Well, assuming for a moment that this so called enzyme theory is true, your
perception of the aroma would have a great deal to do with such an enzyme.
Taste and Smell are very much linked together, and if one is diminished (or
enhanced) for some reason, the other is most definately affected. Remember
anything from grade-school about the blindfolded taste tests? How by holding
or plugging one's nose an apple and a potato taste nearly identical.

This is not to say I'm buying into this idea of a mouth enzyme. I will say
however that as a child I thought that fresh cilantro had a vile smell, one
I can't quite describe now becuase oddly enough it no longer affects me this
way. In fact cilantro no longer seems to have very much of a smell at all. I
know this is me, becuase my roommate can still very much smell that odor
which some (including myself at one time) describe as vile. But for some
reason I no longer smell it! Funny how this never came up in those, "So now
your becomming a man" classes...

"Floating Away" wrote in message
om...
(Art Sackett) wrote in message
...
M. Tiefert wrote:

cilanthro

VILE smell, and coriander seed when it's done

Not everyone perceives the smell as vile.

You can say that again. I make my salsa cruda by the gallon (about one
a week, more if there's company) and it's just not the same without a
couple hands full of cilanto in it.

I have heard that certain people lack an enzyme in their mouths (or
have an extra one, or something like that), the result of which is
that cilantro has a disagreeable "soapy" taste. My friend said she
had heard the same thing, and that something like one in five people
has this problem. It makes sense on one hand, but on the other hand
I, as a cilantro-hater, also find the aroma repugnant, and it doesn't
make sense that aromas would be affected by the enzymes in my mouth...

floating_away