What does "Coriander New Land" smell like? Who decides whether cilantro is fragrant or smelly?

As we are approaching "World Cilantro Hate Day" (said to be on February 24th every year), I suddenly heard that McDonald's has launched a new cilantro dish.

So, the coriander fans in the Tadpole Editorial Department rushed to buy one to try with full anticipation.

Image source: Tadpole Jun

After eating, I don’t know how everyone reacted, but the editors were silent… It didn’t give me a wow feeling! Where’s the cilantro flavor I wanted? !

The biggest feeling everyone has is that they don’t taste much coriander flavor, probably because the coriander has become dry and has lost its fragrance. (In fact, I really suggest that the merchants can be bolder, we want a strong coriander flavor)

What? A fresh scent? ? ? Another group of editors from the "Anti-Coriander Alliance" who had been silent are no longer silent - does cilantro have a fresh scent? Isn't it a stinky smell?

Is cilantro smelly or fragrant?

Coriander, whose scientific name is cilantro (yán suī), is a plant of the genus Coriander in the Apiaceae family. It is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe and has been cultivated in China since the Western Han Dynasty.

Coriander has always been a controversial ingredient. Some people want to add some coriander to every dish to enhance the flavor, while others hate it. Yes, they really hate it.

What makes cilantro controversial is its taste.

Coriander has a special smell, which is a fusion of various aldehydes such as phenylacetaldehyde, decanal, cyclodecane, undecanal, tridecanal, and tetradecanal (similar aldehyde compounds are found in soaps and hand sanitizers). Celery, carrots, fennel, etc. belong to the Umbelliferae family, and most of them also contain these aldehydes. Therefore, most of these vegetables have a "special fragrance".

This taste is a "torture" for people who don't like coriander. "Coriander" people think it smells like "bugs" (we can see from the English name of coriander, "Coriander", that the word comes from the Greek word "Koris", which means "bug").

And for those who love to eat, it is a delicacy - with the fresh scent of lemon.

Who has the final say on love or not?

So what determines whether or not you like cilantro? Why do people have such different attitudes toward cilantro?

According to research, it's actually your DNA that determines your attitude towards cilantro.

People who don't like cilantro have a mutation in a gene related to smell.

The mutation is a type of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Cilantro-averse people have a fundamentally different region of chromosome 11 from other cilantro-eaters, a region directly related to our sense of smell.

Coriander haters are born with a specific gene called OR6A2, which is very sensitive to aldehyde compounds, which produce a soapy smell. Coriander is rich in these substances.

Therefore, these people have formed the impression that "cilantro = soap smell" or even "bug smell", so it's no wonder they don't want to try it.

Don't like it now doesn't mean you won't like it in the future

It should be noted that although genes affect our likes and dislikes of coriander, it is not absolute.

Whether we like a certain food has something to do with the food’s specific taste and texture, as well as our personal life experiences and the social and cultural environment in which we live.

These factors work together to determine our dietary preferences.

In addition to genes, eating habits also affect our preference for coriander. If people around you cook coriander for you for a long time, through repeated exposure, your brain will slowly accept coriander.

We also find in life that some people don’t eat coriander at first, but later for some reasons, they suddenly accept eating coriander and even like to eat coriander.

Image source: Tadpole Jun

Coriander-flavored food

Although there are many people who don't like coriander, statistics show that 79% of people love coriander.

Loving coriander is the big trend.

So in recent years, businesses have seized the business opportunity and launched many coriander-infused cross-border delicacies.

Coriander Hotpot

Coriander hotpot needs no introduction as it has been popular for several years.

Coriander Lemon Tea

Last year, "coriander lemon tea" was launched on the market. People who have tried it said that coriander and lemon are both beautiful in their own way, and the tastes are not integrated and complementary. Later, "Zhe Er Gen coriander lemon tea" even appeared in Chengdu. It's really delicious.

Cilantro Lollipops

You can also buy coriander lollipops on Taobao. People who have tried them say that the coriander flavor is very strong.

Coriander Cake

Coriander has also extended its claws to cakes and is about to take the dessert world by storm.

Coriander Mooncake

As for mooncakes in the dark cuisine world, I have eaten leek flavored and crayfish flavored ones, but I have never eaten coriander flavored ones.

In addition, some brands have launched coriander potato chips, coriander biscuits, coriander instant noodles, etc. However, compared to coriander desserts, these salty snacks are more acceptable.

Have you tried all of the above? What other coriander-flavored delicacies have you tried?

PS: Have you tried the Cilantro Sundae? Tell us what you think of it in the comments. Does it make you feel high or low?

END

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Editor/Heart and Paper