I think I may have made a terrible mistake. It started with me making a cup of tea the other day. I added a teaspoon of sugar (don't you judge me!). I gave it a nice stir. And I took a big, satisfying slurp. It felt like I had slurped up the Dead Sea.
Somebody had left the salt jar on the kitchen bench and given the millions of cups of tea I have made over my life, I did the whole thing on autopilot, stirring a big old teaspoon of salt into my beverage.
It was… unpleasant, but luckily I was standing near the sink and was able to spit it right out. Problem solved, right?
No, problem created.
That was about 3 days ago. Now, every time I take a sip of tea or coffee or any kind of liquid, really, the first thing I taste is salt. Whether it has salt in it or not. I get that same face-sucking, eye-squinting, deeply visceral reaction. And the taste! The taste is there. It's not like drinking a barrel of brined pickle water. But it is like sucking on a great big salty thing I'm sorry I have run out of metaphors.
I'm also running out of patience. This has been going on for three days. I need it to end. God, when will it end...
Whilst no validated in larger, significant studies there have been a few small group studies which suggest that a person who suffers a bout of food poisoning or any significantly negative experience with regard to a specific food or drink that single occurrence can result in 'impriniting' resulting in a visceral disgust to that flavour/drink/food subsequently. All I can suggest is I hope that hasn't happened in your case.
How about a good suck on a salted caramel? The combination might balance out the disruption to your taste receptors. Ok, I am making shit up as I go along. It is my job to give Aunty advice - for good or ill. Thus my job is done.
It sounds like a classic case of Post Salty Tea Disorder (PSTD).
Have you tried cleaning the cup first?
Whilst no validated in larger, significant studies there have been a few small group studies which suggest that a person who suffers a bout of food poisoning or any significantly negative experience with regard to a specific food or drink that single occurrence can result in 'impriniting' resulting in a visceral disgust to that flavour/drink/food subsequently. All I can suggest is I hope that hasn't happened in your case.
I thought this only applied to alcohols, specifically Malibu and Southern Comfort.
Ah yes! Stomach pumped after apricot yoghurt. No apricot chicken, jam, anything for nigh on 50 years. Fingers crossed for JB.
Fight fire with fire. Try an overly sweet beverage to balance out the flavours. Perhaps try a little acid or fat, or even some umami.
How about a good suck on a salted caramel? The combination might balance out the disruption to your taste receptors. Ok, I am making shit up as I go along. It is my job to give Aunty advice - for good or ill. Thus my job is done.
Try a cup of tea with honey in place of sugar. It might defrag your tongue’s muscle memory of the traumatic event.
So gross. Been there. Formerly delicious coffee that died poorly.