NEW YORK (AP) — Whether it's kimchi, beets or broccoli, the pandemic has had a strange impact on food cravings that goes beyond the joy of comfort eating.
Nearly a year into isolation, many people are embracing foods long forgotten or rejected for taste, texture or smell. Some have forced themselves to re-evaluate health-focused foods to help boost their immune systems. And with home cooking at a high, there's a new adventurousness in the kitchen.
For Maeri Ferguson, 31, in Brooklyn, it's all about pears.
After recovering from COVID-19, she spent months without normal taste and smell. So many foods she loved just didn't satisfy. Now, Ferguson can again sense sweetness, saltiness and spiciness, but most foods lack nuance in flavor.