What's a favorite smell(s) that brings back a family memory?

I have a couple:

Smell of cinnamon. My mother used to sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on extra pie crust and bake until it was brown and yummy!

The second is the smell from a bakery. I would go with my dad every Saturday morning to get a coffee cake and the odors of the fresh baked cookies and cakes were wonderful.

What are yours?

I can't describe the smell, but it's of my Nana's house. Always so warm and inviting and full of good cooking! Out of the blue, I have caught whiffs of a certain combination of smells ands it instantly and vividly brought my Nana's home to mind.

My mom used to cook her Thanksgiving turkeys overnight. Every time I smell the tantalizing aroma of turkey cooking, I think of Thanksgivings at home.

Sauerkraut and bacon and also baked bread

Home baked bread. My aunt used to bake it once a week, and I would love it fresh from the oven!

Cardamom. The spice my mother and aunt used in baking Norwegian cookies and sweet breads during the holidays. I still make cardamom toast, but not as often.

The smell of turkey roasting brings back memories of when my Mom and Dad were alive and Mom was roasting the bird. It brings back memories of us watching the Macy's Parade and the house being all warm and cozy. I was just a kid then and those memories makes me a kid again.

Old Spice and Windsong. That about says it all.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Sauerkraut and bacon and also baked bread

Click to expand...

Sauerkraut is definitely one of the smells I love the most for everyday cooking!

But for holidays:

Thanksgiving is the smell of my Aunt Lotty's stuffing. It is to die for.

For Christmas, it is vanilla. My Aunt Lotty's secret recipe for vanilla horseshoe cookies - the butter, sugar and vanilla. Maybe I should sell those!

The homemade waffles smell in the morning, heavenly to wake up to, batter belly swiftly follows

Mom's tollhouse cookies (which we made today )

My sister Kimmy's citrus/cinnamon stuff she always simmers on the stove at Christmas (it's orange peels, lemon peels, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and I think water...she lets it simmer on the stove top at Christmas and it scents up her entire house...it's AWESOME!!!)

My lasagna cooking in the oven!!


(Linda, now I'm CRAVING Sauerkraut & mustard )