I Can Smell Again
Thank you
For This Meal
Thanksgiving Recipes from Survivors of the Coronavirus
Who Are Approaching the Day With A Renewed Sense of Gratitude.
Kimberly Jean-Pierre, 36, tested positive for the coronavirus infection in mid-March and was experiencing fatigue, high fever and a persistent dry cough. During the final week of March, she found out she was expecting her second child, possibly increasing her risk of serious illness as a pregnant woman, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“It was an uneasy and scary feeling,” said Ms. Jean-Pierre, who was already juggling her duties as mom to a 4-year-old girl and her responsibilities as assemblywoman for the 11th District of New York State, on Long Island.
She lost her sense of taste and smell, which she regained in August, five months after testing positive. “I would feel this aluminum, metallic taste after every meal, after every drink,” she said. “It was a very uncomfortable taste.”
There was an added apprehension for the potential long-term impact of the virus, especially for her children, when she found out her daughter tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies. “You don’t know what the virus can do to you,” she said, talking about the long-term effects, which are still unknown. “You just fear the aftermath of the virus.”
Instead of giving into the fear, she tries to stay rooted in what matters, like the strong foundation of Haitian heritage and tradition. She teaches her daughter to have an appreciation for Haitian foods, the Creole language and the importance of family, which is increasingly difficult when everyone is so far apart.
This year, family members won’t be flying in from Haiti. She won’t be sitting beside her uncles and cousins while they play dominoes. But she will have her daughter and her newborn. She’s also looking forward to sipping krema, a spiced Haitian drink that is spiked with Rhum and similar to coquito.
“It’s a good dessert drink,” she said. “You take your time when you drink it, and you can have it with a good cake.”
Krema
1.5 liters | Time: 5 minutes
Photograph of Kimberly Jean-Pierre, top, is by Jenny Anderson for ISLAND AND SPICE MAGAZINE. Krema, above, is a spiced beverage that has similarities to American egg nog and Puerto Rican coquito. ISLAND AND SPICE MAGAZINE
Ingredients:
2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
½ cup of Rhum Barbancourt
¾ cup canned cream of coconut
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp almond extract
2 tsp vanilla extract
Preparation:
Add ingredients into a pitcher, stir well, chill in the refrigerator and serve neat in a whiskey glass or poured over ice.
