Everything I eat tastes like this.
The other morning I woke up and had some granola. It had a weird metallic flavor. I figured it was because I hadn't brushed my teeth yet. So I did. It didn't help. I took a taste of things I had around. No matter what I ate, it tasted like I was chewing on Iron Man's foot. Liquids also tasted nasty.
I remembered reading a while back about pine nut mouth. People who had eaten pine nuts reported similar symptoms that lingered for days. I didn't remember eating any, but then my girlfriend reminded me they were in a salad we'd shared. She was tasting aluminum too, meaning we were apparently the two latest victims. Googling shows we're not alone. Posts on the topic are filled with comments. It's called metallogeusia, and researchers are on the case, but much is unknown.
It would be a criminal waste to eat anything delicious in my state. So until everything stops tasting like hardware, I'm eating for fuel, not flavor. So far that mostly means unadorned pasta, rice, beans and raw veggies. No point in trying to add taste.
There's no known cure, but fortunately for me, it's expected to last no longer than two weeks total. I suppose I should write something about what a gift it is to taste good food, but there's no need, since a far better writer with a much more significant experience is already on the case. Film critic Roger Ebert lost his ability to eat and speak to cancer. Yet he still writes with passion about flavor, reliving it through memory:
I could if I wanted to right now close my eyes and re-experience an entire meal at Steak 'n Shake, bite by bite in proper sequence, because I always ordered the same items and ate them according to the same ritual. It is there for me.
If you haven't already, have a look at Ebert on food memory and much more on his blog, as well as this Esquire profile. Both are well worth your time.
As for pine nuts, I'm probably giving them up. I like the flavor and texture, but they're not worth days of alloy-flavored suffering. The last time I made pesto, I used walnuts and enjoyed the result. I'm an adventurous eater and often brave indigestion to try unusual things in dodgy kitchens. I'll wager a churning stomach for a great eating experience. But surrendering my sense of taste? Sorry, pine nuts, we're just not that kind of friends.
Any of y'all had this experience? Are there any pine nut defenders out there? And what foods ARE worth the risk of getting sick? Speak up in the comments. /mg
Photo: Flickr Creative Commons / kylemay
