SmellyBlog

Xin Nian Kuai Le!

2012-01-23T21:57:00.003-08:00

of dragon's blood trees-socotra island-yemen, a photo by ronnyreportage on Flickr.

Xin Nian Kuai Le!
Happy Year of the Dragon :-)

Today marks the beginning of another 12 year zodiacal cycle, and being a dragon myself I can only hope for the best. This year it's a black dragon, or a water dragon, and it also marks the end of the cycle of wood and the beginning of a cycle of fire. The dragon is a mythical creature of remarkable size. So big that you can't see both of its head and tail at the same time! So it always has something new to show you when you least expect it. Dragon, unlike the Western evil fire-spitting monsters are believed to brings good fortune in Chinese culture. From all that I gathered means that it's a year of unpredictable things, surprising turns of events that could change for either better or worse - according to all the sources that like to predict things... How convenient for them!

On a more on-topic for this blog notion: my spontaneous search today for a dragon-related plants (preferably aromatic) did not yield anything of interest besides what I already knew about... There is the obvious - 9 bend dragon red tea (probably not the only dragon-inspired tea in China though!) which I've tasted and reported about earlier. But I'm speaking of dragon's blood (the resin of the plant pictured above), which is blood-red, and is used in incense more than in perfumery. I've used in in my Clarimonde perfume. It is associated with the planet of Mars, and is burnt in magical rituals to return a lost love. It has a scent not unlike frankincense when burnt on hot charcoal.

The other dragon-related aromatic plant is tarragon - aka estragon - which means "little dragon". It has a sweet, balsamic, anise-like scent because of the methyl chavicol content (it might remind you of exotic or Thai basil as well), but brighter and greener than aniseed or fennel, and the absolute is out of this world lovely, with buttery, lactonic aspects that are rare to find in plant extracts. I've used it in my Vetiver Racinettes and Black Licorice. And of course - the culinary uses of tarragon are quite delightful - I use it in fennel & orange tea sandwiches, in salad dressings and on fish.

Since I've been so absorbed in my botanical research of aphrodisiacs I think writing about these two in more depth will take place later. But I hope you found this very little bit inspiring and that the year will bring you only happy surprises!

Green & Black: Cardamom's Aphrodisiac Properties & Uses Explored

2012-01-22T10:23:00.013-08:00

Three types of Cardamom, a photo by FotoosVanRobin on Flickr.

Cardamom is one of my favourite spices ever, being one that I’ve been exposed to from a tender age, under the name “hel” – and in this regard I’m not different than any other Middle Eastern kid who’ve been indulging in baklava in special occasions, or been tempted to take a sip of the grown-ups’ dark roasted coffee fragrant with cardamom.

What I love so much about cardamom is its complexity and versatility as it so readily lends itself to both savoury dishes, beverages, confections and desserts. My first times using it on my own initiative have been as part of my version of an aromatic vegetable stew for couscous, along with coriander seeds, cinnamon and cloves. And later on I learned how wonderful it can work in basmati rice, not to mention myriads of aromatic curries, masalas and other spice blends, and countless desserts – Oriental sweets are the obvious ones (Baclava, sahleb, sheera, gulab jamun, rice puddings and more), but also in European pastries and baked goods (carrot cake, banana bread, gingerbread, and many Scandinavian pastries, surprisingly).

So it is both with amusement and excitement when I learned that cardamom is also considered to be a “stimulating” aphrodisiac. Green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is the fruit of a tropical plant related to ginger (Zingiberaceae) is picked when unripe and dried. White cardamom is simply green cardamom that have been bleached, so do avoid buying this “spice”. Black (aka wild) cardamom (Amomum costatum) and has some common traits in its aroma profile – with the camphoreous component amplified, but also with an unusual smoky and earthy note that is absent in the green variety

It is also quite different in how it can be employed in dishes, lending itself much more freely to savoury dishes such as hearty curries, soups and stews and as a component in garam masala.

Green cardamom is perfect in Middle Eastern and East Indian desserts – often paired with the flavours of rosewater, saffron, cinnamon, coconut and other nuts (Gulab jamun, Indian Halvas, Baclava, Harissa), or to top off puddings and steamed milk beverages (Sahleb, Banana Sheera). It also works wonders with ginger, nutmeg and mace in warming European pastries (gingerbread, carrot cake, banana bread, pfeffernusse and more).

And of course – it is used to flavour Turkish coffee (usually it is the only spice added) and Masala Chai, where it is blended with fresh ginger root, aniseed, fennel or star anise, black pepper and allspice berries along with Assam tea leaves.

In savoury dishes, cardamom is an essential in many spice blends, such as the Indian garam masala, and is put to use in countless Indian curries. Morocco’s famous Ras el Hanout and in the Arabic Hawayej blends. It’s best friends in savoury spice blends are coriander and cumin seeds.

Romantic Aromatic Bath with Cardamom & Rose

Transport yourself to the orient with this simple bath-time treat that is equally majestic to enjoy alone or with your lover:

Fill your bathtub with warm water, and sprinkle with one cup of epsom salts (you may also add 1/4-1/2 cup sea salt or dead sea salts if you wish). Epsom salts relax the muscles. Sea and Dead Sea salts purify and cleanse the skin.
When the bath is full, put one drop of each pure Bulgarian Rose Otto and cardamom oil or CO2 into the tub. Soak and enjoy the sweet and exotic aromas mingle and fill the air. It feels to me like a thousand petals of roses unfold and above it, the sweet exotic aroma of cardamom reminds me of eating Rahat Loukum in a Hammam (something I'm yet to experience...).

If you don't have pure rose otto or can't afford it, rose geranium oil would be a good enough substitute, although it's aroma is ever so slightly more citrusy and herbaceous. It still gets that Oriental sweets aroma when combined with cardamom though :-)

Basmati rice with cardamom & carrots
(adapted from "Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites" - there is it called "Golden Basmati Rice" p. 185, which includes grated carrots, orange zest and 1/2 tsp each cinnamon and turmeric).

1 cup white basmati rice, soaked for 20-30 minutes, than rinsed and drained

1 onion, diced

1 Tbs. ghee (clarified butter) or grapeseed oil

Generous pinch of saffron, soaked in 1 Tbs. boiling water for 30 minutes

2 whole cardamoms, peeled and ground with mortar & pestle (they certainly taste much better when freshly ground - totally worth the extra effort - not mention, it's so much fun to pound them and inhale the fresh aroma of the seeds released into the kitchen's air!)

1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste - I recommend not using more than 1tsp per cup of rice)

1-3/4 cup boiling water

1/4 cup sliced almonds, slightly roasted on a dry cast iron pan (for about 2-3 minutes)

- Begin by soaking the rice in cold water, and the saffron in boiling water. While they are soaking, prepare the cardamom, cut the onion and have all your other ingredients handy.

- On medium heat, warm the ghee in a small (about a quart size) pot.

- Sautee the onions until golden.

- Add the rice and the cardamom, and sautee while stirring for another 2-3 minutes.

- Add boiling water, salt and the saffron (with the water!), and bring to a boil again, without the lid. Reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

- Remove from heat, and keep the lid on for another 10 minutes. Be sure to keep the lid closed! This is the final stage of cooking, that will ensure your rice is well cooked, but nice and fluffy (rather than sticky...).

- While the rice is steaming quietly in the pot, prepare your almonds by roasting them gently in a cast iron pan. Be sure to stir and attend to them fully, so they don't get burnt! This will take about 2-3 minutes.

- When the rice is ready, fluff it with a fork, and transfer to a serving dish. Top with the roasted sliced or slivered almonds, and enjoy with your choice of curry, dal or Middle Eastern style casserole (such as eggplants, zucchinis or ladyfingers in tomato & pepper sauce).

SmellyBlog recipes with green cardamom:
Chai No. 1

Chai No. 2

SmellyBlog recipes with black cardamom:
Babaghanoush with Black Cardamom & Pomegranate

Spiced Italian Plum Cake

Black Beauty Chocolate Truffle (infused with Lapsang Suchong and Black Cardamom)

Perfumes with Cardamom:

And my two One of a Kind current offerings:

Incense & Chocolate

Sandal Tree

Aphrodisiac of the Day: Basil

2012-01-21T20:31:00.010-08:00

Isabella and the Pot of Basil

Is there any herb more refreshing, simple yet intriguing than basil?

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a plant native to India that have spread all around Asia and Europe and is one of the most popular herbs in many cuisines - North East Asian cuisine, Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian in Asia - and in Europe it is most popular in Italian and French cuisine.

Basil is a stimulant and an aphrodisiac. It has such an uplifting, cheerful scent and is used in aromatherapy to combat depression and anxiety (both are probably two of the most potent anti-aphrodisiacs). So if you suffer the winter blues, take advantage of the benefit of this domestic, easy to find, grow and use little herb. You can find it fresh in most supermarkets, and even better – you can get your own plant and keep it by a sunlit window (if you have a kitchen window – all the better).

