We’re excited to bring the tastes of fall and winter to you this season at 13moons. Join us each month for our delicious, signature drink specials.
November’s Peartini
Fall flavors mingle to complete this simple, yet elegant, martini. This chilled drink features Grey Goose La Poire vodka, Disaronno Originale amaretto liqueur, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup.
December’s Peppermint Coffee Nudge
Let your mind relax as the aromas of chocolate and peppermint transport you to a winter wonderland. This hot beverage combines Rumple Minze peppermint liqueur, Kahlúa and crème de cacao dark liqueur. Topped with coffee and a dollop of house whipped cream, it’s garnished with a mini candy cane.
Why I love winter’s wonderful smells
Despite the hustle and bustle that the holiday season demands, I’ve always loved winter for its sharp, crisp air, colorful leaves and aromatic scents that instantly create imagery in my mind the moment they waft up my nose.
Smell is a powerful sense that we quickly associate with memories and traditions, and there’s a reason for that. As neurons in your nose detect odors, they send signals to the brain. The olfactory bulbs in the brain decode the signals, and this is where the ability to associate smells with strong memories or emotions comes into play. The olfactory bulbs are part of the limbic system, which is so closely associated with memory that it’s often called the “emotional brain.”
In 2015, a group of researchers in Sweden started a six-year study that aims to increase understanding of how the sense of smell is cognitively processed. Among the lead researchers is Maria Larsson, who shared some intriguing findings with the Association for Psychological Science.
When testing people’s memories with verbal and visual cues, they found that most memories came from their teens and 20s, as researchers expected. However, when given smell cues, people were able to recall memories that went as far back as when they were 5 years old. Larsson said these memories were also more emotional and vivid than triggered by visual or verbal cues. For more information on the Stockholm, Sweden research, visit the studies website by clicking here.
Resources
Association for Psychological Science
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
