Cilantro lately?

[Anonymous]

Every time I’ve had something with cilantro recently, it hasn’t tasted like cilantro. It’s tasted more like a bland or weird parsley. I’ve had it at home and in two different restaurants.

Is there anything g strange going on with cilantro?

If not, I’m thinking it’s related to Covid. I had it over the summer. I’d even possibly identify the new taste of cilantro as mildly soapy, which is what I’ve heard people who don’t like it say it tastes like. I don’t hate it now, it just has a weird flat and not nearly as enjoyable taste.

I had/have no other taste or smell issues/changes.

Anyone? I’m kind of sad.

[Anonymous]

It’s probably Covid.

[Anonymous]

At the store the other day, many of the bunches had no aroma at all...

[Anonymous]

If you have a Hispanic market around go there. They usually have cilantro ancho which is so much better. Sometimes it is better at a farmer's market too.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, all.

[Anonymous]

Oh - this is interesting - I noticed this, too!

I am a cilantro-hater, and - no matter how much I beg - Indian restaurants sprinkle cilantro on everything. Recently I can still taste the cilantro (and I don’t like it) but it doesn’t make me want to spit it out into my napkin like it used to.

We also had some in a hello fresh recipe, and my husband - who loves cilantro - complained it must’ve been parsley instead because he didn’t taste anything. I sniffed the stems on the cutting board, and it smelled only faintly of cilantro.

It’s not COVID because I’ve never had it (health care worker and I get tested a lot). As proof, I hate olives too, and can still detect even the tiniest fleck of olive contaminating my food.

My spouse is a journalist, and I know his female co-workers read DCUM (they won’t admit it, but I tested them by inserting “Larla” into conversation and they all reacted - haha!). I hope they see this, and get to work figuring the cilantro mystery out!

[Anonymous]

Actually, yes.The last few bunches that I’ve purchased — Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh, tasted bland, more like parsley. I wondered if WF found yet another thing to cheap out on. I also wondered if there are varieties or seasons when it’s better or worse, but I don’t remember this being an issue in the past.

[Anonymous]

I've noticed this too, OP. I thought it was a fluke with the one batch I bought, but then I noticed it again and again. I love cilantro and I put it on a lot of different dishes, so I definitely picked up on it. DH--also a cilantro-lover--agreed that something was definitely off.

[Anonymous]

Something is amiss with this herb. Where are the food sleuths at?

[Anonymous]

If we buy non organic then it doesnt taste good or have an aroma. Organic does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If we buy non organic then it doesnt taste good or have an aroma. Organic does.

LOL, tell me you are easily swayed by marketing without telling me you are easily swayed by marketing. Actual double blind studies have shown people can't tell the difference and there are even studies that show people rate food labeled organic as tasting better even when both samples are actually conventionally grown. It's all in your head.

https://www.labelvalue.com/blog/want-to-make-food-taste-better-label-it-organic

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/8340585/Organic-food-less-tasty-than-normal-watchdog-says.html

Out of curiosity, could you explain the mechanism by which the addition of nonorganic fertilizer and pesticides drains the flavor from your food?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we buy non organic then it doesnt taste good or have an aroma. Organic does.

LOL, tell me you are easily swayed by marketing without telling me you are easily swayed by marketing. Actual double blind studies have shown people can't tell the difference and there are even studies that show people rate food labeled organic as tasting better even when both samples are actually conventionally grown. It's all in your head.

https://www.labelvalue.com/blog/want-to-make-food-taste-better-label-it-organic

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/8340585/Organic-food-less-tasty-than-normal-watchdog-says.html

Out of curiosity, could you explain the mechanism by which the addition of nonorganic fertilizer and pesticides drains the flavor from your food?

DP. Often, all things aren’t equal. In real life, the varieties might be different, and the handling might be different as well — since higher price point items may be treated more carefully than things sold at lower prices.
As to your studies though, when I buy organic, it’s not about taste, it’s about pesticides and fertilizers. Thanks for nicely making that point.

[Anonymous]

Same. Safeway no flavor. It’s bland. I thought it was me. Two days in a row I purchased.

[Anonymous]

Same for me in the upper Midwest. I wondered what the problem was!

[Anonymous]

man, I thought it was just me. But, I think this has been going on for a while, months?