Thread: Does cilantro taste like soap? Seems to depend...

Terry said...

> Some enterprising bio student who wants to do a useful research
> project ought to investigate this.


Well, why don't you go back to school? It seems to concern you so much! Be
sure to report back to us after your research.

Fidiot!

Andy

Terry wrote:
> ...on the cilantro. Or on SOME variable.
>
> I love cilantro. Or at least I did until this weekend. Visiting a
> friend in WI, he took me to a local Mexican restaurant***. Salsa had
> what appeared to be fresh cilantro. It tasted like soap!!

Well, that's a new one! It's been explained away as a genetic thing.

> I've not encountered this before. Never understood why people thought
> cilantro tasted like soap.

Tastes like soap. (laugh)

> Now I understand. But clearly there's a
> variable that we aren't getting. Is it the particular variety of
> cilantro? Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? The age?
> The pH? The water?

It seems as though two people could be eating the same dish
and have a different reaction. I don't know why I've been able to
tolerate the taste of cilantro in the last year. I've read that you can
overcome your 'soap taste' reaction with repeated exposure.

Maybe there's something else going on.

nancy

On Aug 18, 6:48*am, Terry <prfes...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> ...on the cilantro. *Or on SOME variable.
>
> I love cilantro. *Or at least I did until this weekend. *Visiting a
> friend in WI, he took me to a local Mexican restaurant***. *Salsa had
> what appeared to be fresh cilantro. *It tasted like soap!!
>
> I've not encountered this before. *Never understood why people thought
> cilantro tasted like soap. *Now I understand. *But clearly there's a
> variable that we aren't getting. *Is it the particular variety of
> cilantro? *Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? *The age?
> The pH? *The water?
>
> Some enterprising bio student who wants to do a useful research
> project ought to investigate this.

I find that the leaves do not "taste like soap," or taste bad at all,
but the stems taste bad. If you carefully cut off the leaves and
discard the stems, you'll get a much subtler flavor.

>
> Best -- Terry

--Bryan
>
> ***Same name as the one here in Murray; is Mariachi Loco a chain or
> just a convenient name?

Terry wrote:
> ...on the cilantro. Or on SOME variable.
>
> I love cilantro. Or at least I did until this weekend. Visiting a
> friend in WI, he took me to a local Mexican restaurant***. Salsa had
> what appeared to be fresh cilantro. It tasted like soap!!
>
> I've not encountered this before. Never understood why people thought
> cilantro tasted like soap. Now I understand. But clearly there's a
> variable that we aren't getting. Is it the particular variety of
> cilantro? Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? The age?
> The pH? The water?
>
> Some enterprising bio student who wants to do a useful research
> project ought to investigate this.
>
> Best -- Terry
>
> ***Same name as the one here in Murray; is Mariachi Loco a chain or
> just a convenient name?

1. what you had before was not cilantro, or this time it was not
properly cleaned and throughly rinsed so it still had a soap residue.
2. some other ingredient or the container the salsa was served in was
not properly cleaned and rinsed so it had a soap residue.

I have had salsa from a mexican restaurant that contained cilantro that
had a soapy taste. But I have bought cilantro from a market, rinsed it
very well in water only, and it did not have a soapy taste when it was used.

cl

On 2009-08-18, Terry <[email protected]> wrote:

> cilantro tasted like soap. Now I understand. But clearly there's a
> variable that we aren't getting. Is it the particular variety of
> cilantro? Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? The age?
> The pH? The water?

Last I heard, it was a genetic thing. Some people have it, some
don't. Much like a similar genetic quirk that makes some people's
urine stink after eationg asparagus. Put me down for stinky urine,
but no soap taste.

nb

notbob wrote:
> On 2009-08-18, Terry <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> cilantro tasted like soap. Now I understand. But clearly there's a
>> variable that we aren't getting. Is it the particular variety of
>> cilantro? Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? The age?
>> The pH? The water?
>
> Last I heard, it was a genetic thing. Some people have it, some
> don't.


Possibly, but put me in the category of people who used to think it
tasted like soap but now enjoy it. I still don't like it by itself, but
it does add a nice flavor to many foods

gloria p

"Terry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> ...on the cilantro. Or on SOME variable.
>
> I love cilantro. Or at least I did until this weekend. Visiting a
> friend in WI, he took me to a local Mexican restaurant***. Salsa had
> what appeared to be fresh cilantro. It tasted like soap!!
>
> I've not encountered this before. Never understood why people thought
> cilantro tasted like soap. Now I understand. But clearly there's a
> variable that we aren't getting. Is it the particular variety of
> cilantro? Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? The age?
> The pH? The water?

