Let's talk about Rocket - is it Wild or not?

[Zelenina]

While we're talking about the tastes of various leafy herbs, who likes the taste of coriander leaves, aka cilantro, and who hates it?

After reading some glowing descriptions of its flavour, I grew some a few years ago and tasted it - YUUUUUUK! Could this possibly be the same plant all those foodie writers were praising?

I eventually found out the answer was yes. Same plant - different taste because of human genetics. Some people have a gene that enables them to taste a bitter, soapy compound in the leaves, and other people don't have it and can't taste it at all. It must be very hard luck to be born with that gene in a culture that puts cilantro in everything.

But I am going to grow it again. Last year I saw a patch of it in a friend's garden being grown for the seeds, which they use in pickles. I'm not fond of pickles but I do like the taste of ground coriander seeds as a spice. They don't have the nasty tasting stuff in them.

[Thelma Sanders]

I think coriander leaves taste awful, as well Zelenina - but like you I use the ground one

[1Bee]

I hate to eat coriander leaf on its own, but love it in a salsa or on a curry. Mind you, since it's a pain in the butt to grow, I tend to use a mix of mint and parsley for salsas anyway, although it's not the same, somehow the two flavours combine to really work well in a similar way to the coriander.

I love rocket. And I also love that the slugs don't love it. I just love a handful dumped onto pasta and in summer it's pretty much the only salad leaf I'll grow all season. I stop off on the way to work and pick a handful to go with my lunch. Mind you, if it's a bad flea beetle season they'll really go for the rocket.

I've not tried growing sorrel, but will pick it and nibble wild, just a leaf or two.

[1Bee]

I wonder if that gene is the same one that means that although my Mum swore blind that young hawthorn leaves tasted slightly of cheese sandwiches, I though they JUST TASTED OF A FREAKING LEAF....?

[planetologist]

There's Turkish rocket, Bunias orientalis, which doesn't look like rocket and doesn't taste like rocket. It's really nice though, perennial, tastes slightly bitter, like endives.

I know Hesperis matronalis as Dame's violet, and hadn't realised until now that it's edible. And talking of pink flowers turning white elsewhere, my Dame's violet is white flowered until shortly before they wilt. I think it's due to soil pH.

With perennial rocket there's no choice involved in eating the leaves small.

Chervil is great. Slightly aniseed like taste. Half-hardy biennial.

I'm one of the coriander lovers.

[veggiechicken]

Just found another Sorrel - Rumex Patienca /Herb Patience.
Described by Patrick Whitefield as a "Larger-leaved, milder-tasting version of sorrel. It can be used in large quantities in salads and makes a good soup with a lemony tang when mixed with sea beet, along with a little onion, garlic and potatoes. It comes up early in spring and dies right down in midsummer and comes up again in late summer."
Its tall but only needs 30cm of horizontal space.
Seeds at Sorrel, Patience Sorrel 'Volare' Seeds

Has anyone grown this?

[Thelma Sanders]

I haven't grown it but it sounds nice

[veggiechicken]

Its in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTpR3MR6bWY at about 13.00 minutes

[Ananke]

Love rocket but it always seems to bolt really quickly.

I tasted sorrel for the first time last year, wood sorrel I'm sure it was, great taste, reminded me of Oca leaves.

Also love coriander leaf but only in sauces, not too keen on it in salads etc.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

While we're talking about the tastes of various leafy herbs, who likes the taste of coriander leaves, aka cilantro, and who hates it?

After reading some glowing descriptions of its flavour, I grew some a few years ago and tasted it - YUUUUUUK! Could this possibly be the same plant all those foodie writers were praising?

I eventually found out the answer was yes. Same plant - different taste because of human genetics. Some people have a gene that enables them to taste a bitter, soapy compound in the leaves, and other people don't have it and can't taste it at all. It must be very hard luck to be born with that gene in a culture that puts cilantro in everything.

But I am going to grow it again. Last year I saw a patch of it in a friend's garden being grown for the seeds, which they use in pickles. I'm not fond of pickles but I do like the taste of ground coriander seeds as a spice. They don't have the nasty tasting stuff in them.

So I must be one of the "lucky one's" as I love the stuff, and as I eat a lot of curries it is a main stay ingredient for a lot that I cook but also as a garnish!

Now another is spinach! Now don't get me started!

Although I resemble nothing like "Popeye" I should with the amount this stuff I eat!

[mothhawk]

...I eventually found out the answer was yes. Same plant - different taste because of human genetics. Some people have a gene that enables them to taste a bitter, soapy compound in the leaves, and other people don't have it and can't taste it at all.

Thank you, Zelenina. I thought it was just me, I could never understand how anyone could say coriander was pleasant when to me it tastes coppery and bitter, like the old pennies if you handled them a lot then put your finger (or a penny) in your mouth. Ditto with chervil and sorrel too.

Not keen on Good King Henry either.