A Whiff Versus a Bite

Having rounded the corner of the holiday season, I considered some of the delicious food I had over the last several weeks. Some meals, I laboriously stirred, chopped and sauteed, only to find myself unhungry at mealtime, a common phenomenon after hours of inhale overload at the stove. While our sense of smell adds to our taste experience, it also plays with our sense of hunger. Think Auntie Anne's cinnamon sugar pretzels wafting through the air as you circle the mall on a midnight run for a forgotten gift, or Cold Stone Creamery luring you in as if tied to a fishing hook baited with freshly baked waffle cones. While in those instances, the sugary scent hypnotically calls you to abandon shopping for a quick snack, other times when we are working hard in the kitchen and are bombarded with constant streams of fragrance, the smells can make us feel full. Although admittedly, the feeling of satiation could be attributed, at least partly, to the tasting done to ensure everything is cooked "just right". While a whiff might not be quite as satisfying as a bite, it plays an important role in our experience. So breathe it in and enjoy.