Do we only remember them when we smell them?

I have a really good flavor memory. I can recall tastes pretty easily and even describe them, especially if I close my eyes.

Smells, though—I don't think I think about them until, well, I smell them.

The smells of the forests of the firry northwest clearly smell different from the ones filled with aspens in Colorado.

Or, like this morning when I walked out at some inhuman hour of 4:47 a.m. outside of Boston. The smells—wow! What a rush of childhood that overwhelmed the senses. The humid mixture of nature overpowered and filled my olfactory system. It made me pause mid-stride just to inhale the wonder of life, or at least the memory of life.

If you asked me to describe my early years, I expect I would use words that would describe school, cars, friends, but smells? Not likely. Though I might now, now that I am thinking about it. I wonder what words an aromachologist would use.

Recently, while I was waiting for the pilot car to make its U-turn to lead us all up the one-lane mountain pass road on my way to pick up the cherries, I sat with my windows open, enjoying the smell of the Pacific Northwest forest, a wonderful and fond memory that comes from my childhood, as well.

I wonder about these smells, these memories, these memories of smell, and how much they might influence what we choose to eat.

From the city to the forest, to the ocean, to the campfire, whatever it might be and how influential smells are to our memory of the foods that we remember?

In thinking of the corn on the cob that we spoke about last week, or thinking of the salt and pepper chicken the kids made over the campfire that took forever to cook, that was so delicious that when we finally ate it, it was a special moment.

Was it the taste? Or the texture? The campfire? The smells? What part of the experience made it a special, memorable memory?

Or, was it that we were just plain hungry?

It's those food memories that we like to grasp and hold onto.

The memories of food are sometimes the very best, most joyful memories we have.

I think of those moments of memories about food, the sharing of family dishes from Jell-O to popcorn to hotdogs and hamburgers, to peach crisps, to apple pies, to stuffed tomatoes, to crispy carrots, and of course, to cherries.

And then the familiarity of Thanksgiving and how the home fills with the distinct aroma of a turkey cooking too long, the multitude of pies, the green beans with almonds, stuffing—whatever smells they might be, they bring with them the memory, the flavor of life.

Smelling the memories of food in my world helps make life worth living, sharing, and caring! Bon appetit!

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Walnut oil and cider vinegar are a natural pair, and they are taken to new heights by the honey. This honey and apple cider vinegar dressing is particularly good over salads of hearty or bitter spring greens. Try it on a combination of watercress, mache, arugula, and radicchio with some chunks of caramelized apple and toasted walnuts as a garnish.

See the Easy Honey and Katz Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe here!

This oil is very quiet. Reserved, subtle, and delicious, it's an oil that will knock your socks off in a very quiet way.

On the tongue, this huile de noix is only "oily" for a moment before it disappears into a light vapor, imparting an intense, pure, eye-popping, walnut-filled clean flavor.

This pure virgin walnut oil is tops in class, winning Gold multiple times! Filled with polyunsaturated fatty acids in the form of omega-3s, like most nut oils, this is good for memory and cardiovascular health.

It's an oil for flavoring and for finishing a dish, but not for cooking. Use it in dressings for salads, from lentils or beans to any and all greens. Swirl it into soups and blend it into dips for a nutty edge. Or, simply drizzle some over a rare tuna steak or a bowl of fresh pasta with goat cheese and asparagus. Or, simply top a fresh plate of pasta!

How ever you try it, this oil is a wonder and a joy!

Shop now for Maneyrol Virgin French Walnut Oil!

Though a very subtle smell, it is quite delightful! Sweet, and lavender. After trying many, many, lavender honeys from all over the world, this by far is our favorite! And it all starts with the right lavender!

Lavender, belonging to the genus Lavandula, comprises around 47 species. In addition to these species, there are numerous varieties and cultivars, numbering more than 400.

French Lavender (Lavandula dentata) is characterized by its toothed leaves and wonderfully different scent.

It is lavender season almost everywhere, and the bees are busy making food for the queen and honey for us.

We are fans of honey made from flowers and trees, as well as honey from all over the world. We have tasted a lot of honey in our time!

What is truly amazing, at least to me, is that honey from a plant, a flower in this case, can be so different from the same plant, in this case, a flower of a specific species grown in different places in the world.

Yes, the underlying tones are often the same, yet they can also be wildly different. Perhaps that is the definition of wild?

And this is one of my all-time favorite Lavender honeys in the world! There is also a Maritime Lavender honey from the same bees that has a hint of the sea in it, which I truly love, but it is much harder to get.

When you open the jar of this honey, it is warm, creamy, and has a gentle, soft, inviting look. That is how you feel even before you sink your spoon in to savor and taste this elixir!

In the mouth, it is just as you anticipate, and even better. Soft and delicate, the flavors are as you expect and want. Sweet Lavender, subtle, delicious, and just right.