In herbal medicine, ayurveda and aromatherapy, sweet basil is used for relieving headaches (including migraines), earaches, cold and flu symptoms, sinus congestion, depression, anxiety and fatigue. Its essential oil has antioxidants as well as antiviral and antimicrobial properties. It also aids in digestion and is used to treat various conditions related to the stomach. It also has a balancing effect on the nervous system and is considered an excellent nerve tonic. Sweet basil is said to have the ability to give the mind strength and clarity and as such is regarded as a useful studying-aid to assist in focus, memory and concentration.

There are many types and cultivars of basil. Generally speaking, in warmer countries, Exotic Basil - or the chemotype methyl chavicol is dominant (70-88%), resulting in a spicier, more pungent aroma that is closer to tarragon, fennel or anise in fragrance and flavour, and with the eugenol more dominant as well. In cooler countries, "Sweet Basil" or "French Basil" or else known as the linalol type (with 40-45% linalol) will still have a significant amount of methyl chavicol (over 20%) and will produce a fresher aroma that is more green and light, perceived citrusy by some (due to the limonene and citronellol molecules coming through better). Think about the difference of flavours of basil when you eat it in a Thai curry or in a pho noodle soup; versus in pesto or in Italian dishes.

Other components of basil oil include 1,8-cineole which accounts for its respiratory benefits (this is also present in eucalyptus and rosemary), and eugenol , which gives it spicy, clove-like nuances, methyl cinnamate, which gives it a robust, fruity-spicy character, reminiscent of strawberry and cinnamon in both flavour and scent, and also attracts certain insects. And the limonene (the terpene that characterizes all citrus oils and has a lemon-orange scent) and citronellol (that gives lemongrass, citronella and geranium a fruity-citrusy-rosy personality) we mentioned earlier - which give basil it's uplifting, fresh and light charm reminiscent of citrus.

Basil has interesting folklore and myths associated with it - it was considered holy, protective, seductive and even associated with evil! Here are a few examples: In India, Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum, aka Holy Basil, which is a different species of basil and is a perennial shrub) is grown on its very own altar in the temples and in every home, and is worshiped and offered to deities Vishnu and Krishna. Sweet basil is added to the holy water in the Greek Orthodox church as it was believed that this plant was found on Jesus grave. African traditions believe basil to protect against scorpions; and both in Europe and India basil leaves are given to the dead to protect them on their journey and even help them to reach God (in Ancient Egypt and Greece). In Ancient Rome it was said to be the only plant that could fight the lethal gaze and fire of the Basilisk; and yet, some European tales associate it with Satan himself.

But back to our topic - there are many customs around basil and love, such as giving basil twigs as token of love in Italy and seal an engagement in Romania; presenting a pot of basil decorated with pompoms to a loved one along with a love poem on Saint John and Saint Anthony Days in Portugal; keeping basil leaves in one's pockets to ensure that their loved one will return their love forever in Mexico. But the most touching legend involving basil is in Decameron and in the poem adapted from it by John Keats titled Isabella and the Pot of Basil.

Basil essential oil happily pairs with jasmine and citrus to create very uplifting, mood enhancing, refreshing scents that act as stimulating aphrodisiac – especially if you like the scent of basil. Burn an ArbitRary candle to bring on this happy mood. Or if you have your own little collection of essential oil, a drop of each basil, lime and jasmine in a diffuser or in the bath will lift your spirit and make you feel sexy and refreshed.

RG Tests, a photo by Giuseppe Bognanni on Flickr.

For those of you who prefer basil only in their food – here are two recipe ideas, one savoury and one sweet. That’s right - you can use savoury herbs in desserts to create a surprising, special effect. And there is no better time than now to experiments with such innovative combinations to spice up your life and change an otherwise mundane and familiar flavour into an extraordinary affair!

Savoury Recipe: Polenta with Basil, Tomatoes & Balsamic Reduction
This simple, tried-and-true classic can be assembled in no time, and tomatoes are also an aphrodisiac, due to their bright red and curvy, suggestive shape. I like to this gluten-free alternative to bruchetta as it’s just as delicious and feels much lighter. It will literally 2 minutes to assemble, given that you have all the ingredients on hand.

Ingredients:
1 log of polenta (you can get these in most grocery stores and supermarkets – they look like a big yellow sausage), sliced about ¼” (about 1/2 cm) thick2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 bunch basil leaves (I usually get organic ones and don’t wash them at all, as this can take away from the flavour; if not organic – rinse and dry using a salad spinner or gently wipe dry with a towel)
Balsamic reduction
Bocconcini cheese, sliced

Top each polenta slice with a slice of bocconcini cheese. Put a tiny bit of balsamic reduction, top with tomato and garnish with a basil leaf.

I love basil in desserts - especially in the summer in a sorbetto, which can be a wonderful palate cleanser in between courses in a fancy meal. This recipe, however, is for Lime & Basil Macarons. I saw the idea first in Ottolenghi's cookbook and immediately thought it is so brilliant I have to at least bring it up here - even before I try making them myself!

Aphrodisiac of the Day: Ambrette Seed

2012-01-20T07:49:00.010-08:00

Ambrette was discussed here before in other contexts, for example: in my article about vegetale musks, and how it was employed in my newest perfumed tea. Today I want to highlight its aphrodisiac qualities, and how you can use it creatively in your own kitchen (or the bedroom...).

Ambrette seed is the seeds of Abelmoschus moschatus - an evergreen shrub from the hibiscus family, with yellow flowers with purplish-pink centre. These little innocent looking seeds are the perfumer's best choice for replacing animal-musk, although admittedly, it's far more gentle, sublime and not as sharp as animal musk.

Ambrette seed has a subtle and sublime musky odour. It is warm, but not quite like what one would call "spicy" - if anything its complexity reminds me slightly of that of coriander seed, although it's not nearly as heady (coriander has citrus elements in its chemical makeup, due to molecules such as limonene; and also light woodsy floralcy from the linalol). Ambrette is also slightly floral (probably due to the farnesol content); but has a very distinct aroma of its own, hardly sharing anything with other fragrant plants I'm familiar with. Possessing wine-like, nutty and fruity aspects reminiscent of overripe fruit or even lychee (probably because of the isoambrettolide - a macrocyclic musk that has some "red fruit" or berry characteristics). It also has some palmitic acid (which gives it a "fatty" or "oily" aspect). But most importantly - it is very rich in ambrettolide, which smells like what we learned to identify as "white musk" - clean, sweet, slightly floral or even soapy, and with berry undertones as well.

Ambrette also has medicinal benefits as well: to ease indigestion, cramps and nervous dyspepsia, and also can be ground made into an emulsion with milk to treat itchy skin.

And of course - ambrette seed is considered an aphrodisiac, both as a perfume and incense material and also in its less known culinary uses. It is used as spice in the East, either on its own or within exotic spice blends such as Moroccan Ras El Hanout (which was originally an aphrodisiac spice blend, by the way, and often calls for animal ingredients such as Spanish Fly, ambergris or musk). Ambrette seeds are also used by Arabs to flavour coffee (much like they do with cardamom seeds). The tincture is used to flavour liquors and tobacco - although I doubt that either will do you much good as aphrodisiac agents!

For my 3rd annual aphrodisiac tea party in February 12th, 2012 I will be serving my guests ambrette seeds in the Ras El Hanout spice blend I'll create, and also will infuse them in chocolate ganache to create aphrodisiac white chocolate truffles. You may also want to think about infusing ambrette seed in warm milk alone or along with vanilla and orris - or add it to sahleb and warm puddings of that nature. They may also work wonders in semolina desserts (cookies, harissas, etc.) along with spices such as coriander, cardamom and rosewater - in which case you should grind them before use and add like you would any other spice.

It's very unlikely you will find ambrette seed in your local spice shop, so you will have to find it online. Look for shelled but whole, un-ground seeds, as the fatty and oily components inside the seeds can easily get rancid once exposed to the air, which will greatly affect the scent and aroma. It's the skin of the tiny seeds that possesses most of the aroma anyway, so grind just as much as you need for immediate use and store them whole in an airtight container and away from heat, light and moisture - where they will remain fragrant profile for years.

I adore ambrette seed as a perfume material and use it in countless of my perfumes, but most notably in Cabaret, Sahleb, Tamya, Espionage and Zangvil, where its subtle musky notes come through and greatly complement the floral, powdery and ambery notes. It's so delicate, and really brings out the best of florals. Together with the flower essences (i.e.: rose, orange blossom, jasmine and tuberose) it really transforms - similarly to ambergris - and opens up on on the skin to what is definitely what I would call an aphrodisiac.

Perfumes containing ambrette seeds calm the mind and make me feel connected to my own skin, and to me that's what aphrodisiacs should be all about. They don't necessarily need to transport you into a far away exotic land or make you feel like some mythological sex goddess or act as a non-stop viagra dispensing machine (not that one like that exists, last time I checked) - but silently turn a little key and make the necessary switch from the worries of everyday life into something more sensual and pleasing that allows for things to happen. I suspect the "trick" of ambrette seed is two-fold: the fact that it helps to ease stress and nervousness, and also its stark resemblance to human skin (it is, somewhat, reminiscent of the scent of a baby's head too!). So wear a perfume with an ambrette seed in its base, rather than a synthetic musk, and enjoy the subtle yet powerful action of true botanical aphrodisiac.

