Our househelp came from the province earlier last week and brought with her the sinamak vinegar I ordered. I'm using it as my dip for all my fried food. The tart, sweet scent of the vinegar (reminiscent of tubá or coconut toddy) boosts my appetite big time.
The scent also brings back some childhood memories of the time I spent a month in my mom's hometown of Cadiz in Negros Occidental, staying in with some kind relatives. The sinamak and fresh ginamos (dry shrimp bagoong) never fail to remind of those happy times.
It is a wonder how some scents trigger specific memories very vividly.
A perfume usually reminds of a specific person - Estee Lauder Pleasures and D&G Blue for my sweety. The scent of salt water and diesel fuel trigger memories of sea travel - crossing from Gen San to Saranggani on a pumpboat or my old team's last trip to Puerto Galera. Freshly baked pan de sal from a wood oven - memories of traveling to Manila at dawn on my uncle's jeep service from Batangas (circa early 80s, we usually have a stopover at Lipa to buy bread from a bakery there, their oven was fueled with wood).
Memories trigger emotion, I look forward to the happy memories for strength in my daily grind. I guess everyone has had the experience of being perked up from a bad day by catching a scent from happier times.
I'd love to know what scents pick you up when your down.
For me its that burnt floury smell with a hint of fresh onions and roasted beef from a freshly made shawarma, the very first snack that I got treated to by my loving partner, those were happy times indeed.
TC all and good night.
(btw I had to edit this several times as my perfume names got mixed up... tnx hon ^_^)
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