It is how you want your honey to be, but way better!

Shop now for Les Ruchers de Bourgogne Traditional Lavender Honey!

Mix the ingredients one at a time, in the order listed, using a fork or wooden spoon, starting with the chermoula.

See the Three Continents Marinade Recipe!

Smell this version of Woos-t-er-sure Sauce and it smells enticing and appealing!

Use it for almost everything. A great flavor enhancer at the same time adding its wonderful flavor! From meatloaf to baked beans to drinks. Versatile!

The secret recipe for Worcestershire Sauce was concocted by John Lea and William Perrins, two chemists, in Worcester, England in 1837.

The original is still - well, real - and tastes original.

The BBC says that there have been over 30 variations of the original Worcestershire sauce sold. As the saying goes "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".

And sometimes you can make something similar, but not the same and even make it better.

Col Pabst All Malt Amber-Lager Worcestershire made in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is better. Way better!

Starting with fresh Milwaukee Amber Lager and then blending in 21 all-natural ingredients along with Tamarind and Anchovies, Col Pabst adds Grenadine, Ginger and Madras Curry. Aged in small batches this Worcestershire sauce is more like a fine balsamic than an ingredient.

Shop now for Col Pabst Malt Amber-Lager Worcestershire Sauce!

It is such a familiar smell! Lots of memories come from mustard and the summer!

Turns out there are a lot of mustards out there. And I am the first to admit, I like squeezing a bottle of yellow stuff in a back and forth motion across a good hot dog in a nice bun. Sadly though, the fun stops there. The fake sweet and the lack of hot makes me wish I hadn't squeezed. We have tasted a lot of mustard with a spoon and only a few seem to make us dance. These mustards do!

Shop now for Mustards of many kinds!

All the olive oils we have, have a special place in our taste bud memories. Nunez, which we had not seen for many, many years, in one whiff of the vapors brought back a plethora of memories of long ago! This is one of those memories of smell that is special to us.

Remove the oversized cork, which is quite satisfactory and easy, too.

The smell is wonderful, just as you would want a newly opened bottle of olive oil to be! The outpouring of vibrant yellow-green is delicious and enticing.

The first big slurp rushes memories of an oil we haven't had in 10 years! Light and olivey, round, buttery on top, then finishing with a pencil tip of delightful bitterness high in the cheeks. Followed by a strong tickle of sharpness that only a newly harvested oil can deliver!

Don't be tricked, as I was. Delicate sips reveal sophisticated hints of olive, avocado, and artichoke with a lightness of being. But if you venture into a big gulp and a backward thrust of the oil into your throat, you'll get a big surprise!

Hidden amongst all the light, friendly appearance is a powerful punch of high-powered zing—a super burn that declares this oil is alive!

The experts were telling us that the olive oil would be extremely mellow (read: not good) this year. Almost boring. We have not found this to be the case at all.

Every new oil we have tried has been wonderful. Each one unique and full of personality. If there is a mellowness they all share on first taste, it is the follow-through in subsequent tastes that makes you realize how wonderful and versatile this year's crop is.

This might be the first year where every oil I've tasted has been wonderfully appealing and versatile enough to accompany any dish, from fresh toast to robust pasta! Fabulous!

And this Nunez de Prado is like a homecoming and a new friend all rolled into one! What fun to have this special, wonderful olive oil back in our lives!

Shop now for Nunez de Prado Organic Estate Olive Oil!

Just the other day someone asked me what may current favorite product is right now. It is this one! The sweet, smoky, vinegar is perfect for the summer! From the nose to the palate it is a combination that is just right for right now. I dip my sushi in it. I top my rice with it. I add it to marinades and try it with almost anything including rice waffles.

Even before you pull the tab, you can smell the smokiness of the vinegar!

Pull the tab, and the smokiness dissipates with the sweet smell of vinegar arriving. To the nose, it is vinegar and then finishes with a gentle smokiness. It is pretty rare for a nostril to be filled with two notes at the same time, with one essence first over the other, then the other essence over the first, and then they come together in a sweet and smoky marriage!

It is WOW just by the nose alone! I can't wait to taste it! Pour it into a white spoon, and the color is a light, transparent brown and golden, like nice iced tea.

AND WOW! Just a little upper lip dip in, and then a taste with lips and tongue, you get a myriad of deliciousness! The flavors arrive together, with each element being distinct for a nanosecond and then blending while still being separate.

It is wild! It is exciting!

It is like the sweet lingers on the lips, the cavity of your mouth gets the smokiness, and the tongue blends it all back together. In small tastes, you get the vinegar; in larger bits, you get the acid of the vinegar in the back of your throat. And when it all seems to be done, you get this feeling of vinegar joy!

This is crazy good!