Sweet Anthem in Seattle - our new reatiler!

2012-01-18T22:27:00.003-08:00

I've just received the news that 6 of my perfumes have safely crossed the border, with snow and all, and landed at Sweet Anthem in Seattle!

This unique gallery boutique is dedicated to West Coast perfumes, and carries indie brands such as Rebel and Mercury, Gabriel's Aunt, and the house's line, Sweet Anthem, by Meredith Smith who curates this fragrant gallery and also teaches workshops and classes.

Sweet Anthem is the first shop in the USA to carry my newest fragrances: Orcas and Zangvil (oh, wait, it's actually the first in the whole world besides my studio to offer Zangvil!).
visit them in person to explore the other 4 scents - Espionage, Film Noir, Roses et Chocolat and White Potion!

6021-B California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98136 (map)
Wed-Sat, 11am-6pm

Etrog Breakthrough

2012-01-12T13:46:00.006-08:00

Etrog perfume has been in the making since 2008, when I started collecting tinctures of the fruit (the first batch was created for me by my dear mother). It's been a long process, which was undermined by the scarcity of the fruit, which is precisely what makes it so appealing to create a perfume for.

Shortage of supplies is the first most difficult thing in creating this perfume. The fruit is grown in two places - Calabria (Italy) and in Israel - where it has a religious significance and is grown especially for display during the holiday of Sukkot. So much so, that at single fruit (and not even a very good quality at that - we're most likely looking at fruit that has traveled by boat and whose peel is very far from being plump and fresh) - would start at $40 each.

Thankfully, in Sukkot 2008, I stumbled upon the Sukkah Mobile driven by the very kind and generous Rabbi Binyomin Bitton of Chabad Downtown in Vancouver. He not only told me where I can find citron fruit for myself, but also was happy to donate his own Etrogim at the end of the holiday for all of my perfuming needs. Of course, that year it was not possible because it was a "Shmita" year - and these etrogim were not allowed to be used for any other purpose but for displaying and praying upon during Sukkot. So I had to wait another year before receiving 4 etrogim from him and his sons. Ever since then, he saves me the Etrogim every year!

Meanwhile, there were other elements missing. Green myrtle, which I finally found the oil for. As well as citron peel oil, which I still kept looking for despite its scarcity. It finally turned up, and I have just received the shipment this week!

The oil, however, does not quite resemble the fresh fruit as I imagine it from childhood; nor the (not so fresh fruit) which one can purchase from Chabad or other synagogues in the fall before Sukkot. It does not quite do justice to the heavenly, aromatic, perfumed more than a typical citrus note would be - which resembles pineapple, flowers and is delicate and sublime (that is the best way I can describe citron's scent). It's more lemony than I would have liked it to be. Far too lemony, albeit very lively.

Thankfully, along with the same package of oils, I've also received another floral note which I was never too keen on working with but curious nevertheless: Poplar bud absolute. Pouring this scent into its bottle, it looks like melted butter, dotted with milk solids that couldn't quite melt in the heat. However, it has an aroma that is more medicinal than floral. More than anything else it reminds me of propolis (the intense smelling sticky resinous substance bees use to seal their hives with; it's also extremely valuable for its therapeutic uses:it's an antibiotic, anti microbial and anti fungal, strengthens the immune system, and is useful in treating burns as well). But it also reminds me of the white part of the citrus peel - which is exactly what I was after with the Etrog perfume. So now that my main theme oils are in (citron and myrtle - both of which are symbols of the holiday of Sukkot), and my floral heart is figured out, I think I can finally get into full swing of my perfume creation, and have it ready for you in the summer. It will be a Jewish Eau de Cologne!

Grin Body Oil Reviewed by Beauty Huile

2012-01-11T11:45:00.003-08:00

"...ostensibly minimalist in the bottle, but profoundly dazzling on the skin. Her experiments with melding florals with earthy anything seem to pour forth with the suggestion of some unworldly ebb & flow and energy".
Visit Beauty Huile blog to read Nav's review of my Grin Body Oil.

Morning Notes from Coal Harbour

2012-01-10T17:19:00.003-08:00

One of my favourite ways to start the day is a little walk in Coal Harbour. Just a few blocks down Bute Street you'll find Harbour Green park and a little aquaplane airport, from which you can take off any time of the day and fly to Victoria, Nanaimo, the Sunshine Coasts and who knows where else...

I call this my little "morning commute", a necessary piece of fake routine that's necessary for someone working from their residential space in a city that never stops raining. It's easy to find excuses to never leave the house (all good ones too - work that needs to be done, errands around the house, and the desire to throw in a good Pilates routine by the fireplace before doing anything else). But this breath of fresh air, the little connection to the world around me (no matter how alienated and cold it might seem from the warmth of my own abode).

Coal Harbour is increasingly populated by taller and larger glass towers, which are pretty - but also completely block the sun in the afternoon. That's why I save Sunset Beach for my evening walks... And in summer mornings (which is when the above photo was taken, though it's hard to tell the season from this photograph...), the green grass is dewy and sometimes even intensely fragrant if it was just cut (which it was on the morning when I took these notes).

My favourite part of my faux daily commute is watching the airplanes take off the water, waiting for that exact moment in time and space where the splashy, noisy trail they leave in the water disappears, and they transform from a fast surfing duck into a flying hawk, circling above the harbour before heading to their destination. And of course - this doesn't come without smell either. Jet fuel never smelled sweeter and more exotic then when mingled with the salty air of seaweed drying in the sun at low tide. Animalic, fishy and verging on the disgusting, but smells like music to my nose.

Last night I finally received the missing piece - one raw material that I terribly needed to get started on this perfume: seaweed absolute. Unlike the seaweed oil I have used in New Orleans and Orcas - this one in full strength is quite disgusting actually; unless you think of it as a packet of hijiki seaweed with the potential of becoming a favourite dish...

And so my composing have began, and not on a very positive note, naturally. I added the seaweed absolute along with a few essences that will make the "jet fuel" accord and the result is, ahum, maybe realistic enough to remind one of the real-life source of inspiration - but certainly not what I'd put on before a night on the town. Or any time, for that matter. However, I stopped right at the exact moment before I would waste too much material and started contemplating juxtaposing this horrific accord with other more delicate and refreshing notes of cut grass, linden blossom and such (all of which remind me of Coal Harbour, of course) and I think I'm off to a pretty good start in my adventure. As long as I don't use it as an excuse to not leave the house tomorrow morning...

Siskiyou Cedar Soap

2012-01-10T12:20:00.006-08:00

There is hardly anything I like better than receiving surprise packages in the mail. Be it an Amazon order I totally forgotten about, or better yet - care package from my family in Israel, or generous fragrant gifts from fellow perfumers.

The presents I got in the mail this winter from Hall Newbegin of Juniper Ridge were one of the highlights of the season. When I picked this package from the post office, it emitted the most profoundly outdoorsy scent of conifer imaginable. It was also extremely large for what I was expecting (to be fair, I knew there was a package coming from him because we connected on twitter of the creation of his new solid perfume line and he promised to send me a sample a while back). But inside it were also 2 bars of soap, as well as 2 room sprays, which accounts for the large box that I had to carry along Robson street, with my nose glued to the cracks in the carton box to get a whiff of Northern California's conifer forests as I go along...

I was first acquainted with Juniper Ridge's line in my visit to Strange Invisible Perfumes' boutique in Venice, California, back in 2009. I couldn't quite decide if it was innovative or cunning to put a bunch of coniferous needles in a drawstring bag and call it "sachet". But being from a place in the world even more abundant with needles than you can hope for - I didn't buy any as souvenir. All the same, the name stuck in my head and I would occasionally see them pop up at Whole Foods. It is completely thanks to the internet though, and in this case - twitter - that I got to know more about what they really do. When I got a notice of a twitter account with the name "wildflowerhiker" following me - I had to look into it and found out that the account owner finds nothing better to spend his time than hike around Northern California and collect wild plants for infusions, distilling and making sachets, soaps and more, and quickly discovered he was also working on perfumes inspired by Northern California's wilderness - using its own plants, naturally. And so we connected.

But back to the Siskiyou Cedar soap - which is what this post is all about: I have to preface with the notion that I'm very picky about soaps. Especially soap bars, which often can be drying. Even those that are made of wonderful oils such as olive, coconut and such can be painfully drying to the skin if they are not done properly. And when it comes to soap - I usually stick to one bar and just stock pile it for eternity (soap bars also make excellent closet "sachets" of sorts so they never are really just being "stored" per-se). My expectations for a soap bar are high: it has to leave my skin so happy that I won't even need a body lotion or a body oil after. I like being low-maintenance, and use oils and such only for an extra special occasion...

Well, the Siskiyou Cedar was a pleasant surprise because it did just that. It has amazing lather, and leaves my skin as happy as it ever wished to be, sans any urging desire to restore moisture after. And the best part of it all, of course, is its smell. I've never been to Siskiyou county, but I can tell you that this is a very authentic Northwester coniferous scent. It actually reminds me of redwoods, which dominate Northern California's coastal forests and bathing with this bright green bar in my hand I feel like I'm holding a portkey to an outdoors hot tub situated under redwood trees. I can see the stars gazing at me through the branches, sending glitters of light through a very cold night that hugs the steamy bath with darkness and serene mystery.

