The burrito slingers want to get in on the joke of cilantro tasting like soap by selling the popular ingredient as a soap. Imagine embracing what you’ve been teased about being, and it being a hit.
Chipotle is… , or was, selling cilantro soap exclusively for the holiday season to troll the haters and rub on the lovers. The Mexican food corporation announced on Instagram that the fresh organic soap sold out, and were only available as long as supplies last.
Capitalizing off the viral debate of cilantro being a popular garnish ingredient or reminding folks of their favorite Dove commercial, Chipotle decided they would be in on the joke… or the conversation of DNA.
The bases behind the wide spread conversation surrounding the taste of cilantro is based on genetics and the population of people who complain of the strong taste of soap. These people host a group of olfactory-receptor genes. According to biomedcentral.com, it leaves about 14% of the population with the ability to perceive the aldehyde in cilantro leaves. The same ingredient is responsible for the soap flavor.
I’m truly favored because I don’t suffer from this disposition, but I also don’t eat soap enough to know if cilantro indeed taste like so, and I think exploring that idea is where the story really is. All-in-all, I am able to see the privilege I possess in being able to have a street taco prepared and garnished with some cilantro and onions so I can savor the flavor as it’s intended.
The 100% naturally made soap is being sold for 8 dollars per bar on their chipotlegoods.com website. Chipotle released the soap early this week only to have nothing but the product picture available for viewing.
If by some chance they release another batch of taco garnish soap, pick it up and gift it to a lover or hater of the herb with the reminder its not edible.