Keep Your Nose Super Sharp

No, I’m not telling you to pull out a nail file or a sharpening stone. But I do want to advise you to keep your nose in practice, not just when tasting wine. I thought about it this morning as I was walking down the quiet streets of Alameda and noticed the smell of freshly turned earth and menthol. The source of the dirt was obvious as I looked over at the nearby construction site, made more obvious by the recent rain. The menthol, I wasn’t so sure about, unless it was the older gentleman who had just walked past me. But whatever it is or wherever I am, I always try to identify scents around me. Someone doing laundry, for instance, or when Kelly and I walk the old naval base and notice maple syrup and pine needles. It can even get a little silly as when BK cooked me dinner one night, and I almost let the food get cold smelling it and trying to identify the seasoning. It was the best duck I’ve ever had, and I first guessed that he used Chinese 5 spice, but decided it had more pepper and smoke.  Turned out, it was chocolate shavings, chili powder, cumin, and soy sauce.  At least I was in the right vicinity, but the point wasn’t so much whether I was correct but that I was trying….