Memory of a Scent

The other day I picked up my friend Cathy and when she got into the car I said, wow, you smell like high school. She was wearing “Charlie” a perfume that we all wore in high school in the 70’s. For the next ½ hour we talked about the clothes we wore, the music we listened to and the boys we went out with.

Aromas. Fragrances. Good smells. Gross smells. So many are attached to a memory. Sometimes even a bad odor reminds us of a good time. So many people will tell you apple pie or freshly baked choco chip cookies bring back so many memories of childhood. My list is eclectic. Even kind of weird. But whatever. Here we go:

A few days ago I was waiting for the T (Boston’s subway system). I don’t ride the T very often, I mostly drive everywhere as long as I can find a parking space. Sitting and waiting for the train I breathed in the smells of the station. Oily and musty. Not terrible. But it brought back memories of my college days. We used to take the T always. No cars.

Hot french fries with ketchup. Reminds me of summer. Not the taste. Just the smell.

Fresh cut lemons. Always reminds me of being in Israel. I love lemon.

Fresh brewed coffee. Reminds me that coffee is the greatest thing since the invention of the wheel.

Campfire or fireplace smells remind me of late autumn, camping with my parents and of course Thanksgiving which has its own set of fabulous scents.

Grilled meats, country fair foods (peppers and sausages, fried dough) are also high on my list. Not necessarily to eat-just to breathe!

Cigarette smoke reminds me of sitting at an outdoor café in Italy. I hate cigarette smoke but it’s the culture of cafés and coffee.

Cold winter air reminds me of being in the city (New York of course, duh) with my Gram and going to the ballet.

Of course the food smells are constant. Each holiday has a special fragrance. Thanksgiving is sage. Passover is tzimmes (a big mess of yams, carrots, brisket-totally delish). Chanukah is fried latkes (potato pancakes) and hot homemade apple sauce.

Perfumes also bring memories. I don’t wear perfume anymore (my husband is allergic) but when I smell a certain fragrance it reminds me of a certain person or even me, when I used to wear perfume.

Our sense of smell is a wonderful thing. It can trigger an old memory or create a new one.

I probably won’t be posting every week. More like twice a month. Or maybe three times. We’ll see.

It’s turkey time! Wishing all of you a very, very happy Thanksgiving.