Use it? First, dipping the rice in Sushi is well, perfect! As a topping on rice works. Add it to miso soup. To get a smoky sweet twist, add this vinegar to a 4th of July salad dressing. Add it to a marinade or a sauce. And baked beans!

Did I mention, WOW!

Shop now for Tajima Smoked Sweet Vinegar!

A seasonal and local twist on Sheila Lukins' original recipe for Fresh Mango Salsa. Perfect on grilled or baked white fish, such as Halibut, Halibut Cheeks or Black Cod.

Shop now for Blueberry and Peach Salsa Recipe!

All you need is brandy, yuzu, lemon juice and some ice.

See the Sparkling Yuzu Brandy Sour Recipe here!

This recipe is from Marian Burros fabulous cookbook, Cooking for Comfort. If you want a recipe that works reliably and reminds you of the food you ate growing up (or not) this is a cookbook for you!

See the Apple Almond Crisp Recipe here!

I love the smell of this sweet yuzu citrus juice!

Sometimes, when you see something, you know right away that it's going to be good. And that is the case for Yuzu no Megumi.

The frosted glass bottle makes you want to hold it in your hand and rub the surface because it feels so good.

This delightful sweetened liquid syrup is made with yuzu juice, citrus natsudaidai juice, granulated sugar, honey, and millet jelly.

Pop the top and take a very deep whiff. It is this enticing combination of citruses that creates a vapor that is super twisty. It is not easily describable yet very desirable.

When you cautiously take your first sip, you'll experience a silky smooth, sweet, gentle liquid with a hint of tartness. Then you'll have to taste it again to be sure that it's not too tart, which it isn't. You take a big swig, swirl it around, and realize this yuzu juice is super fun. There are three tasting moments: First, the sweetness of citrus; then the tartness, and finally, some lip-smacking, tongue-smacking joy.

At first, you think about just sipping it straight up or over ice. It's that good. After the third sip, you start thinking it's like an after-dinner drink. And then, the ideas start flowing!

Mixed drinks, drinks of all kinds, any that would benefit from aromatic citrus with a little sweetness.

You could also add a splash to vinaigrettes and other dressings or to sauces to finish a dish. The possibilities are endless. You will be so happy with this yuzu treat that is so gosh darn delicious!

Shop now for Yuzu no Megumi Syrup!

Open a bag and inhale! Joy and Pleasure! This is my go-to chocolate. In the bag it traps the vapor of the chocolate waiting for you to capture it in your olfactory system! And you get the benefits of eating it, too.

One of the best chocolate deals out there! In the bag is 453.59 grams of chocolate = equaling 6.97 - 65 gram bars for half the average price!

These little discs of rare Cru Sauvage bittersweet baking chocolate are excellent for eating out of hand or for incorporating into a host of chocolate desserts.

If I could only have one chocolate for the rest of my life, on a desert island, on a trip anywhere, or just camping, this is the chocolate I would choose.

The substantial and harmonious cocoa flavors of the Cru Sauvage bittersweet baking chocolate discs are complemented by the freshness of lemon and the fruitiness of grapefruit.

The traditional gentle processing method (60 hours conching) unfolds the intense dried prune bouquet and vanilla in a most exquisite way. The exceptionally pleasant fruit acidity and the long-lasting ending make the Cru Sauvage, with its cocoa content of 68%, a unique culinary experience.

Shop now for Cru Sauvage - Wild Cocoa Baking Chocolate 68%!

Rocambole Subspecies: Rocamboles are known for their large, easy-to-peel cloves and their warm and mellow garlic flavor. They all have medium heat and a sweetness that other subspecies don't have. Varieties include Killarney Red, Yugoslavian Rocambole, Bailey Roc, Russian Reds, Purple Italian, German Red, Wild Redneck, Amish Rocambole, and Spanish Roja.

Purple Stripe Subspecies: Purple Stripes are distinguished by their purple and white striped skins. Purple Stripes are particularly excellent when baked; those in the industry know that they often win the baking taste-tests. Their flavor is noticeably hotter than the Rocamboles. Subspecies include Chesnok Red, Romanian Red, Purple Glazer, Persian Star, Belarus, Bogatyr, and Brown Tempest.

Porcelain Subspecies: Porcelains tend to have the fewest and largest cloves. These are all pretty much on the hot side. Porcelains include Music, German White, Vostani, Majestic, and Georgian Fire.

Artichoke Subspecies: Artichoke garlic has a milder flavor and may have fewer and larger cloves than silverskin - the main type of softneck garlic you see in grocery stores. You can store it for as long as eight months. Artichoke garlic may occasionally have purple spots or streaks on its skin, but don't confuse it with purple stripe garlic, a hardneck variety that has quite a bit of purple coloring. They are also easier to braid. Artichoke varieties include Inchelium Red.

Preorder today, remember we don't charge until we are ready to ship!

See the entire Garlic Selection here!