Oh yeah - it's ON!

I have noticed the slow, steady, boiling supermarket war between Lavender and Pomegranate over the last 2 years and I have recently found myself a one-woman Sweden in their battle for supremecy.

For the last eight years I noticed that everything I purchased contained "a hint of lavender". Everything from window cleaner to dishwashing packets, laundry cleaner to greeting cards contained "a hint of lavender". Not to mention the soaps, lotions, diapers and trash can liners that also carried the "with a hint of lavender" flag.

Cut to 2008; a new era was dawning and "Pomegranate" was making a charge up the hill. "Pomegranate!" screamed at me from every aisle of the local grocer - again the soaps, lotions and juices tempted me with their new ideals - "anitioxidants", "flavor" , "Omega-3" (really? wtf?) and yes, even "super food!" Pomegranate had launched the first grenade in the war on flavors and scents. Green apple made a feeble attempt in 2006, but no one took green apple seriously. In the end, I think green apple was too forward, no seduction in the scents and flavors fight. Green apple came cloying and desperate like so many impotent stalkers (case in point; lanolin, honey, raspberry) I mean c'mon. When you go to the grocery, do you buy green apples?!? Yeah, you buy honey - every 8 months!

No, "pomegranate" was the new "It girl" in Safeways, Wal-Marts and Krogers across the land.

Trying to be non-commital, I made selections for "pumpkin" scented dish detergents and I toyed with "Aloe" mouthwashes, made purchases for the old stand-by "Lemon" scented detergents. "Lemon" is always a solid bet, would never get you in trouble and it sure as heck wouldn't feed those beastly marketing pukes who lived under the P&G or SE Johnson encampments. Lemon is too obvious. No, lemon has always been above it all. You can't touch lemon!

In the end, despite it's inability to become a flavor, my money's on lavender. Lavender is the new Pine/Lemon - inedible on it's own, yet intoxicating.

Trusty lavender will take her place on grocery shelves next to all the other "johhny-come-lately" smells that assault our senses as we try to find our way to the frozen foods section. Heck, for a while there it looked like Kiwi was going to make a good go of it ("kiwi, have you met "green apple?") - I laugh in your face!

To get down to it, lavender is the new lemon. End of story. Pomegranate will likely usurp Acai's position as the cream of the flashy new crop of market-ready offerings, once the dust has settled. Where does that get you, exaclty? A one-way ticket to nowhere baby!

If you see any new upstarts, be sure to let me know. I'll be sure to find their proper place in the smelly, flavorful heirarchy we all seem to live in these days.