Oftentimes
even the simplest of fares can convey a sense
of comfort, a feeling of joy and a certain amount
of contentment to your day. Merely the smell of
something baking in the oven, a hint of cinnamon
or the tang of ginger is all you need to make
you feel warm and placated after a long day of
rain and chilly wind beating against the windows
of your home. In fact, the scent of baking is
supposed to enhance the beauty of your surroundings
to such a degree that realtors insist that you
perfume your home with cinnamon, orange, vanilla
or apple when you are showcasing it to perspective
buyers.
These smells are, to some people, aphrodisiacal.
The aroma of vanilla (on me in particular) has
proven itself over and over again in so many contexts
over the years. Women, men and children stop me
in the halls at work and insist that I must have
cookies in my pockets. I got into a car with a
friend recently and he told me I smelled like
Cocoa-Puffs (personally I think he might have
been a bit “coo-coo”). My old boss
used to search my desk drawers when I was at work,
assured that there had to be piles of Rice Krispie
Squares hidden in there somewhere. When I first
started my job in the clinic where I work now,
one nurse told me I always smelled of icing –
I said it must be because I like to bake so much…and
she believed me.
The sweet, slightly musky scent has never had
an adverse effect on anyone I’ve met and
I don’t even really notice the scent anymore
until someone else points it out to me. I also
don’t wear vanilla perfume, but rather vanilla
oil, which has no alcohol base to it; making it
much more subtle and less annoying than regular
perfume (I’m actually allergic to regular
perfume).
About twelve years ago I used to wear a scented
oil called “Dragon’s Blood”…I
know, it sounds sinister, but it really was quite
innocent. I purchased it at a shop that specialized
in Wican products, but it really was just because
it smelled so amazing. It smelled just like cinnamon
oil and man alive, did it drive the boys wild!
I had to stop wearing it because my skin became
so sensitive to it that it broke out in hives
where ever I would dab the oil. I would end up
with small red hicky-like raised areas on my neck
and wrists. I guess I’m just pure at heart.
Blending aromatic ingredients such as bananas
and liquor-soaked cranberries into a lusciously
dense banana-cranberry
bread brings a smile to my face.
Nibbling on said bread the next morning with a
hot cup of coffee by my hand makes for the perfect
start to a cold, blustery, busy day that has no
early end in sight. In fact even though I ate
that piece a few hours ago I can still catch a
whiff of banana and coffee and cranberry if I
turn my head just so while sitting here at my
desk.