Ingredients: fresh extraction of wild Port Orford Cedar trimmings: saponified olive, coconut and palm oils, shea butter. 100% scented and colored with real wild Port Orford Cedar trimmings, no essential oils or colors added. Mild, all vegetable oil base superfatted with shea butter for an extra moisturizing face & body soap. Large 3.5 ounce bar lasts about a month.

Jeanne Rose Celebrates her 75th Birthday!

2012-01-07T15:14:00.003-08:00

Happy birthday to Jeanne Rose, who celebrates her 75th birthday!
Jeanne is a leading aromatherpist, herbalist and an educator (she even teaches how to distill your own essential oils or hydrosols!), as well as pioneer in the field of natural perfumery. She wrote 29 books on the subject, and still works. I've met her briefly in San Francisco at Yosh's house in July and was amazed at her energy and vitality, not to mention how beautiful she is. Life certainly does not stop or become any boring as you age ;-)

To read more about her work, education, books and aromatherapy line and about her lifetime achievements on Perfume Pharmer, and her website, of course: JeanneRose.net.

Wedding Perfumes Featured in the Georgia Straight

2012-01-05T22:24:00.004-08:00

Funky wedding flair for fashionable brides and grooms:
The Georgia Straight reviews the best of Vancouver's services for brides and grooms, including yours truly's custom bridal perfumes and colognes for the grooms to be!

A Scent of a Man

2012-01-05T22:22:00.001-08:00

I'd take pumpkin pie and lavender ANY DAY over Good & Plenty and cucumber... And smoke is one of the sexiest scents there are, in my humble opinion, not to mention there are more than a handful of men's colognes that I love smelling, with or without a man attached to them.
Do women really have that bad of a taste in fragrance, or am I just an oddball?!

The Los Angeles Times talks about masculine scents in "A scent of a man".

Dreams, Process and Goals

2012-01-02T19:08:00.004-08:00

With the new year, come what most people call "resolutions". Annual cycles of any sort (no matter which calendar or landmarks you're using), offers an opportunity to reflect, re-assess our values, and set goals for bettering ourselves and the world around us. I've been a long-time believer that doing what you love every day, dedicating even a small amount of time each day to the things that really count - will bring success and a sense of accomplishment in an otherwise pretty chaotic and stressful world. I'm pretty happy with the daily routine I've established over the years so you won't see me signing up for any special classes at the gym just in January or opting for some crazy fad diet. I like to keep my life balanced and healthy year around. And I believe, that unless I'm traveling, I'm doing a pretty good job. This routine (a very boring name for something that I find quite magical and crucial for my own happiness) seems to keep my life balanced, which is not an easy feat being a one-woman-show in every area in my life (for those who are late comers to this blog - my business is a one woman show, and so is my household, where I am the only responsible adult caring for my teenage daughter who's experiencing a rather jolly autistic life).

So instead of resolutions, I've decided to set very specific goals for this year. And perhaps, with the peer pressure I'm putting on myself announcing it to the world on this blog (well, I know not ALL of the world is reading it!). One of them is finishing and publishing my book .
The other goals are traveling to fun places, besides visiting my family in Israel. For the first time ever in my life I'm actually feeling wanderlust. And for that, I will have to save a little fortune, especially since I'll be traveling with my daughter most of the time... So first I will have to work even harder than I ever have, and then we shall see...

Process is one of the most fascinating thing. Processing information. Creative process. They're all so personal, whimsical, and irrational. But in the end - once everything is completed - it all makes sense. And the process has such a huge impact on what the end "product" or "conclusion" as well.

Being a task-oriented person, I have a tendency to get swallowed and consumed by certain projects. It's not so much that I am focused on the end result, as much as I just get very carried away with completing each aspect of the project. And it's not that I don't enjoy the process. It's just that it becomes very much of a physically painful non-stop thing. Be it writing a mass email (something that takes me one day of work at best - and more realistically, 2-3 working days, to put together all the content, photographs and programming). Database updates are just as worst, and so is filing my taxes. Once I sit down to do it - I will very unlikely leave my seat till the job is done. Which is why I often procrastinate the getting started part...

I'm trying to change my ways this year so it doesn't hurt so much... And the first step is think about it differently. What if the task wasn't finishing up the whole book about at least 100 essential oils that I'm working on? How about - my task is to dedicate an hour each day for writing about one. It will only take 100 days to get through them, and won't hurt nearly as much. And 100 days is just a little over three months. Not bad at all.

I've done a similar thing last year when I had to transition from one method of measurement to another in my formulas. It meant needing to weight out and record each formula again, at least twice. Lord, was it tedious. I was not looking forward to it. But how I went about it was that I did it with formulas that I needed to mix up a new batch for anyway. And I'm almost done with that - I've got only about half a dozen perfumes left that require this attention. And I actually quite enjoyed it - learning a lot in the process.

I hope that with this new approach of mine, of just taking one day at a time, and breaking down my tasks (so that my task-oriented personality stays happy and feels accomplishments every day, instead of frustrations about not being able to write about 100 oils all in one day). This is quite a mammoth project, and it was in the making for quite sometime. It really deserves to materialize into more than just a few notes here and there for several of the raw materials I work with. I really want to give each one of them a nice little chapter. In a lot of ways, each materials is a chapter in my own life - so there is more to it for me than just analyzing their scents and looking up information in reference books. It's creative in more ways than I can tell you right now. You will just have to read for yourself once the book is ready!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T10:28:00.004-08:00

2012 Australia, a photo by tim phillips photos on Flickr.

Happy New Year, SmellyBloggers!

Wishing you a wonderful year of learning, expanding your olfactory consciousness and and all-around fabulous 2012!

I hope that SmellyBlog will bring you the information you were seeking, and many more fragrant stories that will surprise, intrigue and entice you.

Thank you for reading, commenting and supporting SmellyBlog and Ayala Moriel Parfums!

Cheers!

Ayala

Best of 2011

2011-12-30T14:13:00.013-08:00

Oh dear, what a year!

Like 2009, it started all positive and wonderful with fun traveling and adventures, and many creative moments; yet plummeted to the depths of despair towards the end of the summer. I hope this is not how my life is going to be every other year, because honestly I don’t think I will be able to take this on a regular basis. But if it does, I guess I will just have to!

On a more positive note, 2011 had shown me who my true friends are, and connected me to the vibrant and supportive perfume community of the West Coast – most of which seems to be centered around the San Francisco Bay area. I made new friends in this community, and previous friendships have become stronger and more meaningful. So for everything this year has brought my way, I’m very grateful for. Not to mention, in the current economy – which no one wants to talk about – just being able to stay in business and continue supporting myself and my family with my art alone is a huge accomplishment.

This year I’ve made a few lifestyle changes focusing on reducing environmental damage by supporting local. I continue to do the majority of my grocery shopping at the farmer’s market (which requires driving way out of the West End in the winter time, but is well worth it). And I hardly purchase anything else unless it was made by someone I know in person. This seems to go for perfume and body care products as well. I’m just getting less and less interested in anything mainstream. Shopping in major department stores just lost its luster for me. Even shopping in craft shows or trade shows I find exhausting as most of it ends up talking shop and networking. So I would most likely buy if it’s from someone I know while I’m visiting them at their own home or studio.

So in this post, as much as I love perfumers of the world over, I’m dedicating my choices to perfumers and companies that are from the West Coast – and most are even closer to where I’ve been calling home for the past 13+ years: The Pacific Northwest.

Favourite Perfumes in 2011 (in alphabetical order):

Angel’s Trumpet by Ineke
This is from Ineke’s Floral Curiosities collection, created exclusively for Anthropologie. I first smelled it at Yosh’s house in the amazing party she threw for me and fell in love immediately. It is thanks to Ineke, an avid gardener and fellow Canadian indie perfumer (originally from Ottawa, Ontario) that I even know about the existence of this fragrant flower. I’ve first smelled the scent in the accord she created for “Evenings Edged in Gold” back in winter 2008.
Angel’s Trumpet smells exactly like the flowers after sunset – there is a bush I discovered in English Bay and this is as close as it gets to sticking my nose in that long flower and inhaling deeply the citrusy, candy-floss and heliotrope aroma of its intoxicating nightly vapours.

Fleur No. 1 by 1000Flowers
Created in Nelson, BC, while Jessica Buchana was spending time sorting out her return to her new home she’s making in Grasse, France. Fleur No. 1 makes more than a subtle nod to No. 19 – but it has its own Canadian touch with essences such as pine bud absolute. It’s delicate, fragile almost, and brings

Incense Pure by Sonoma Scent Studio
I know it was launched in 2010, but I’ve only discovered it this year, and I love, love, love this take on incense that is like no other. There is the usual suspect – frankincense; yet it’s not Gothic like so many other incense scents are; but rather ambery, smouldering you with resin-y vapour of cistus labdanum and immortelle, which are as thick and sweet as honey, with that interesting herbaceous animlistic undertone.

