If you could wear your food as perfume...

[cayjohan]

what would you wear?

For me, it's tom kha gai, hands down. And the Hub would happily follow me around like a love-sick puppy if I dabbed Filipino pork adobo behind my ears.

What's yours?

So curious - because this whole house smells like the best perfume shop in the world right now and it's on my mind.

Cay

[mamachef]

All citrus, especially grapefruit. Most "warm" spices; cinnamon, clove, ginger....
Hibiscus tea. Green Tea.
Vanilla
Fried Chicken ; )

[Harters]

You could do worse this Christmas than try Jamie Oliver's new fragrance "J'ai Mange".
It's a completely new concept - a perfume you can cook with as well as wear. As the advertising has it

"This is no ordinary fragrance, J'ai Mange, is the world's first edible perfume. For Man, Woman or Salad, the subtle zesty undertones and aromatic highnotes of freshly cut lemons, work well on both skin and leaf."

http://www.interstateteam.com/portfol...

[mamachef]

This sounds like it would smell really really nice, but I'd have to dock anyone and send them home if they showed up for work wearing any kind of scent whatsoever......

[Georgia Sommers]

Love it!

[beekeroc]

Fresh baked home-made cinnamon buns! The best smell in the world !

[beethoven]

Heck, I did this when I was a kid - snuck the almond extract out of the cupboard and dabbed it on my wrists. Drove my mother nuts.

[chefathome]

Truffles.
Bacon.
Lemongrass.
Chiopotle chiles.
Vanilla beans.
Tomato leaves.

[makonna]

Ripe peach or citrusy (lemon, grapefruit, orange). I know I'd be popular with my children.

[buttertart]

There used to be a Nina Ricci called Deci-dela that was almost pure peach.

[HillJ]

http://www.amazon.com/Deci-dela-Nina-...
Do you mean this one? No mention of peach, but apricot is listed.

[buttertart]

The very thing, I didn't think it was still available. Smells quite peachy.

[hennybee]

Lilac: There used to be a great one from Crabtree & Evelyn--I loved the body lotion as it wasn't too perfumey and the scent came through subtly. Discontinued, I see a bottle on ebay for $50! But body lotion separates and breaks down after some years so even if I would, I wouldn't...

Cucumber: I used to wear the Demeter one and the Tomato scent too (which has that viney smell). They are great but wear off quickly.

My perfume of choice these days is a fig one. I love Le Premier Figuier from L'Artisan Parfumeur (it's green, sappy, milky, woody) but after a tiny $95 bottle broke on my bathroom floor I had to give up that luxury for a while. Amazingly, I found a Spanish fig perfume on clearance at a strange markdowns store, called Essencia de Higo by Campos de Ibiza. It's not quite as good but it was $10 for a size that would be $135 from L'artisan. (Who also make some other really wonderful scents: I've always wanted a man who smelled like orange peel, tobacco, coffee, whiskey...)

[buttertart]

You should have known my father!

[ceekskat]

St. Germain Elderflower liquor...love this stuff!

[NicoleFriedman]

Almonds or pumpkin pie! I actually have on occasion added almond extract to my bath... because it's yummy and I'm allergic to real perfume!

I haven't thrown a pumpkin pie into my bath yet though....

[buttertart]

The smell of pumpkin pie is supposed to have an erotic effect on men, I've read. !!!

[HillJ]

..I think it's the cinnamon in any form...not the pumpkin pie :)

[buttertart]

Nope, apparently the pumpkin part enters into it.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/s...
May also be the milky aspect, Gucci Rush was famously described as smelling like mother's milk mixed with hairspray, thereby eliciting primal memories, etc.

[HillJ]

interesting article. But, isn't it the cinnamon that carries the major scent. what does pumpkin alone smell like? It's the cinnamon in a cinnamon bun...etc.

[buttertart]

No, I think it's the combo vegetal/spice/dairy thing.

[mtbwustl]

My perfume smells exactly like cucumbers, the most refreshing smell ever. I used to wear a perfume called Gin and Tonic...it was glorious.

[mariacarmen]

who made that??

[buttertart]

Sign me up too!

[mtbwustl]

The G&T perfume is by Demeter Fragrances. They have a ton of food related fragrances, and a whole line called Happy Hour. The cucumber perfume is by Kiehls.

[grayelf]

I would like to wear the scent of waffle cones baking, please. Now you know what I want for Christmas :-).

[bushwickgirl]

I had that Gin & Tonic spray, light and crisp, great for summer, and one called Vanilla Cake Batter, very sweet with vanilla hints. I bought a friend a bottle of Sugar Cookie. Demeter makes a Tomato scent also, and one called Dirt...very earthy, like freshly plowed garden soil in the Spring.

[ZenSojourner]

Bread. Or maybe cloves. I actually do wear a straight-up clove scent.

[buttertart]

What one, may I ask?

[ZenSojourner]

The clove scent? I use an essential oil. All my scents are (more or less) natural essential oils. Clove, cinnamon, cedar wood, cedar leaf, sandalwood, like that. I don't go in much for florals or "perfume-y" kind of scents, except for carnation, which (if it's a good one anyway), is more of a spicy clove-y kind of scent than a flowery one.

