Some people love it. Some people hate it. There doesn’t seem to be much in between. And there’s even a day set aside for those who hate it. An international day of hatred for an herb. And not just one. Two very closely related herbs. Coriander and cilantro.
In North America, the leaves and stalks of the plant are known as cilantro. The seeds are coriander. In most of the rest of the world, they just call it all coriander.
Coriander and cilantro are used quite a bit in Mexican and Indian foods. They are far less common in other types of cuisine, but there are reasons for people to either love or hate the herb.
The day started a few years ago online with a group that just does not like the taste of coriander. It grew into an annual event.
And whether or not you like it could mostly be a matter of genetics. There is something about coriander and cilantro that for many people makes it taste like soap. Which is a pretty good reason not to like it. Eating soap doesn’t sound too pleasant. In fact, the people behind I Hate Coriander Day think restaurants and other food preparers should be made to label anything that has coriander, just so they can avoid it. Because, who wants to eat soap.
I will admit, I don’t get it. I am not one of those people who taste soap with coriander and cilantro. I taste an herb. And, maybe I shouldn’t admit it today of all days, but I like it. But I can also understand why others are not lovers of this herb.
But one of the things that confuses me a bit about this day, I hate coriander day also happens to fall on Tortilla Chip Day. One of the best ways to enjoy tortilla chips is with a dish of salsa. And a big ingredient in many types of salsa is… cilantro. So the two days seem to be a bit at cross purposes.
Although in the spirit of cooperation, maybe I’ll celebrate tortilla chip day with a big plate of nachos. Hold the cilantro. At least for today.