Oud Luban by Aftelier
Created for the Clarimonde project, this solid perfume is a true agarwood using 8 different varieties. It’s a smouldering, rich, resinous and animalic incense perfume with smoky undertones (from the choya ral) that is only brightened with elemi, frankincense and blood orange. To experience a real agarwood perfume is especially refreshing after the 2-year (or is it longer?) agarwood fad that has been dominated by faux oud notes that are neither authentic nor satisfying in my opinion.

Sombre Negra by Yosh
A dark, woody and spicy-warm dusky vetiver, accented with patchouli, tobacco, choya loban opoponax oakmoss, davana, pink pepper and mushroom. I love how earthy and mysterious it is.

The funniest perfume name:
Eau Pear Tingle
I haven’t tried the perfume, but sifting through the lists of new releases in 2011 on Basenotes.com I stumbled upon this one and thought it was funny – as it looks like a wordplay on “au pair”.

Favourite Teas:
This year was all about white tea for me, and exploring the white teas from which to select the “base” for my Zangvil perfumed tea was a subtle adventure into the world of tea. I especially cherished the help I received from Libby Gibson of Tula Teas in the process.
But hands down, the best tea experience of the year was sharing no less then two teapots of tea – Frankincense GABA oolong and Rose & Ginger oolong with Mandy Aftel at her own studio.

Favourite Incense:
Rose Nerikoh by Perfume Phyto.
This year I had the pleasure to meet to other incense makers (they must be even more crazy then perfumers, because incense making is, in my opinion, ten times harder!) and one of them I even got to meet twice – in San Francisco at Yosh’s and also at my very own studio. Yuko Fukami is a Japanese-born natural perfumer, and studied with Lisa Fong of Artemisia. The
Rose Nerikoh is a ball of various resins, rose petals and rose absolute, and had that luxurious camphoreous woody scents that most Japanese incense posses. It’s not meant to be burnt, but rather warmed in the Japanese kodo style (or you can use an aromatherapy diffuser to achieve the same purpose – just line it first with some aluminum foil as to avoid the resins from sticking to your pot permanently.

Favourite candle:
Winter Moss by Gabriel’s Aunt.
I’m pretty sure this was launched in 2010, but I’m still as smitten with it as I’ve ever been. This candle brings the bitterness of cold winter, snow and crisp moss-covered boughs of conifer in the clean air of the Pacific Northwest to your home without carrying a tree in and without dealing with the aftermess of needless all over the floor. I'm also smitten with pretty much all the candles that Nikki created - they are so much fun and I'm always on the lookout for what new creations come out of her candle lab: Lemon Bar, Royal Couple, Boheme to name a few; and a the new favourite are Southern Tea and Milk & Sugar.

I was also privileged to try the new, beeswax based Apricot & Lemon candle by Aftelier and it's such a delightful, cheerful scent - just the kind of thing one needs in the winter time for a little pick-me-up.

Favourite soap:
Juniper Ridge wild-harvest all their herbs and distill their own oils they collect while hiking in Oregon and Northern California. And their products all have a very authentic, outdoorsy quality.
Big Sur soap – medicinal, like immersing oneself in a tub filled with witch herbs. Siskiyou Cedar is as close as possible to bathing outdoors under redwoods and looking at the stars peaking through the branches.
Neither of these leave my skin dry (and as evidence, I don't even bother using a moisturizer or oil afterwards). Just the kind of soap bar I like.

Favourite Body Product:
Velvet and Sweetpea’s Purrfumery's whipped body frosting (from shea & virgin coconut oil) are a luxury that you must try if you haven’t yet. I’m still savouring whatever is left of the Cashmere Rose and the Tuberose Gardenia ones I’ve bought in Blunda LA back in 2009. They emit the subtle and exotic scent of virgin coconut oil as they melt on your skin, along with the luxurious florals they are scented with. Besides, their maker, Laurie Stern, is such a sweet lady who keeps her own bees (and her honey is delicious!).

Favourite Skin Care Line:
Belmondo’s skincare line is designed and handmade in BC. This organic skincare line made form fair trade ingredients is the brainchild of aesthetician Daniela Belmondo, who provides the best organic facial treatments in town. True to her vision of simplicity and minimalism in caring for one’s skin, and inspired by her own Italian heritage, the line is based in olive oil and is designed to benefit all skin types – providing a simple and healthy regime of cleansing and hydration.

Stunning packaging:
Persephenie’s eponymus line of body care and perfumes (which I’m yet to try). I love how minimalist and luxurious these look.

Promising New Line:
Rebel & Mercury is a new line of natural perfumes by Nikki Sherritt, the creative force behind Gabriel's Aunt. If it's anything like her candles, expect to find surprising gems in this new line. I've already experienced a few of them (Encens Blanc, Bohem) and was instantly smitten.

Favourite Perfume Notes (Raw Materials):
In case you haven't noticed, almost everything I created this year had seaweed in it this way or another. My love for the ocean only grows fonder the older I get; and smelling like seaweed is just my kind of thing it seems. My other obsessions in the world of raw materials have been mimosa, galbanum absolute, and oakwood absolute. But the most surprising revelation is my new fascination of eucalyptus.

Favourite Foods & Spices
This year I've finally become excited about cooking and being more creative with it. And I've been particularly inspired by this book. I also started eating fish, which seems to be just the right thing to do living in the West Coast with very little sunshine. I need to get my vitamin D somewhere... I also finally got the fascination so many people have with red wine, so I've definitely turned into the "other side", and I'm not even able to tell you if this is good or bad... Kale is probably the vegetable of the year for me, and pear the fruit discovery (they usually end up too soft and mushy in this household - from lack of interest). My interest in star anise have definitely increased this year (poached pear, anyone?). But black cardamom is probably the most notable spice that changed my life this year. I'm looking forward to trying it in perfumery next year!

Wishing you all a wonderful, happy New Year in 2012!
May it bring you the courage to do the changes you wanted to make in your life, and may this world become a better place for us all!
xoxoAyala

Visit the other participating blogs in this round of the Best of 2011:

Best of 2011 image by Roxana of Illuminated Perfume

Open, Sesame!

2011-12-28T15:47:00.003-08:00

sesame seeds, a photo by bour3 on Flickr.

Growing up in my little organic village in Israel, my parents tried to grow almost anything imaginable until they nailed down what’s the ideal crop for their little piece of land (olives, lemons and pumpkins seem to be the winners in this particular micro-climate). One winter we unearthed peanuts from the soil; another year we had to sort through thousands of lentils that my stepfather beat up with a large wooden stick laid out on large sheets of canvas. And there was this one year, when he went all ambitious and planted an entire field of sesame plants. The harvesting was everything but easy, even if I think he hired a machine to cut down the plants – taking out the precious tiny seeds was a whole other story which I only remember very tiny parts of (the tasting of raw sesame seeds coming out of the partly green plant – which smelled terrible, by the way); and since it only happened this one time – it must have not been a success.

In any case, all these failed crops and experiments definitely have given me a sense of what amount of effort it takes to grow food. Even with today’s machinery – food is a precious thing that we take for granted. And most of us don’t think twice when we see a handful of sesame seeds scattered on a loaf of bread, or filling a delicious deep-fried sesame ball, not to mention the thousands of seeds required for pressing a single jar of tahini or a little square of halva.

And harvesting sesame is certainly not an easy feat – “The sesame seeds are protected by a capsule, which does not burst open until the seeds are completely ripe. The ripening time tends to vary. For this reason, the farmers cut plants by hand and place them together in upright position to carry on ripening for a few days. The seeds are only shaken out onto a cloth after all the capsules have opened” (you can read more on harvesting and processing sesame on Wikipedia).

Sesame originates in Africa and India, and is one of the very few ingredients that are common to both Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, where it is used in both savoury dishes (tahini dips or dressings, topping and seasoning breads and pretzels in the Middle East and sprinkled on rice and sautés as well as a salad dressing – i.e. gomae in Asia); and in desserts and sweets (Middle Easterners love their halva just as much as Asians enjoy sesame balls!). But sesame is not only delicious – it’s also very nutritious, and particularly high in calcium. There is as much calcium in unshelled or “white” sesame seeds as there is in milk (100mg calcium per 100gr of milk or sesame); unshelled or “brown” sesame seed contain 10 times the amount of calcium – 1000mg calcium per 100gr seeds!).

But I can go on forever talking about sesame' – and I’ll have hard time getting to the point of the oil. It is not so easy to find sesame oil that is not from the roasted sesame seeds. And even then, it won’t exactly be “cold pressed”. Because at least a small amount of heat is required for producing sesame oil (as well as tahini). The oil always floats on the top of tahini jars, and it has a very thick consistency, which is not unlike lecithin (which it is abundant with, actually!). That is what makes sesame oil such an excellent emollient, and also why it’s so easy to incorporate water into tahini to make a dressing (lecithin is a natural emulsifier).