[buttertart]

I'd think Bellodgia might be up your alley carnation/covewise.

[ZenSojourner]

Wow! Not sure I'm olfactorily sophisticated enough for that, LOL!

There is a lilac scent I've always meant to try. It's supposed to be the truest representation of lilac available (you can't make an essential oil from lilac). It's made by the Highland Park Lilac Gardens, a botanical garden in Rochester, NY.

I love lilacs. My great-grandmother had lilacs. She died when I was 5 and I still miss her. The scent of lilacs is forever associated with my memories of her. But at the same time I've never been into flowery perfumes. One of these days I'll get up the nerve to give it a try. I want it to smell just like lilacs, and not like lilac perfume. I'm afraid I'll be disappointed, I guess.

[buttertart]

Bellodgia is very nice.
According to a perfumeaholic friend (has as many scents as I do cookbooks) Floris in London has the truest flower scents. Love lilacs for similar reasons, our backyard when I lived home.

[Cheese Boy]

No doubt would have to be Veal Pizzaiola or Rosemary Chicken. Now if I had to choose amongst fruits perhaps, it would be a toss up between carambola, guava, or mango.

[myaco]

Essence of garlic sizzling in good olive oil. Course some times I do smell like same -

[Kajikit]

I hate floral perfumes - they're always too strong. I only like the scents from the kitchen. I adore my coconut shampoo and rosemary verbena condtioner... when I get tired of that I use strawberry. I use 'brown sugar vanilla' body spray, and the only 'floral' scent I enjoy is lavender (which can also be used for food.)

[Manybears]

Rosemary and roasted almonds!

[Auriana]

The way my hands smell after rolling out snickerdoodles. Sweet, buttery, and cinnamony.

[nsstampqueen]

Fresh made pico de gallo with lots of cilantro and lime. If my hubby wore that I'd never let him out of my sight. I on the other hand, could wear anything scented like food and he would follow...

[harryharry]

Does tomato vine count... tomatoes right off the vine... I tried to rub it on my wrists but didn't get much effect.... yummmm.... I miss summer!

[buttertart]

The original DKNY fragrance (called City? in a tall skinny angular bottle) had tomato vine scent in it. I'm not sure if they still make it but you might look for a men's version of it - or check their other men's.

[lsmutko]

The smell of tomato vine always makes me think of my grandfather and his awesome city lot garden.

[buttertart]

It is a great smell, isn't it. Nasty and nice.

[Gio]

cumin/coriander/cardamom/pepper/cinnamon/cloves nutmeg.
AKA Garam Masala.

[honeybea]

tumeric, cardamom, yuzu... but not together

[alanbarnes]

My wife's favorite aftershave is a bay rum that has prominent notes of clove, allspice, cinnamon, and citrus. Slapping it on is lots easier than baking a pie...

[cayjohan]

Alan, it was my husband's eyes-closed, ecstatic deep-breathing exercises over the pot of adobo that initially made me think of what food smells would make lovely personal "signatures." My adobo is very heavy on the bay leaves, and I flashed on the bay rum my grandfather always wore - that deliciously spicy zing. I put bay rum aftershave on my Christmas shopping list without delay! Do you have a recommendation for a heavy-on-the-bay brand?

[alanbarnes]

For bay and nothing but, Dominica is the way to go. If you want your husband to smell like other spices, too, there are lots of good options from St. John (in a very gift-worthy bottle) to Meehan to Ogalalla to Clubman/Pinaud.

[cayjohan]

Thanks! Now I just need a little essence of pork to go with! ;-)

[alanbarnes]

When I was a kid my mom used to tie a pork chop around my neck so the dog would play with me...

[Tripeler]

Sounds like a Rodney Dangerfield joke...

[jester99]

bacon is always awesome but I have to say, Roasted Cocoa Nibs smells awesome, i like to stick my nose in the bag and just inhale it lol.

[AussieBeth]

Truffles. No question.

[ricepad]

To get Mrs. ricepad interested: chocolate. She, OTOH, should wear the smell of any grilling meat. And nothing else.

[burlgurl]

chocolate chip cookies baking...

[teemo]

Yes!

[sunshine842]

but then there are the folks (not just women!) who, if they smelled like grilling meat, might have you checking to make sure they weren't standing too close to the radiator.... O.o

[mariacarmen]

i wear vanillla oil...

[boyzoma]

A girl after my own heart. I love the smell of vanilla!

[RealMenJulienne]

My first girlfriend used (probably too much) vanilla scent so every time I smell it I go into evade-escape mode.

If a woman smelled like freshly baked bread I think I might have to ask her out.

[boyzoma]

Must have used too much. You want just a whiff so that it entices that "did I just smell that?" kind of response or "how could someone be baking here?".

[RealMenJulienne]

Nah it wasn't the quantity, more the negative Proustian memories that I associate with the smell. She ruined me for vanilla!

[joonjoon]

http://www.bk.com/en/us/campaigns/fir...

