Only in Portland: Perfume for ice cream

(JULY 22, 2022) People add many strange things to ice cream. Sometimes it's fruit. Sometimes it's candy. Now a store in Portland wants to add a scent.

Scents are smells, and ice cream doesn't usually smell. But that's changing at Salt & Straw. Tyler Malek recently talked to a reporter from The Oregonian newspaper. He said, "If you look at the way that we taste and small, the olfactory senses are a significant part, like 60% of how you actually taste something." He added, "If ice cream is this delicious, and it's missing out on 60% of the experience, could it be 60% more delicious?"

So Salt & Straw talked to a company that makes perfumes. It's called Imaginary Authors. A while ago, they helped Salt & Straw create a waffle cone candle. Now they are making a "culinary perfume" for ice cream. ("Culinary" means related to food.)

Together, the two companies made three edible scents. They are sprayed on ice cream. One is cocoa (chocolate) scent. One is citrus (lemon/lime/orange) scent. One is a floral (flower) scent. All are vegan. People can even wear the new scents.

The Oregonian reporter said it doesn't change the taste, but it does make the experience better. Now you smell and taste your ice cream.