Seems that White Castle fast-food restaurant chain, the king of mini burgers, has created a steam-grilled-on-a-bed-of-onions-scented candle in honor of its self-proclaimed National Hamburger Month. Crazy, I say. What's even crazier is that the candles sold out in 48 hours -- although the chain thought it had created enough for a two-month supply.

The candles were for a good cause -- to raise money for Autism Speaks -- but I just can't imagine having the scent of fast-food burgers wafting through my house.

I can, though, think of a few other non-traditional candle scents I'd be more than happy to light up.

For example, where some folks may get off on smelling burgers, I would definitely savor a candle that perfectly replicated the scent of garlic sauteeing to savory goodness in preparation for a scrumptious Italian dish. I would enjoy that smell any time, but it would come in particularly handy on those soup-and-sandwich nights, those oh-so-boring meals that stretch the budget but tax the taste buds.

Another food flavor I could savor the scent of would be onions ... yep, just plain ol' freshly cut onions. I love that smell as it brings back memories of young love. Weird, I know. But when Jim and I first started dating, we worked at Sonic -- the OLD Sonic Drive-Ins, not the new ones that sprouted up in the past 10-15 years (often on the same sites of the old Sonics that were torn down decades ago!). He was the manager, I was the car hop. Back in the day, Sonic offered freshly made onion rings, which meant one of the duties of the staff was to slice fresh onions then run the rings through a four-bucket process: water, then flour, then milk, then cornmeal. The battered up rings were then placed on racks for drying a bit while waiting for hungry customers to order them. I can't even count the number of nights Jim and I spent getting to know one another better, conversing as we dipped, dunked and dusted onions. Thirty years later, I still feel the flush of young love each time I slice an onion.

The ultimate food-flavored candle would be one of strong coffee brewing. I love, love, love highly-caffeinated coffee but usually don't touch the stuff after noon or it wreaks havoc on my brain and body come bedtime. But wouldn't it be truly wonderful to light up a coffee-scented candle come mid-afternoon? I think so.

Why stop there, though? No need to focus only on food scents. Already on the market are floral and spice and rain and forest candles, but the one scent I would relish on a regular basis is that of books! I have lots and lots of books, but it's definitely not enough to make me feel like I'm sitting between the shelves at the library, or even the bookstore. A calming sensation comes over me just by writing of such things; imagine the peace I'd find with one of those lit in this room and that. Plus, it'd give a whole new -- positive! -- meaning to burning books.

Last but not least, my candle collection would be made complete with a New Baby-scented candle. You know the smell I'm talking about. The one that envelops little rosy-cheeked bundles of joy, wrapped tightly in their receiving blankets and smelling like pure, unadulterated love, a scent that makes you want to nestle him under your chin, close your eyes and inhale his goodness. That is a candle I can see selling out in 48 hours. That is a candle that would surely help me on the days I really, really, really want to give my Bubby a big ol' grandma bear hug.

Of course, a baby-scented candle would need to be sold in a set, the second candle being that oh-so familiar Poopy Diaper scent. Just to bring me -- and other rapturous grandmas -- back to reality.

No photo needed for that one, right?

Today's question:

What scent would you love to have in a candle?