[BobB]

Very disturbing! ;-)

[joonjoon]

More like DELICIOUS! :)

[arashall]

About 15 years ago, when it was trendy, I had a vanilla oil perfume. I was wearing some when my guy friend came to pick me up for an outing. He finally mentioned it, after the smell followed me to the car. He thought I had baked cookies, and just not offered to share with him :-)

[onigiri]

Yuzu.

[Tripeler]

Right. Our neighbors here in Tokyo have a large Yuzu tree and in about a month we'll be getting lots. We like to throw the peels in the bath.

[boyzoma]

I want to smell like a turkey dinner.

[bushwickgirl]

Haha, good one, you will soon have the oppportunity!

I smelled lilke garlic most of the time I was a chef; not the most desireable scent to draw people close. Now I would choose chocolate.

[CindyJ]

Many years ago, I took Chinese cooking classes from a woman in Hartford, CT. Whenever she would slice into some fresh ginger, she would rub her fingers on the cut edge and dab a bit behind her ears. Personally, my preference is for Mexican vanilla.

[BobB]

Cinnamon. It's warm, it's sexy, and it's delicious!

[link_930]

I used to use the Philosophy Cinnamon Bun shampoo -- couldn't keep people away!

[Vetter]

That really good, really expensive Mexican vanilla I received as a gift once.

[steakman55]

Prime dry-aged and it must be dry-aged steak sizzling on the grill

[davalaban]

I've rubbed torn basil on my wrists or neck for a temporary fresh scent.

[MrsT]

About 10 years ago the Body Shop had an olive oil and basil body moisturizer. It smelled as if someone spent their entire day in an Italian kitchen canning tomatoes. Every time I used it, had men coming up to me telling me that I smelled great. I think Coco Chanel got it all wrong....

[blue room]

I remember reading long ago in a newspaper advice column (Ann Landers Or Dear Abby) that a sure fire way to insure your popularity as a kindegarten teacher is to smell like .. candy, of course. There are chocolate scents (I like this stuff--
http://www.amazon.com/Serendipity-3-S...
and I've smelled a scent for little kids called "Gummy Bears" -- it definitely smells like candy.

[Georgia Sommers]

Mrs Piggle Wiggle smelled of sugar cookies and the neighborhood children loved her. :)

[Veggo]

Garlic so I would have the whole row on an airplane all to myself.

[HillJ]

Nah, I'd sit right beside ya, sorry.

[lemons]

I have said for years that if they could bottle what my hands smelled like after I cleaned, cut up, sugared and froze 10 pouns of strawberries, it would be utterly irresistible.

[The 1st and only KSyrahSyrah]

Lime. Cucumber. Truffles. Chocolate.

[invinotheresverde]

Mine would also be lime (zest).

[Georgia Sommers]

Just last night we were out to dinner with another couple and as we approached the BBQ restaurant one of the guys said something like he'd wear that aroma as cologne if they bottled it. :)
It did smell awfully good!

As for me, I love citrus. Also the smell of fresh ginger. I used to have a body scrub that smelled of grapefruit and I loved it. Lemon and ginger, or grapefruit and orange and maybe even with the tiniest hint of clove in winter.. Nice.

[Terrieltr]

Mmmm, freshly grated lemon zest. A perfect scent for the hot, grimy, sweaty days of summer.

[Georgia Sommers]

delightful.

[southernitalian]

There's a perfume by Perscriptives called Calyx that smells exactly like this.

[Georgia Sommers]

Oh, thanks! I'll look for it.

[Erika L]

Browned butter.

[viperlush]

Scotch

[HillJ]

I bet Amaretto would be nice.....must...talk...to....hubby..

[HillJ]

Fresh ginger. Making ginger infused perfume is super simple.
Vanilla-ginger even better.
Plenty of grapeseed oil injused lavendar, rosemary, thyme sachets that you rub on the skin after a shower.
Lavendar soaps make a nice perfume.

[Cachetes]

I immediately thought of some of yours (vanilla came up first in my mind - it's a favorite flavor and smell of mine). Ginger sounds great! Adding in a bit of citrus smell to some of those might be nice also. Not very original, as many perfumes already do this.

If we were to take this to the food extreme, and focus on favorite food scents, I guess it would be either cooked garlic/onions, or fruit crisp.

[HillJ]

Oh yeah, orange would be nice. Have to try that one!
I'd love to "play along" but I wouldn't wear food scents of the unusual kind...might attract dogs, cats, bugs...instead of compliments :)

[ipsedixit]

Garlic ... y'know in the spirit of Halloween.

Durian ... to separate those who are die-hards, and the posers.

Pizza maybe? Apple Pie? Or how about fresh baked bread.

But in all seriousness, if I wanted a scent that was food-related or a food-derivative, it would be something like mint, or lavender and maybe (just maybe) vanilla.

[rhoneranger]

Bacon

[Georgia Sommers]

It's gotta be an aphrodisiac!

[Delucacheesemonger]

My eldest son has often said why do they use lavender or other flowers in perfume. If a woman wants to capture a man , wear bacon dabbed behind your ears.