I grew up in a multi-generational, working class, French-Canadian community on the west side of Manchester, New Hampshire. My Nana lived down the street from me and my parents, and just above her lived my great grandma. Even my dad's mom lived only five blocks away. I was raised by Grandmas.

It was an idyllic neighborhood. Neighbors were everything. We would meet in the backyard, and you would say hi to your neighbors. and all of us kids would play together. I really loved growing up in that sort of multi-generational community.

I remember when I would visit my Nana at her apartment, she always had orange marmalade on buttered toast. That was her standard meal for breakfast, and she also often had it before going to bed. She loved that orange marmalade and she ate it as long as I can remember. What’s interesting is that citrus trees didn’t grow in New Hampshire. So, it made me wonder why she loved that orange marmalade so much. Did her parents eat it, and so the memory was passed down to her? 

My Nana’s name was Madeleine, like the cookie. She was the typical grandma. She loved cakes, and especially tea. I remember one time she sent me a card that said, “let’s drink a cup of tea together,” and enclosed a tea bag. She was very thoughtful and  nurturing. She was like a soulmate, like a sister from a past life. I just felt comfortable and cozy around her.  We would have tea together and we would play games. I remember she would get so mad when she would lose, so she did have a little bit of a competitive nature to her. Overall, her energy was very calming though. I remember we'd go out to eat, and we’d have these long lunches because she would just chew so slowly. Yeah, she had this very slow energy to her, which I think was probably very comforting. 

My Nana was also a very spiritual person, who loved to knit. She was always knitting and giving back through her knitting. She made prayer blankets with a group of women. So they would knit and pray and then they would give them to people in need. My Nana has passed on now, but she has definitely become my guardian angel.

The orange marmalade also connects me to my ancestors. My Nana’s lineage went back to the filles du roi, which were a group of young French women who immigrated to New France (Canada) between 1663 - 1673 as part of a program sponsored by King Louis XIV.  So we can link our lineage right back to France, which is fascinating. And then to think about these women coming over to Canada and making families. The churches on the west side always had French masses up until about 10 years ago. The older generations are dying, but I got to see that. I think there's something really cool about that short moment in time.

Recently I had an interesting experience. I was at my mundane job, taking a coffee break, and I bought this piece of cake. I took it back to my desk and continued my conversation with my coworker. As we were talking, I took a bite of the cake without thinking much of it, when suddenly it hit me. The taste instantly reminded me of my Nana. It was this beautiful moment where I immediately thought of orange marmalade and my Nana. It took me right back to being a child, spending time with her. 

The smell instantly brought me back to the plate of orange marmalade on buttered toast. There’s a gooey-ness to the texture of the cake, kind of like gummies or taffies, and I think that that texture of the marmalade toast was the same. To me, citrus is uplifting. It's happy and zesty. It awakens you. But the smell has a depth to it because it’s also sugary. I imagine the sugar mixed in must have been so exciting for me as a kid, having that experience of a big hit of sugar marmalade - what a treat! But there’s also a toasted aspect. Because it's bread-like, and so it has almost a brown butter and orange smell. And there’s a very sharp note because of the dried citrus pieces in the marmalade, so at the end, or at the beginning, you're getting that pithy brightness. 

For me, the smell of that orange marmalade is like a treat; a special moment. And it's exciting. The scent reminds me of being young and innocent. And, more importantly, connects me to my beautiful Nana.

If the scent had a sound, what would it be? A whoosh sound. It literally moves you.

If the scent had a color, what would it be? Orange.

If the scent had a texture, what would it be? Silky.

If the scent could give you advice, what would it tell you? Take life to the fullest.  Take the zest of life. I think of that a lot with Nana. Even though she was very quiet and she wasn't an extravagant person at all, she took life to a very spiritual zest. She was always so supportive, telling me I’m doing the right thing. So, whenever I'm making big changes in my life, I think it's about the zest of life, the excitement.