Any haters here? Anybody have a recipe that has made someone switch teams?</p>
<p>Happen to love cilantro, but isn’t there also some genetic thing where a percentage of the population doesn’t mind the smell of skunks? Ok, must be skunks at a great distance. I think I learned to love cilantro from Mexican foods.</p>
<p>My son is the only “hater” in our family of four, and he can tell if there is a hint of it. My husband is fine with it, but D and I think it’s essential in many recipes.</p>
<p>My D is a hater, says it tastes like “chemicals.” Rest of us in the family not just like it, we love it. So only carefully curated Mexican food and no cilantro pesto pizza when she comes home…</p>
<p>Yes, a little goes a long way. It is a fabulous flavor. I like arugula too, but I can eat an entire salad made with it. Then I sprinkle cilantro on the top.</p>
<p>People that don’t like it think it smells like soap?! I don’t understand that. There must be something about it, as I’m the only one in my family who loves it.</p>
<p>When I was younger, I was a hater and definitely thought cilantro tasted like soap. I avoided it for years, then tasted some fish tacos that had a cilantro lime dressing. Somewhere along the way my system must have changed because now I actually like it and use it in my cooking.</p>
<p>I think it smells like soap when it is no longer at its freshest. I still love it (go figure) and my only complaint is that it must be handled very carefully or else it does start to go limp. I have tried multiple techniques, but no matter what, it doesn’t stay at its peak for long.</p>
<p>Can’t stand the smell! I actually don’t mind the flavor, a small amount…it can be way to powerful, but the smell of that or fresh basil, or lime…can’t stand…literally takes my breath away and makes me feel like I can’t breathe. I don’t know if it is some sort of ‘allergy’ or if it is just the strong, pungent scent, but those things aren’t allowed in my house.</p>
<p>Hater here! It tastes like soap to me. DS 1 is the same as I am; DH and DS 2 are ok with it. I read that Julia Child was a cilantro hater too, so I feel that I’m in good company. :)</p>
<p>I used to hate cilantro. It would make my mouth instantly go dry, such a strange feeling.</p>
<p>I stopped eating it for about 20 years, but now I love it. It doesn’t have the same effect on me that it used to, and I don’t understand why. Now I have to watch how much cilantro I use in various recipes, as my dh doesn’t like a heavy hand. </p>
<p>It makes me wonder if mango has different effects on different people. I loathe mango and anything with mango in it. My kids love it.</p>
<p>20+ years later, and I love it. It doesn’t have that same effect on me that it used it.</p>
<p>This issue came up on CC a while back. Until then I thought I was the only one who tasted soap when eating cilantro. I avoid the stuff like the plague.</p>
<p>It may have come up with the thread about curries. I mentioned that I thought some curries tasted soapy. I think someone mentioned that some curries have cilantro.</p>
<p>I think a modest amount of cilantro may not taste soapy, but if heavy-handed it could.</p>
<p>From the NYT…mentions soapy taste that cilantro can sometimes have</p>
<p>*Soaps are made by fragmenting fat molecules with strongly alkaline lye or its equivalent, and aldehydes are a byproduct of this process, as they are when oxygen in the air attacks the fats and oils in cosmetics. And many bugs make strong-smelling, aldehyde-rich body fluids to attract or repel other creatures.</p>
<p>The published studies of cilantro aroma describe individual aldehydes as having both cilantrolike and soapy qualities. Several flavor chemists told me in e-mail messages that they smell a soapy note in the whole herb as well, but still find its aroma fresh and pleasant.</p>