This is part of a series of activities you can explore on #TasteandSmell Day, September 14, and any day.

In honor of #TasteAndSmell Day, Detroit’s Castalia Cocktails served The Pale Shadow, a smooth and balanced cocktail that has no aroma. The cocktail was created by Kevin Peterson, the Nose at Sfumato, to illustrate the magnitude of scent loss and give the person sipping the drink a glimpse into life without a sense of smell. 

Kevin says he learned how to combine and layer aromas at culinary school and in kitchens.  As he shifted from food to perfume, he says, “I saw a lot of the same ideas could still apply, and read as much as I could to fill in the gaps between the culinary world and the fragrance world.”

Inspiration for The Pale Shadow

Kevin shares his inspiration for creating the Pale Shadow. “I've been intrigued by separating the sensory inputs for cocktails, meaning, let's get the taste right, let's get the scent right, and let's get the texture right, and each facet has its own considerations. “

He adds, “The balance of a cocktail depends primarily on taste, meaning that you can have a balanced cocktail without aroma. I made the Pale Shadow as a test of this theory, and realized that sipping this drink is the experience someone with anosmia would have drinking a cocktail.”

How to Make the Pale Shadow

Recipe

(1.3 standard drinks)

Odorless Vodka (Valentine) - 2 oz

White Sugar Syrup - 0.5 oz
Citric Acid Solution (3%) - 0.5 oz

Simple Syrup: Combine equal parts of sugar and warm water, then stir until the sugar dissolves.

Citric Acid Solution: Combine 3 grams of food grade citric acid powder (available online) with 97 grams of warm water and stir until dissolved.

Technique: Combine all ingredients in a set of shaking tins, and shake with 2 oz of ice (4-5 ice cubes) for 12 seconds. Strain through a tea strainer into a coupe glass.

Presentation:Serve in an unadorned, straight-walled clear glass with no ice.

Drink and enjoy!

On Enhancing Your Scent Experience

When asked for suggestions for how people can enhance their own experience with scent, Kevin said, “The biggest enhancement to scent is paying attention. Focusing on the aroma of food and drink, literally stopping to smell the flowers, and taking note of how the scentscape changes as you take a walk will bring more awareness to the scents that surround us, and enhance your appreciation at the same time.”