The one spice you just don't like

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Cilantro tastes like plastic on my tongue and papaya tastes EXACTLY like turpentine to me.

No one else in my family has the same experience of either, so I'm guessing that at least some things taste differently on different people's tongues, in addition to the other reasons for not liking particular ingredients.

Lee
 
I think cilantro tastes like soap...can't stand it. I always sub Italian Parsley.

I also don't like fennel, tarragon, anise, or anything that tastes like licorice.
"Arghhhhh!"
 
jkath said:
For some reason I just don't like cumin.

What would you recommend in it's place when I'm making a dish that calls for it? I do cook mexican food quite a bit, and usually omit it, but I'd like to replace it instead.

So what's the one you'd like to replace?

Same here, I hate cumin. I'd replace it with chili powder.
 
I'm amazed at how many people who love to cook and eat absolutely HATE so many herbs & spices. No wonder it is so hard to cook to satisfy a group!!! Cilantro is the herb I most have to avoid with my guests (I tend to put it in a vase and invite cilantro lovers to partake themselves!!), and next down is any licorice-type flavor herb (anise, fennell, tarragon). The cumin-haters surprised me, I've always considered that pretty common. When I was in my 20s and first moved to Hawaii, I disliked cilantro; now there are many dishes I wouldn't imagine doing without it (fresh salsas, southeast Asian foods). Guess that's the definition of "acquired tastes".

The older I've gotten, and the more I've learned I'm "not supposed to" eat, the more I love all food. Perverse, isn't it?

Hint for "those pointy things" -- thyme and rosemary -- if you like the flavor but not the texture, cook with them, then take them out of the food. If you are using fresh, bundle them up and pull them out later. If using dried, a mesh tea diffuser works wonders.
 
amber said:
Same here, I hate cumin. I'd replace it with chili powder.
I usually really like cumin, but a couple of weeks ago I bought a brand of soup from the health food store that I'd never had before. It was labled as "leek and potato" so I was not expecting a huge rush of cumin to hit my tongue but that was exactly what happened :ohmy: I hate wasting food but could only force myself to eat half a serving of it. Cumin was just not the taste I was expecting from such a normally mild and almost sweet soup. Now it's put me off cumin entirely, though I'm sure that will pass sooner or later :rolleyes:
 
Claire said:
Hint for "those pointy things" -- thyme and rosemary -- if you like the flavor but not the texture, cook with them, then take them out of the food. If you are using fresh, bundle them up and pull them out later. If using dried, a mesh tea diffuser works wonders.

great tip claire, thanks. if i want the flavor and not the spikes, i will tie them in a bundle with butchers twine, and the other end to the handle of the pot to make it easy to pull out.
 
mudbug said:
I agree. What a weird spice to add to this soup.
It really was! It came with 4 packages in a box and I still have 3 left, no idea what I'll do with them. I thought perhaps of adding them to mashed potatoes or a stew as I don't like to waste food, but it sure was a weird taste, I tell you! :)
 
Dont know if this is correct in context of this thread, but chinese five spice i find particularly disgusting.

Tarragon and Dill as well. I HATE tarragon and dill.
 
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