It's commonly understood that we shouldn't use scented candles at the dinner table. Much of taste is about smell and a heavily scented candle can interfere with the flavors of a dish. But what about perfume and aftershave? Or scented candles elsewhere in the house, or simmering pots of cinnamon and cloves, or a sick of incense? Do you entertain scent-free?
I love the way scent contributes to atmosphere, the way it is part of a personal signature. For me, scent is very evocative and can imprint experiences. There's a certain kind of incense that an old friend used to burn and every time I smell it, I'm transported back to the days when we had more time to spend together.
But scent is controversial, especially in the dining room. There's a famous story about a temperamental chef who used to kick people out of his restaurant if their perfume was too strong. And plenty of chefs I know would love to do the same if they felt they could get away with it.
When I have people over for dinner, I want to engage all of their senses and usually the smell of dinner in the oven is enough. For a cocktail party where there's not too much cooking going on, though, a few scented candles might be OK. Although truth be told, once more than a few people show up with splashed-on perfumes and colognes, it can get to be too much.
I love a beautifully scented candle and I despise a poorly scented one. Cheap, fake, overly sweet scents are a big turnoff. (Think anything with the word 'pie' in its name.) But beauty is in the eye of the beholder which means that what's lovely to me could be terrible to someone else and vice versa. So in the end, I tend to stick with unscented candles for my entertaining and save the scented ones for an evening alone.
How do you handle the scented dining experience?
Related: A Citrus Centerpiece: Turn Lemons Into Glowing Lemon Candles
(Image: Dana Velden)
How to Make Easy 3-Ingredient Energy Bars at Home
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Straw Mat from The ...
Find Your Style: 20 Classic to Contemporary Kitchens to Add to Your Inspiration Board
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
I am not a fan of extra scenting. I don't wear deodorant... I bathe with none scented soaps, I don't use scented candles, etc. I think we alter our experience of the world enough, I don't think we need to add to that.
If you are trying to set the mood, do it with the conversation, or the experience...
But that's just me.
Heavy perfume is never appreciated, but especially not at dinner. It completely takes over everything you smell and taste. I wouldn't mind natural scents like simmering apples and cloves in fall though.
a *sick* of incense?
I definitely entertain scent-free. I wouldn't be comfortable leaving something burning unattended, and also scents not coming from the food itself can alter the way something tastes (and definitely not always for the better).
No extra scents here. I do like fragrant flowers, but I enjoy them outside in the garden, not on the table.
One scent I particularly wish would go away: laundry detergent. That stuff has gotten way more smelly. I read an article that said companies have put chemicals in the detergent to make the scent more prominent and make it last from wash to wash as part of their branding process. Some people now walk around exuding the scent of their laundry soap so much that it fills the room. I've switched to unscented.
@ANGELINETHEBAKER, I agree completely. My friend borrowed a hoodie and washed it before she sent it back. Unfortunately, whatever detergent she used was so strong it gave me a headache, and I had to wash it again before I could wear it. I can't even walk down the cleaning aisle of a store without getting overwhelmed.
I don't mind other scents while I'm eating, as long as they aren't overpowering. A simmering pot of cinnamon would be nice this time of year.
I love the pungent quality of incense (especially sandalwood or jasmine or the like), but I never use it while cooking or eating. Conflicting scents are kind of overwhelming for me, and trying to eat something fragrant while snuffling clouds of incense makes me feel sickish.
Not opposed in general, or when serving dessert and attempting to rid cooking odors, but while dining...no thanks.
I usually wear some kind of perfume and cook almost daily, so far none of my meals have suffered due to it. I dont go lighting sceted candles or spray air freshner or anything like that, but chances are if I'm entertainig guests, someone else will have some kind of deoderant or perfume on and it's fine. No big deal
I've been trying to avoid artificial fragrances as much as possible - especially ones in products you're supposed to ignite. All manners of potentially hazardous chemicals can be hidden within the word "fragrance" on an item's ingredient list. The EWG has more: http://www.ewg.org/reports/scentedsecrets
I use essential oils sometimes, but I also like ms_rach's suggestion of a simmering pot of something or other.
Scent is such an individual thing I think. I adore perfume and incense, but I avoid most artificially scented things in home goods and especially in the kitchen. I'm at the point where I can't even go into the detergent aisle or candle shops because it's overpowering to me.
I do think there are some interesting molecular gastronomy ideas about scent out there - one place in Chicago offers a drink presented in a balloon or bag filled with scented air.
Interesting about the chef wanting to eject perfumed guests. I feel that way about cigarette smoke. It is highly frustrating to me to sit down to a lovely al fresco meal, only to breathe in someone's cigarette smoke. Beyond the health issues, beyond the general unpleasantness, the smell interferes with my taste of the food itself. If I were a chef, I wouldn't allow smoking anywhere near the food.