So, unfortunately, my description of un-roasted sesame oil (meaning: not the “dark” kind) will be more based on literature more than on my own recent experience with the so-called cold-pressed sesame oil, which is clear and pale yellow. It has a very high vitamin E content, which gives it a very long shelf life as well as antioxidant properties. It’s a healing oil that heps skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema and is used traditionally in Ayurveda for thousands of years. Sesame oil is used in the preparation of many Ayurvedic medicines, and is used for Ayurvedic massages, and for the Shirodhara treatment when warm sesame oil is poured on one’s forehead, as well as for oil baths and full-body massages. It is also used for foot massage and is very beneficial for the scalp and hair.

From a nutritional and healing point of view – sesame oil also contains important trace minerals such as iron, magnesium and copper, and vitamin B6. It’s also high in omega-6 fatty acids, which are known to lower blood pressure; yet it does not require refrigeration as it’s also has naturally occurring preservatives in it – sesamol and sesamin, which prevent the omega-6 fatty acids from spoiling.

Interesting to note, that sesame seeds were used to extract the essence of jasmine flowers in India well before the invention of enfleurage. Sesame seeds were layered with jasmine flowers untiel they absorbed the scent, and after repeating this process several times, the sesame seeds would be pressed into an oil that is fragrant with jasmine, to be used as a personal perfume on the hair and the body.

Now that Chanukah has come to an end, and I’ve finally came to cover at least 8 beneficial oils for health and beauty – I feel inspired to continue exploring precious fatty oils of botanical origins. We tend to associate “oily” with “dirty”, where in fact, many of the lotions and detergents that make us feel “clean” are in fact polluting the environment and taking away from the natural healthy glow of our skin. I’m really looking forward to learning more about beneficial oils and how to use these elegant, simple and rich treatments, luxuries and remedies in every day life.

Cream and Sugar Candle by Gabriel's Aunt

2011-12-27T06:50:00.006-08:00

Wonderful Cafe in 下北沢, a photo by kurisurokku on Flickr.

Burning Cream & Sugar brought me fond memories of late night stops at Blenz after a night out, and enjoying a cup of vanilla steamed milk - just to wind down before heading back home. I'd also take this warm comfort libation for walks by the seawall after work, to hold me over till dinner time while watching the little bit of sun just before it goes down for a lengthening night. More often then never, I'd also top it off with a sprinkle of cinnamon. And that's exactly how Cream & Sugar candle smells like!

I received a mini travel size (a mere 3oz will burn for 12-15 hours) as a holiday gift from Nikki and I'm again amazed by it's tenacity - filling the entire room with the comforting aroma of steamed milk. It's a small wonder!

Gabriel's Aunt beautiful, all-natural soywax candles are available from her online boutique and Etsy shop.

Avocado Oil

2011-12-27T06:45:00.009-08:00

a
365 141 Happiness is a Ripe Avocado, a photo by Miss Minie ♥ :Process Of Illumination: on Flickr.

Persea americana, native to central Mexico (the state of Puebla), and is related to cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. It is a very ancient tree that was used by humans for at least 12,000 years. It’s fruit was designed to attract very large mammals which are now extinct (i.e.: ground sloths or gomphotheres). The seed itself is inedible and rather toxic to many animals, and would be spread in the excretions of such large mammals, sprouting easily as it would remain undigested.

Avocado, like olive oil, is a rare case when a vegetable oil is derived from the fruit rather than the seed of a plant. It is cold-pressed from the pulp of the fruit, which may contain between 18-24% oil, most of which is monosaturated fat. Avocados are extremely high in potassium, vitamin E, vitamin K, B vitamins, as well as a high fiber content. It was shown to lower harmful cholesterol level in the blood, and is also studied for its potential anti-cancer properties.

The fruit’s culinary uses are wide and versatile. Because it is easily grown in sub-tropical and Mediterranean climates, and can tolerate cold weather (as low as -5C in some cultivars), it is grown in many parts of the world – Mexico, Chile, in the US (states of California and Florida), Indonesia, Brasil, Israel, Lebanon, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. And the cuisines that utilized it are versatile and innovative. It is mostly used raw, because cooking making it extremely bitter and inedible (the Haas cultivar can tolerate a small amount of heat and may be used in preparation of “avocado soup”).

Avocado’s high oil content makes it ideal for condiments and in savoury dishes such as sandwiches, condiments and sauces – the most famous of them being, of course, Guacamole (“avocado sauce” - a condiment, dip or sauce made with lime juice or vinegar, herbs, spices and hot peppers). Avocado slices are used in Maki (rolled sushi) – as in California roll or avocado roll, where its fatty contents pair nicely with the fish or substitute it for vegetarian rolls, and it works beautifully in vegetable salads – either sliced or in the dressing.

Avocado’s creamy texture and naturally mildly-sweet flavour make it a perfect component in raw, vegan and vegetarian desserts. Try mashing it with bananas for a custard-like breakfast raw “pudding”, garnished with fresh dates; or add it to milkshakes, smoothing or sliced in fruit salad (be sure not to use overripe avocados - or they will be too mushy and “oily” and not as sweet). You can even make your own vegan “eggnog” using avocados (I made one today with avocado, coconut milk, rum and nutmeg and it was very good and brightly green!).

As for avocado oil itself, which is the real topic of this article, it is particularly fabulous because of its antioxidant nutritional value. High smoking point (the refined avocado oil goes as high as 520°F = 271°C) makes it suitable for cooking, sauteeing, frying and deep-frying. It has a very mild, slightly nutty flavour that is quite easily adaptable.

In cosmetics and body care, avocado oil is prized for its regenerative and moisturizing qualities. It is full of nutrients such as vitamins A, D and E, as well as lecithin, proteins, chlorophyll, glycerides and omega-3 fatty acids. It is a very thick oil, and it’s best not to use more than 25% in a base-oil blend (meaning: you should blend it with other oils if you were to apply it to the skin in a massage oil or a body oil). Avocado oil is also used in soaps to add moisturizing qualities to a soap bar, because some of its contents do not get saponified and preserve their softening qualities. Its thickness also makes it a good addition for body butters and making rich body lotions. It's restorative and helpful especially for dry, scaly skin.

Similarly, use it for hair masks or hair treatment for curly or dry hair and itchy, flaky, scaly scalp. The lecithin is a natural sunscreen, so it’s a good natural protection for both skin and hair from UV rays. You will also find avocado oil in some high-end haircare products such as shampoo, conditioner and masks – but you can also create your own!

avocado, a photo by hannah * honey & jam on Flickr.

Boxing Week GWP

2011-12-26T20:11:00.005-08:00

Merry Hannukah the Seventh: Boxing Day Rebellion, a photo by MSPT on Flickr.

Boxing Week gifts with purchase at AyalaMoriel.com!

Orders of $45 or more receive a gift of fragrant chocolate bar
Orders of $65 or more receive a gift of one of our ritual bath salts
$120 or more receive an anointing body oil
$180 or more receive a mini of one of our winter favourites (Fete d'Hiver, Palas Atena)

The "fine print":
* We will pick the flavour/scent of the goodies for you, as quantities are very limited!
We also might just know what you like based on what else you liked in the past ;-)
** While supplies last
*** Excluding sample purchases
**** Valid thru December 31st

Plaid Magazine Features Zangvil

2011-12-25T21:09:00.005-08:00

Zangvil was featured in Plaid Magazine's holiday fragrances - last minute gift ideas for her.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T21:08:00.002-08:00

blessed is the season..., a photo by janoid on Flickr.

Merry Christmas for everyone celebrating today!

Camelia (Tea Seed) Oil

2011-12-23T21:28:00.004-08:00

Tea oil is cold-pressed from the seeds of the tea plants - the species Camelia sinensis, Camelia japonica, Camelia oleifera and others, which originated in China. It has a very high smoke point (252°C, 485°F), making it an excellent oil for deep-frying and is the main cooking oil in Yunnan province in China, and very popular in Japan as well (for deep frying tempura, for example). It has excellent shelf life, similar to that of both olive oil and grapeseed oil, and also has excellent nutritional value – being rich in antioxidants, and has no trans fats, and is very low in saturated fat. 88% of its fatty acids are monosaturated oleic acids (the same that are found in abundance in olive oil). Like grapeseed oil, it has a very pleasant yet neutral flavour, making it an excellent base for salad dressings, and also a perfect substitute to whatever other vegetable oil you ever used before in pancakes, waffle and cake batters. The downside is its high price (even higher than grapeseed oil). But it’s certainly better to pay that price than get a cheap vegetable oil from genetically modified source.

Tea seed oil is used in soap to produce high lather, and was also traditionally used in Japan to groom and set the elaborate hairdos of Geishas and Sumo wrestlers. Also, it was used to prevent rust in swords (a use that is hardly necessary now that the samurai days are over; and also the price of tea seed oil makes it rather unrealistic). It promotes hair growth and a healthy scalp, and was used for centuries as a hair conditioner in Japan.

Because tea seed oil has very little aroma or strong taste of its own, it is a very versatile oil for use in cosmetics and body care preparations. And to top it all - it also has the most light weight, fast absorbing texture next to fractionated coconut oil, while having much more beneficial for the skin as it’s packed with vitamin E and other antioxidants, preventing damage from free radicals and protecting the skin from toxins.

