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Tell HN: A 5 minute olfactory hack for the holidays
2 points by grandalf on Dec 26, 2010 | hide | past | favorite | 2 comments
Do you like the smell that a house has after a holiday meal has been prepared? Spices, flavors, etc., topped off with the smell of pie baking?

Here's a simple way to create that smell in a few minutes.

Fill a pot half way with water and bring it to a boil. Add the following:

- One Apple, chopped.

- A large dash of several of the following: Allspice, cloves, cardamon, cinnimon, cocoa powder

- A splash of vanilla, Grand Marinier, etc.

- A lemon if you have one.

- A few coffee beans

- Some rosemary if you want a more "dinnery" smell underneath.

The ingredients are all optional and should be tailored to your taste.

You can add fruit that you would have otherwise thrown away... it's at its most aromatic stage.

Let the pot boil (and add water to keep it from boiling dry).

The fragrant steam will fill your living space with holiday cheer.



But a big part of the fun is the delicious, mouth-watering anticipation of discovering the source of those smells - the (disappointing) 'missing ingredient' here...

Addendum: rather harder to hack the aroma of freshly baked bread... ;-)


I remember seeing something like this on the news as a child...though they pitched it as a way to fool your guests into thinking you cooked when you really ordered out.




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