I am finding these last few years that food is non-smelling and non-tasting.
I recall my mum making cabbage, onions, fish, oh everything and not that in order - I used to baulk at the smell of cabbage lingering on walls, curtains etc for days on end.
Onions blinded you when cutting up, smelt for days etc.
I have just opened a large tin of salmon and cut up an onion and have just said to myself not a smell from anything and not even a taste of things that used to taste glorious.
Even matt or gloss paint - no smell of that too but that's ok.
Jj, I agree with you about onions. A few years ago I needed sunglasses and a cloth over my face to chop one up. Now I can do it no problem. Is it my getting used to it, or are the onions weaker?
Onions still bring tears to my eye. But I know what you mean, I sometimes cook using a scotch bonnet pepper in my jerk chicken, one used to be enough making the chicken fiery, but lately.... using 2 or 3 still does not give the heat!!!
As my neighbour (an elderly lady) and I were talking about when you were coming home from school years ago - you were able to smell all the neighbours' dinners coming up the street. lovely homecooking.
And of a Sunday where I lived two maiden aunts baked their apple pies from their houses and sold them for a pittance - were there beautiful or what - to die for.
I haven't lost sense of smell Mamy - in fact smell has heightened - I smell smoke from next door a million times a day, washing powder - have discussed this before.
I buy all my veggies of what I buy from a superb greengrocers.
I lost my sense of taste and smell many many years ago, must be 10-12 years.
I didn't know I had until round at daughters who had a new puppy.
She had an accident on the floor and everyone was gagging at the smell. I couldn't smell a thing and haven't to this day.
I googled it a few years ago and one reason was a dentist nicking a nerve when doing a filling.
I now rely on memories as to what I like to eat and drink!
I agree about foods becoming bland, apple varieties all taste more similar to each other and definitely blander! I agree about onions, perhaps mass production/freezing/processes have contributed to this.