Friday, August 6, 2010

The Smell of Something Good

The Dunes at St Joe Beach, FL

We all have certain scents that transport us to a different time in our lives myself included. I can't walk into an older home without being swept back to my grandparents house; just the smell of an old book or an antique store can bring back wonderful memories of playing in their attic as a child... the same goes for the smell of the ocean, better yet the smell of Florida. Do states have smells? I think so, heck maybe I'm crazy but I believe you could blindfold me and take me to Florida and I'd know I was there from the smell.


Some of my favorite scents are fresh cut citrus whether its a lemon, orange or lime. I use these scents in my home in my hand soaps and shower gels and cook with them as often as I can as well. I make a mean lemonade that is infused with Rosemary which by the way is one of my very favorite herbs to use or just pinch off a piece and smell. I love going into my small herb garden and snipping a basket of herbs to use. I have even placed them in vases to scent the kitchen.


Rosemary Lemonade



Fresh Herbs From My Garden


This summer my house has smelled like heaven or my version of it! From canning pickles to making peach jelly and chutney or baking up a batch of cupcakes my kitchen and the rest of the house has worn the perfume of something fresh and delicious all summer long. I loved the smell of vinegar and fresh fruit and spices; if it were not so much work I could prepare some of these items daily just to enjoy the aroma.... On the other hand, my oldest daughter cannot stand the smell of vinegar and when I was making the chutney she stopped by and quickly left as she has such a distaste for it!


Fresh Peaches Waiting


Tomato Jam and Spices


Fresh Summer Squash Pickles


When I made the Cappuccino Cupcakes the house smelled like a high end coffee shop for days... it almost drove me crazy as it kept me craving those cupcakes. Of course Dorie loved the Cherry Pepsi ones with the Chocolate Icing but my favorites so far have been the Lime with White Chocolate Frosting.


Cappuccino Cupcake


Cherry Pepsi Cupcake With Chocolate Frosting



Almost Key Lime Cupcake With White Chocolate Buttercream


I also love the scent of Lavender and keep dried bouquets in some of my china/display cabinets to keep them fresh, I also keep some in the bedroom to help me drift off to sleep and calm me. My brother introduced me to this wonderful plant and I even planted my own plants two years ago and when they bloomed for the first time I had to walk out to them every evening just to enjoy their wonderful scent. I plan on adding at least a dozen more plants over the next year as we have all enjoyed them so well.

I thought about adding a few of my recipes just in case you'd like to try and not only smell them but taste them as well... but decided to just invite you to please join me at my other blog Foundations where I write about cooking and post many of my recipes (all recipes for pictured items can be found there).

Please drop by when you have a chance.....    http://foundations-a-cookbook.blogspot.com/

13 comments:

NanU said...

Rosemary lemonade sounds really good - I'm going to get a couple of lemons this evening and experiment with whatever's in the garden this weekend!
Great shootout!

Sara Diana said...

Great shoot out! I loved the first picture because it brought back happy memories for me. My first ever holiday abroad was to Florida with a friend and I was so struck by the white sand I just had to stop the car and go and touch it. I couldn't believe my eyes - it was wonderful x

Heather said...

Oh, my gracious...wait, let me wipe my chin. This post really creates an overwhelming desire to my senses....mmmm, citrus and ocean and sweets...mmmm :)

Sarah Sullivan said...

I'm with Heather..am drooling LOL!! I so want the coffee cupcake recipe..wow!! I adore the scent of grapefruit..yum and lavender my very favorite scent! Wonderful shootout!!

Kerry said...

A cappuccino cupcake would be lovely right now. I love to cook, so will have to visit your other blog!

States do each have a fragrance, I think. I remember what the Gulf Coast smells like and worry that the oil spill may have changed its spicy clean smell; I hope not.

Pauline said...

Oh, the smell of something good, indeed. Lots of them, too. Can't wait for our summer to arrive and "the smell of vinegar and fresh fruit and spices".

I had resolved I would NOT bake muffins this weekend but now .....

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

Cappuccino Cupcake should be great. Today, I watched a British TV, they use beet root to substitute butter.

Glad that cup cakes have made a come back.

Jama said...

I don't mind the lemonade right now! perfect with that cupcakes.

Unknown said...

oh my goodness......... the cupcakes are delicious!! do you have the recipes on your cooking blog? will have to visit. put a candle in one, my birthday was yesterday.

farmlady said...

Wonderful shoot out! Great photos.
I will take one each of the cupcakes. I can smell them from here.

~JarieLyn~ said...

Wow, I'm glad you participated in this shoot out because I really like your blog.

I never would have thought to put rosemary in lemonade but it does sound wonderful. Some of my favorite smells are the citrus fruits also.

And Oh my goodness, I have been on a cupcake baking frenzy lately but not from scratch. Your cupcakes sound scrumptious, especially the lime cupcake. i will definitely check out your other blog and borrow some of your recipes. I love to cook too.

This was an excellent shoot-out. Your photos convey the smells very well.

GingerV said...

Are you telling us you MADE those cupcakes? if that is a YES - how would you like to cook for me here in RIO!

Unknown said...

Rosemary Lemonade took me back to the most wonderful day of my life, our wedding. I think you need to move to Alabama and we could open up a cupcake shop. I would quit my job and we could just bake. Yep thats it.