Cilantro has always tasted like soap to me, I've no idea what it's supposed
to taste like.

> Some enterprising bio student who wants to do a useful research
> project ought to investigate this.
>
>
Only reasonable scientific explanation is taste bud migration. hehe

Gloria P wrote:
> notbob wrote:
>> On 2009-08-18, Terry <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> cilantro tasted like soap. Now I understand. But clearly there's a
>>> variable that we aren't getting. Is it the particular variety of
>>> cilantro? Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? The age?
>>> The pH? The water?
>>
>> Last I heard, it was a genetic thing. Some people have it, some
>> don't.
>
>
> Possibly, but put me in the category of people who used to think it
> tasted like soap but now enjoy it. I still don't like it by itself, but
> it does add a nice flavor to many foods
>
> gloria p

DW still won't taste or eat cilantro. I have never found it to taste
like soap. A little different tang from flat leaf parsley but okay to me.

On Aug 18, 10:01*am, George Shirley <gsh...@bellsouth.net> wrote:
> Gloria P wrote:
> > notbob wrote:
> >> On 2009-08-18, Terry <prfes...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >>> cilantro tasted like soap. *Now I understand. *But clearly there's a
> >>> variable that we aren't getting. *Is it the particular variety of
> >>> cilantro? *Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? *The age?
> >>> The pH? *The water?
>
> >> Last I heard, it was a genetic thing. *Some people have it, some
> >> don't.
>
> > Possibly, but put me in the category of people who used to think it
> > tasted like soap but now enjoy it. *I still don't like it by itself, but
> > it does add a nice flavor to many foods
>
> > gloria p
>
> DW still won't taste or eat cilantro. I have never found it to taste
> like soap. A little different tang from flat leaf parsley but okay to me.

They taste nothing alike. They are not even in the same genus.

--Bryan

Gloria P wrote:
> Possibly, but put me in the category of people who used to think it
> tasted like soap but now enjoy it. I still don't like it by itself, but
> it does add a nice flavor to many foods
>
> gloria p

Right. I still don't use whole bunches of it, but some cuisines
just seem to call for cilantro!

--
Jean B.

Yes, cilantro DOES tend to taste like soap. Ivory Soap at that!

I'd use is sparingly in a dish, though it DOES enhance the flavor of things.

cl wrote on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:45:30 -0700:

> Terry wrote:
>> ...on the cilantro. Or on SOME variable.
>>
>> I love cilantro. Or at least I did until this weekend. Visiting a
>> friend in WI, he took me to a local Mexican
>> restaurant***. Salsa had what appeared to be fresh cilantro.
>> It tasted like soap!! I've not encountered this before. Never
>> understood why
>> people thought cilantro tasted like soap. Now I understand. But
>> clearly there's a variable that we aren't getting. Is it
>> the particular variety of cilantro? Is it the difference
>> between fresh and frozen? The age? The pH? The water?
>>
>> Some enterprising bio student who wants to do a useful
>> research project ought to investigate this.
>>
>> Best -- Terry
>>
>> ***Same name as the one here in Murray; is Mariachi Loco a
>> chain or just a convenient name?

> 1. what you had before was not cilantro, or this time it was
> not properly cleaned and throughly rinsed so it still had a
> soap residue. 2. some other ingredient or the container the
> salsa was served in was not properly cleaned and rinsed so it had a
> soap residue.

> I have had salsa from a mexican restaurant that contained
> cilantro that had a soapy taste. But I have bought cilantro
> from a market, rinsed it very well in water only, and it did
> not have a soapy taste when it was used.

Not again! It's genetic and there are *three* (3) reactions not two:
great, soap, none.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Aug 18, 4:48*am, Terry <prfes...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> ...on the cilantro. *Or on SOME variable.
>
> I love cilantro. *Or at least I did until this weekend. *Visiting a
> friend in WI, he took me to a local Mexican restaurant***. *Salsa had
> what appeared to be fresh cilantro. *It tasted like soap!!
>
> I've not encountered this before. *Never understood why people thought
> cilantro tasted like soap. *Now I understand. *But clearly there's a
> variable that we aren't getting. *Is it the particular variety of
> cilantro? *Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? *The age?
> The pH? *The water?
>
> Some enterprising bio student who wants to do a useful research
> project ought to investigate this.
>
> Best -- Terry
>
> ***Same name as the one here in Murray; is Mariachi Loco a chain or
> just a convenient name?

