International I Hate Coriander Day is celebrated on February 24 each year and is a chance for haters of this herb to unite and have a good old coriander bashing session with the kindred spirits they can find. If the existence of coriander haters baffles you, there is even some research being done that suggests that hatred for coriander can actually be genetic. And before you judge, bear in mind that there is probably some food out there that really rubs your taste buds the wrong way. So read on to know more about why this little green garnish may not be so welcome atop some people’s dishes.
HISTORY OF I HATE CORIANDER DAY
International I Hate Coriander Day originated in 2013, with the inception of a Facebook group entitled simply ‘I Hate Coriander.’ The sole purpose of creating the group was so that like-minded people could get together and express their utter disdain for the herb through messages and posts of all sorts. And before you laugh it off as an insignificant group, note that the number of members on it has risen to a following of more than 200,000. Such was the popularity of the group that there is even ‘I Hate Coriander’ merchandise being sold on the group. It also just goes to show that if you’re enterprising enough, money can be made from any endeavor on social media which attracts enough people.
Apparently, over 10% of the world hates coriander because it tastes like soap to them, according to members of the group, and some scientific research leads us to believe that this could be caused by a particular gene, called OR6A2, which affects the olfactory receptors. The study was conducted in 2012, with a sample size of 50,000 people, by a genetic testing company called 23andMe. Interestingly enough, the majority of people who hate coriander are of European ethnicity, and the very name comes from the Greek word ‘koris’ meaning ‘stink bug.’ Therefore, the main plea of the group is that restaurants state very clearly on their menus if any of their dishes contain coriander. The group has threatened to publicly shame any eating joints which ignore this request. Such is the shared hatred of this herb that it has garnered the name ‘the devil’s herb’, and it may just be the most hated single ingredient on earth.
I HATE CORIANDER DAY TIMELINE
Due to Biblical references, the existence of coriander is known, and vestiges of coriander seeds are discovered.
