Literal translation
The mortar always smells of garlic
Meaning
you can never fully shake off where you come from
Explanation
This expression states that one never fully sheds one's origins, upbringing or deep seated habits, even when trying to move away from them or hide them. The image comes from Provençal cooking: a mortar long used to crush garlic keeps the smell soaked into it even after washing, whatever it is later used for. It is used with a rather fond nuance, often to note approvingly that a trait, an accent, a taste or a way of doing things inherited from family or homeland persists despite time or distance. The register is familiar, carrying a quiet pride in this underlying substance that resists being erased. It might be said of someone who moved far from Provence yet keeps Provençal reflexes, or of a family whose manners still betray where they come from.