I used to be able to eat it,it has begun to taste like soap to me
also. Now, when I make fresh salsa, I just leave it out.

Harriet & critters in azusa, ca

"Big Daddy's House" wrote:
>
> Yes, cilantro DOES tend to taste like soap. Ivory Soap at that!
>
> I'd use is sparingly in a dish, though it DOES enhance the flavor of
> things.
>

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to remember to wash my dick with Ivory soap.

On Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:45:30 -0700, cl wrote:

> Terry wrote:
>> ...on the cilantro. Or on SOME variable.
>>
>> I love cilantro. Or at least I did until this weekend. Visiting a
>> friend in WI, he took me to a local Mexican restaurant***. Salsa had
>> what appeared to be fresh cilantro. It tasted like soap!!
>>
>> I've not encountered this before. Never understood why people thought
>> cilantro tasted like soap. Now I understand. But clearly there's a
>> variable that we aren't getting. Is it the particular variety of
>> cilantro? Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? The age?
>> The pH? The water?
>>
>> Some enterprising bio student who wants to do a useful research
>> project ought to investigate this.
>>
>> Best -- Terry
>>
>> ***Same name as the one here in Murray; is Mariachi Loco a chain or
>> just a convenient name?
>
> 1. what you had before was not cilantro, or this time it was not
> properly cleaned and throughly rinsed so it still had a soap residue.
> 2. some other ingredient or the container the salsa was served in was
> not properly cleaned and rinsed so it had a soap residue.
>
> I have had salsa from a mexican restaurant that contained cilantro that
> had a soapy taste. But I have bought cilantro from a market, rinsed it
> very well in water only, and it did not have a soapy taste when it was used.
>
> cl

how many people (let alone restaurants) wash their vegetables with *soap*?

your pal,
blake

On Tue, 18 Aug 2009 06:48:51 -0500, Terry wrote:

> ...on the cilantro. Or on SOME variable.
>
> I love cilantro. Or at least I did until this weekend. Visiting a
> friend in WI, he took me to a local Mexican restaurant***. Salsa had
> what appeared to be fresh cilantro. It tasted like soap!!
>
> I've not encountered this before. Never understood why people thought
> cilantro tasted like soap. Now I understand. But clearly there's a
> variable that we aren't getting. Is it the particular variety of
> cilantro? Is it the difference between fresh and frozen? The age?
> The pH? The water?
>
> Some enterprising bio student who wants to do a useful research
> project ought to investigate this.
>
> Best -- Terry
>
> ***Same name as the one here in Murray; is Mariachi Loco a chain or
> just a convenient name?

this is a new on one me. my understanding is that it's genetic; but some
acquire a taste for it. the reverse i've not heard of. maybe there was
just too much of it, but that wouldn't explain it suddenly tasting like
soap.

it's puzzling.

your pal,
blake

On Tue, 18 Aug 2009 07:00:16 -0500, Andy wrote:

> Terry said...
>
>> Some enterprising bio student who wants to do a useful research
>> project ought to investigate this.
>
> Well, why don't you go back to school? It seems to concern you so much! Be
> sure to report back to us after your research.
>
> Fidiot!
>
> Andy

by all means, let's get back to what you had for breakfast.

blake

blake murphy said...

> this is a new on one me. my understanding


You're cathcing on!

blake murphy wrote:
> On Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:45:30 -0700, cl wrote:

>> 1. what you had before was not cilantro, or this time it was not
>> properly cleaned and throughly rinsed so it still had a soap residue.
>> 2. some other ingredient or the container the salsa was served in was
>> not properly cleaned and rinsed so it had a soap residue.
>>
>> I have had salsa from a mexican restaurant that contained cilantro
>> that
>> had a soapy taste. But I have bought cilantro from a market, rinsed
>> it
>> very well in water only, and it did not have a soapy taste when it
>> was used.

> how many people (let alone restaurants) wash their vegetables with
> *soap*?

And if they did, surely the other herbs at the same place would have
that soap flavor.

nancy