To taste is to smell and to smell is to taste. Our sense of smell is what allows us to experience food more fully, accounting for 80% or more of what we perceive when we eat. This course delves into the intimate connection between flavor and fragrance, with a particular focus on the birth and evolution of the gourmand fragrance family, a distinctive olfactory category that draws inspiration from the culinary world.
Together, we will explore the historical, cultural, and social factors that led to the fragrance family’s creation, smell iconic perfumes that have shaped its identity like Mugler’s Angel, and analyze the popularity of perfumes that smell like food as related to gender, social class, sexuality, age, and consumerism.
Students in this course will:
Understand the basic principles of olfactory perception and how they interact with taste
Identify the culinary-inspired elements that define gourmand perfumes
Learn to recognize certain aroma chemicals commonly found in gourmand perfumes
Discuss the cultural and social implications of the popularity of gourmand perfumes in popular culture