On my walk to work under the mid-afternoon sun, I passed Cafe Lurcat in Minneapolis. An old man stood twenty paces in front of me, dangling a lime-green garden hose disinterestedly over a row of potted pansies. As I approached, I found the scent of freshly watered soil gently mingled with the odor of freshly baking dark-chocolate cake wafting from the cafe's kitchen. It was just so primeval, somehow, and basic. Rich, dark, slightly alkaline, and the warmth of it fit perfectly with the humid air and bright heat of the day.

I wish I could post the smell to share with you.