Lately, my husband and I have been enjoying instant coffee with creamer. We used to drink only black coffee, coarsely ground, without any sugar. But ever since I started making my own iced coffee at home (using Nescafe, fiber creme, sweetener, and milk), I’ve been keeping creamer stocked in the house, and now my husband has joined in.
“I prefer coffee with just creamer, no milk,” he said one evening as we chatted on the terrace after I got home from work.
He continued, “It reminds me of when Dad used to keep creamer stocked when we lived in Tangerang. The coffee was always Nescafe in a glass jar, and the creamer came in a bottle.”
The visual of Nescafe and creamer in bottles, along with the taste of coffee mixed with creamer, instantly took my husband back to memories with his late father. It touched me to hear this, especially knowing that his father passed away a long time ago (I had the chance to meet him before we got married), so he never got to see my husband as a family man with kids.
My husband’s relationship with his father was bittersweet. His father was a respected school principal, even by his own children, so they weren’t particularly close. But over time, my husband tried to get closer and often had discussions with his dad, which warmed their relationship.
Senses as time machines
Have you ever seen, felt, or smelled something and suddenly been transported back to your childhood?
I experience this all the time. For instance, one of my coworkers, Rara, wears Zara perfume that always reminds me of my relative’s house in Cianjur, which I often visited as a child. The perfume has a soft, jasmine-like, powdery scent. I’m not sure exactly what made the house smell like that—maybe it was the floor cleaner or room freshener.
Or more recently, when I was sitting next to someone on the train. Their perfume had a fresh, soapy scent, just like the smell of someone who’s just stepped out of the shower or freshly laundered clothes. It immediately brought back memories of warm baths and soapy bubbles from my childhood home.
"Even another coworker of mine, Itsna, has had similar experiences. Once, when eating a stir-fried tofu dish cooked with candlenut and melinjo (or Gnetum gnemon) leaves, she exclaimed, “This is so good! I used to eat this all the time when I was little.” Her excitement made me curious, so I tried it too, but honestly, I didn’t quite get what she loved about it—the taste of stir-fried melinjo leaves was unfamiliar to me.
We rely on our eyes, but our noses hold the memories
It’s strange but true: the sense we rely on the most—our sight—turns out to be the one that stores the fewest memories. Scientists estimate that we remember only about 5% of what we see but up to 35% of what we smell.
This is because our sense of smell is closely linked to the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory storage. It’s also tied to the limbic system, which plays a role in forming memories and recognizing scents. In fact, recent studies show that 83% of participants admitted that certain smells reminded them of pleasant memories.
It makes sense when I think about it—I rarely recall distant childhood memories just from seeing something. But when it comes to smells, my mind is instantly transported back in time. For example, the scent of tofu pudding immediately brings to mind a childhood evening on Jl. Taman Pramuka, surrounded by lush banyan trees. I can vividly picture the tofu pudding seller stopping in front of our garage, slicing the tofu with a spoon, and the warm, silky texture sliding down my throat.
It can be trained
They say that the ability to recall memories through taste and smell can be trained with simple exercises. For example, when enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning, try to really focus on the aroma, the taste on your tongue, and even the sound of hot water splashing into the cup.
You can then jot down these experiences in a journal. By practicing this regularly, not only will you enjoy everyday moments more, but you’ll also sharpen your senses.
This exercise could be particularly useful for writers looking to enhance their fiction or for people working in coffee or tea industries.
Speaking of smells, I can’t help but wonder what scents my child’s senses are recording now—what aromas of home or food will bring her back to her childhood when she’s all grown up?
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Photo by Daniele D'Andreti on Unsplash