I’ve used it in both my facial serum Elixir, and in all of my anointing body oils, producing a very nourishing, yet non-greasy body oil that is a delight to use and indulge one’s skin in, as well as use in massage. Because it's very light-weight, you may want to add an oil such as almond or grapeseed oil for more lubrication when using for a massage.

Happy Winter Solstice!

2011-12-22T08:59:00.001-08:00

8hrs 6min 59sec of daylight in Vancouver today. And after that, the days will gradually increase - a few seconds at a time at first, gradually improving.

I'm celebrating with candles, eggnog and a winter solstice bath scented with refreshing yuzu to welcome the return of the sun after the longest night of the year (the eggnog knocked me down early so I didn't get around to it till the morning hehe).

Scented candle of the day: Hugs & Kisses by Gabriel's Aunt. Classic combination of cloves, cinnamon and orange with a bit of cardamom for a little exotic twist. Nothing like spices to warm you up on a cold winter day :-)

Happy Winter Solstice!

Happy Chanukah!

2011-12-21T23:11:00.002-08:00

Happy Chanukah!
May your 8 days be filled with light, warmth and happiness.

We baked and decorated gingerbread cookies for the first time ever today, and this is the result - dreidel gingerbreads!
Thanks to Laurie Erickson's mom for the perfect recipe! Never thought gingerbreads would be so easy to make and melt-in-your-mouth delicious :-)

This year we will continue with more oils to complete the series we began a couple of years back - 8 Exquisite Oils for Health & Beauty.
Although, in all honesty, there are probably going to be more oils than just 8 to explore and discover uses for both nutrition and cosmetics/body care. This year we'll discuss sesame oil, argan oil and avocado oil. We'll also feature a few favourite candles we're burning this season.

The Fragrance Foundation: Spotlight on 30 Indie Brands Entering 2012 “Indie” FiFi® Award

2011-12-21T23:04:00.002-08:00

The Fragrance Foundation announced the 30 Indie brands that entered 2012 “Indie” FiFi® Award.

"Independent brands and the people behind them are driving innovation. Surely all the nominees are deserving of accolades," said Frederick Bouchardy, co-founder of Elements Showcase. "We are proud and thrilled to shine the spotlight on them next month."

“Indie” Committee Mission Statement: To support the excellence, talent and artistry of ‘indie’ perfumes, celebrate their individuality and craftsmanship, give a voice to the “indie” brands, address any issues and concerns that are important to the group as a whole.

Read more about the scents and Indie perfume houses entering the “Indie” FiFi® Award 2012.

Perfume-Inspired Recipe: Tropical Snowballs

2011-12-16T09:19:00.002-08:00

The flavour is inspired by my tropical fantasy, aka Coco-Lime limited edition perfume (it came out in the summer and was snatched away before I was even able to post it on my website)!

Snowballs are my favourite holiday cookie, not only because they are melt-in-your-mouth delicious and look pretty and dainty - but also because they require very little equipment! This recipe is a spin-off on our favourite home recipe. It's also a great winter past-time activity, as even little kids can easily form them into neat little balls. In fact, aside from making the dough and handling the hot cookie sheets - I let my daughter take charge of the whole process from start to finish!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup unbleached white wheat flour (or - for the gluten free option, use 1/2 cup each brown rice flour and tapioca starch, plus 1/4tsp xanthan gum)

1/4 cup icing sugar, plus more for coating

1/4 tsp Salt

Lime zest from 1 Lime

1/4 cup finely shredded coconut, unsweetened

1/3 cup roasted pistachios, peeled and slivered (be sure to use bright green fresh pistachios!)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or use vanilla paste if you have - it's amazing!)

How-To:

- Combine flours (and xanthan gum, if opting for the gluten free ingredients) and salt

- Mix butter with the dry ingredients, until it is relatively smooth

- Add the coconut and pistachios and blend well with crumbs, using your hands

- Add the vanilla and continue to knead dough just until it can be formed into a big ball, and wrap in a plastic wrap.

- Refrigerate dough until firm - for about 1-3 hours.

- Line a cookie sheet with parcment paper or Silpat

- Form the cookies using a melon scooper for even shapes and identical dainty sized snowballs!

- Bake for 12-14 minutes (until they barely begin to become golden)

- Cool for 3-4 minutes, just until they can be handled without hurting your fingers!

- Roll in additional icing sugar.

- Cool completely on a wire rack

- Transfer into an airtight container. They will keep for 2 weeks and make a perfect gift, packaged in reusable cookie tins or jars.

* Equipment you will need for this recipe:

Large cookie sheet

Parchment paper or Silpat sheets

Measuring spoons and cups

Citrus zester/grater

Hand mixer

Wire rack and a large tray for cooling off your cookies

Coco-Lime limited edition perfume:

Coco-Lime
Citrus, Gourmand
Tropical cocktail of squeezed lime and coconut milk, and everything else that goes with. Coco-Lime is a mouthwatering beach fantasy in a bottle. Fun and invigorating!

Top notes:
Key Lime, Lemon, Grapefruit, Lime

Heart notes:
Ylang Ylang, Lemon Myrtle, Litsea Cubeba

Base notes:
Coconut Absolute, Massoia Bark, Vanilla CO2, Ambrette (Musk) Seed

Customer Appreciation Night & Holiday Party Dec. 15th, 4-10pm

2011-12-14T09:11:00.006-08:00

15 December, 4-10pm

Holiday Soiree

At Ayala Moriel Studio (#314-1230 Haro Street)

Holiday Cocktail Party + Customer Appreciation Night

4-10pm at Ayala Moriel Parfums Studio (#314-1230 Haro Street, buzz #295)

We want to thank you for your business this past year so we're throwing a party!

Christmas Cookies, Hors d'Oeuvres, Mulled Wine & Chai

Dreidel Draws for scoring cool gifts from our treasure chest!

Featuring:

Ayala Moriel Parfums

The Dancing Leaf Design - One of a kind jewellery

Jola V. Designs - Leather Bags & Accessories

Teh Scarf

Noam Dehan - Sculptures, Paintings & Photography

Scentable Rings by Dancing Leaf Design

2011-12-14T09:09:00.002-08:00

Noriko of Dancing Leaf Design has created 3 magical snowflake-inspired bouquet rings (see picture above) to go with my last 3 flacons of my favourite winter parfums: Fête d'Hiver, Hinoki and Sandal Tree. These are scentable rings - you can apply scent to the scent-absorbent beads within them, and enjoy your bouquet ring with more than one sense!

These rings + perfumes gift sets will be available exclusively at our holiday soiree December 15th.

We are also hoping to have more beautiful vintage Mexican poison rings from Taxco, including some very rare and stunning designs. They're still enroute but should be here any day now. I promise to let you know (and take photos!) as soon as they arrive.

Custom Perfumes: The Perfect Gift

2011-12-14T09:08:00.002-08:00

If you think that giving perfume is too tricky - think twice: With our custom perfume service, you can treat someone you love to the perfume of their dreams!

Pamper someone you love with our custom perfume services, which were picked for Best of 2011 by LA Magazine!

This is a unique experience, that can be done both in-person at the studio, or via correspondence (in fact, most of our custom-perfume clients are from overseas!). In the process you will explore your favourite notes and your relationship with your olfactory heritage; and will enjoy a pure natural perfume, carefully composed by world-renown natural perfumer Ayala Moriel.

To top it all off - through Groupon you can now save 50% off (!!!) the original price and give it as a gift to someone really special in your life.

The Groupon offer expires December 15th, 2011. Take advantage of it while it's still on. Please note, the number of vouchers we set aside for this offer is extremely limited!

Zangvil Tea Party Featured in Green Wedding Fair

2011-12-12T10:10:00.004-08:00

Green Wedding Fair blog has featured our Zangvil tea party!
They also took amazingly beautiful photographs that commemorate this very special tea party, in which we served the dainty treats in eikcam's beautiful handmade earthenware. Thess photographs were taken by Shona Dion.

Perfume Course on Groupon!

2011-12-11T08:40:00.002-08:00

Your dream of studying perfumery can come true with much less effort now with this very unusual offer on Groupon: my natural perfumery course week-long intensive at the studio in Vancouver for only $900 (instead of the original price = $1800).
The course includes the course handbook and all equipment and materials used throughout the week.

Please note that although this offer is in Groupon Vancouver - even if you don't live in Vancouver, you can still enjoy this unusual promotion!

I've decided to do this offer because I know most of my students come from out of town (and even more of them are from out of the country!) and traveling is not cheap. I hope this offer will open the door to new students and that they will have a fantastic time in the course and will come back to complete their studies in the consecutive courses I offer throughout the year.

In 2012 there are sessions in January, May and September. The voucher is valid for one year, so you can redeem it for any of the intensive weeks offered in 2012.

Last Day of Portobello West!

2011-12-11T06:23:00.004-08:00

Today is the last day of Portobello West Fashion + Art Market for 2012.
This is also the very last time EVER that the entire line of Ayala Moriel Parfums will be offered anywhere outside of our studio on Haro street.

