Does comfort food entice with its aroma or flavor?

From chilly nights to rainy days, comfort food seems to be the one bite that seems to make everything seem better. While that favorite flavor might change over the years, many dishes are ones that people come back to time and again. It might be a dinner that mom made on every snow day or the classic recipe that seems to make that cold fade, many people think of that food fondly. But, what is it the flavor or the aroma that just seems to hit the spot?

Recently, Campbell’s partnered with CAMP to offer two candles that featured the aromas of iconic Campbell’s soup. As part of the Winter Warmup Guide, the candles, Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup and Tomato Soup, were more than just creating an ambiance within the home. The hope was to create and inspire moments of joy.

While many people appreciated the cute décor and the sense of whimsy in that snowman can design, the offering seems to be a growing trend in the food world. That one whiff can bring back a flood of memories. Which begs the question, is it flavor or aroma that it the reason why comfort food is so ingrained in people’s minds?

Looking specifically at the Campbell’s Soup candles, the aroma mimicked the scents of soup warming on the stove. From the roasted tomato and peppercorn to the chicken, cloves and a touch of butter crackers, there is something to be said about a scent making a stomach grumble. Who has hoped that the clock tick faster when that dinner is cooking in the oven?

Still, the flavor is one that is seems to be etched in the mind. Even those who cannot parse each and every ingredient in a recipe can just be drawn to a particular taste or know that one dish isn’t the way that grandma made it.

Many people appreciate that all the senses must be engaged to enjoy a delicious bite. Anyone who has watched a cooking competition appreciates that eliminating a sight can mess with a chef’s perception. So many it is really the combination of aroma and flavor that makes comfort food so appealing.

Although all those factors are key, the reality is the comfort food is often served with a particular sentiment. From mom trying to make a bad day fade away to just trying to looking to feel better, comfort food is tied to emotions.

As more and more people eliminate negative food descriptors, rediscovering the positive with food is key. In some ways, this recent Campbell’s food candle offering finds a creative way to bring more positives to the table. The whole idea to spark a conversation, make a memory or even start a tradition.

So, next time that comfort food craving hits set the tone for a full experience. From aroma to flavor to the setting, make a memory around that table.