Take advantage of this rare opportunity to experience all 50 original natural perfume creations by Ayala Moriel as well as shop with over 60 talented local artists and designers!

In 2012, I will be selling my entire line ONLY at the studio (which is open by appointment and for tea parties only).
Everything will still be offered on our online store, of course :-)

P.s. For those of you asking "why" -
1) The obvious reason: Being a one woman show means that I need to carry my stuff back and forth with my two strong arms. Unfortunately, my back is not nearly as strong and it can use a break (so it doesn't break!). I'm all for traveling light :-)

2) After doing markets and trunk shows in various locations for nearly 5 years, I realized that the only place where people truly have the right atmosphere to experience my line is in a relaxed environment and with the full attention of a fragrance consultant. It's much more fun to meet people one-on-one at my studio over a cup of fragrant tea and share my stories unhurried, while seated down on my comfy chairs. Treat yourself to a visit at my studio, and you'll understand just exactly what I mean!

Chocolate Bars in the Vancouver Sun

2011-12-11T06:13:00.001-08:00

The fragrant chocolate bars we created with CocoaNymph were featured in the food section of The Vancouver Sun this Wednesday!

Beauty Huile Reviews Song of Songs Anointing Body Oil

2011-12-05T14:01:00.003-08:00

Song of Songs Anointing Body Oil reviewed by Beauty Huile: "Ayala has a true, talented eye for essential oils, one who is unafraid to mix the practical and exquisite. You’re going to love it".

Quest

2011-12-04T20:00:00.008-08:00

"Ankle deep, he waded through the bluebells. His spirit rose and exalted... as he breathed in the sun-drenched air. The glorious day was in its last decline. Long shadows lay on the sward... and from above the leaves dripped their shimmering drops of gold-green light.
Moths and butterflies swarmed in merry hosts... flittering here, glimmering there.

But, hush. Could that be a deer?"

She's on a quest. But aren't we all? Traveling as far away from her heart as possible. Seeing it or hearing its soft murmur of desperate longing only hurts more. Avoidance of dwelling taken literally. There is no room to dwell. There is no dwelling. There is no home or a permanent residence for those torn between love and forgetfulness. Far away as metal wings could take her, she will continue to walk through the less traveled paths. Only occasional butterflly will stir the air she breathes in the cold peaks of lonely serenity.

Only wandering, moving on can soothe this blue heart of a butterfly.

Zangvil is in LA Times' Best of 2011 List!!!

2011-12-03T07:28:00.004-08:00

Zangvil is in LA Times' Best of 2011 List!!!

"Ayala Moriel Parfums Zangvil: As a fan of Moriel naturals, I can’t get enough of this subtle holiday skinscent that blends ginger-spiked amber and candied orange."
Picked by LA Time's Fragrance Columnist, renown author and perfumista Denise Hamilton (did you know that the heroine of her new book, Damage Control, is a perfumista as well? How cool is that!).

And - the article also recommends our custom perfume services - definitely the ultimate luxury!

Eyeliner On A Cat Gift Guide Features Bon-Voyage Roll-On Trio

2011-12-02T21:08:00.002-08:00

Bon Voyage Pure Roll-On Trio is featured in Carrie Meredith's holiday gift guide at Eyeliner on a Cat. Her 3 choices are: Espionage, Sabotage & Film Noir! ♥

Tea Journal: Nine Bend Black Dragon

2011-11-30T14:13:00.007-08:00

As my tea journey continues, I refine my observations of relatively similar teas and find subtle differences that all of a sudden make them seem more special and different from one another.

I'm always puzzled as to the names that Chinese choose for their teas. They seem so far-fetched from what they seem to be. Wilted little leaves with names such as "Golden Monkey", "Snow Dragon" and even "White Peony" often leave me puzzled. One must have a very developed sense of imagination to come up with such names!

I'm still uncertain as to the origin of "Nine Bend Black Dragon", but perhaps it has something to do with its blackness, which is because the leaves are fermented prior to firing them. In any case, the dry leaf is medium-small black shoots with occasional golden or yellow tip. Their scent is of roasted grain, dry grass, with slightly malty undertones. It reminded me of roasted pumpkin or butternut squash!

The infused leaf turns into a tawny & olive green unfurled leaf, with some twigs. The leaf seems to be broken during its process. The scent is true to the dry leaf - roasted pumpkin or grain. There is a slight floral fresh undertone to it.

The liquor is reddish brown and bright. It has a sour, roasted grain scent. It's flavour is sour in the beginning. It dries the tip of the tongue and tastes very similar to hojicha (roasted Japanese green tea). I'm personally not fond of hojicha, but this tea is not bad, and the dry first impression improves in the back of the mouth where it is experienced as sweet!

Pairing suggestions: I can't get over the association of roasted butternut, so to me it has an immediate "fall" association. I would serve this with dinner of sage-roasted roots and vegetables (yams, Jerusalem artichokes, butternut squash, portobello mushroom), brown rice pilaf and spicy vegetable stew or even a curry. I can't really think of it as a dessert tea without going the pumpkin pie route... And I probably would do just that!

Blending notes: I doubt that I would personally use it in any of my tea blends; but because of its pumpkin association, it might work well in pumpkin-spice themed chai, along with a smoother Assam tea, for instance.

White Potion Bar in The Vancouver Sun

2011-11-29T10:59:00.005-08:00

White Potion, the new fragrant chocolate I created with CocoaNymph was featured in The Vancouver Sun! Read the article by food critic Mia Stainsby:
The Chanel of chocolate bars for Christmas stockings

News from the Nose: Winter White Gift Guide 2011

2011-11-29T08:09:00.000-08:00

Dear Fragrant Friends:

Christmas and Chanukah are less than a month away! To make the season special and cozy, we have concocted wonderful white-themed treats for you to enjoy and savour this winter.

Wrap yourself with cozy Zangvil, our new cozy ginger & amber fragrance for both men & women, and sip some Zangvil tea - a fine tea experience that can be re-infused up to 7 times! You'll love sharing it with family and friends as you gather around the fire!

And last but not least - we also create a new winter-white chocolate bar: White Potion. It's the perfect size to satisfy the chocoholic's wildest dreams, and small enough to fit in a greeting card and mailed in a hurry.

Shop early this holiday season, and enjoy free shipping through December 2nd!

Zangvil Fragrance Our new perfume this winter is loved by men and women, and is cozy as a cashmere sweater on a snowy day	Zangvil Perfumed Tea Fine white tea pscented with jasmine, vanilla, ambrette and crystallized ginger. Each 50gr tin in will brew at least 175 cups of tea to share with loved ones.
White Potion Fragrant Chocolate Bar White chocolate with coconut milk, toasted almonds and tuberose! The popular truffle flavour can now be shipped with ease!	Mini Wardrobe Trio Perfect for travel any time of the year!
Jade Poison Ring Green Mexican Jade. vintage poison ring from Taxco, Mexico. Collectible piece! Adjustable size that fits most fingers makes for a perfect gift!	One Of A Kind Eau de Parfums Enjoy a scent that is all your own! Bottled in our new splash/spray bottles, choose from Incense & Chocolate, Vetiver Blanc, and more.
Cozy Winter Mini Coffret Your choice of 8 wintery scents, presented as little gems in a jewelry case.	Bois d'Hiver Travel Candle Bring the forest wonders into your home with Canadian fir and orange blossom!

And for those in the Greater Vancouver area, we have just a few more private holiday shopping events I'm participating in:
Mindan's House Sale December 3rd 12-7pm
House of Jewels Holiday Soiree December 8th 4-9pm
Portobello West December 10 & 11 11am-5pm
Ayala's Holiday Cocktail Party + Customer Appreciation Night December 15, 4-10pm
And there are more details on upcoming workshops as well on our Events Calendar

Please note Canada Post's shipping deadlines to ensure your package arrives on time:

USA: orders shipped Xpresspost to the USA by December 16th are guaranteed to arrive by Christmas (about $25 for most orders - heavier items might cost more). After that, we'll have to courier it to you.
CANADA: Regular parcels will arrive in time if shipped no later than December 12th. Orders shipped Xpresspost within Canada by December 21st. Courier will make it on time as long as order is shipped on December 22nd.
INTERNATIONAL: orders must be sent by Xpresspost by December 6th; or by December 17th via EMS or courier to make it in time for Christmas

Happy Holidays!

:-)
Ayala

Restock Contemplations

2011-11-29T07:44:00.008-08:00

We're 2 years into The Great Recession, and we can definitely feel it getting deeper and stronger here in Canada. The holiday season is just not what it used to be. I live in the midst of Vancouver's most packed shopping district (Robson street), which is normally where everyone shops till they drop till at least 9pm at this time of the year. The shops are open late, but the streets are empty. I'm not seeing people with shopping bags either, and whenever I step into a shop I get so much attention it's almost overwhelming. When I go to the post office (and I'm thankful I still need to go there at least once a week), there is no lineup, ever; and I hear that it was no different the rest of the day. It's just me, and maybe a couple of folks picking up an early Christmas gift in the mail from Europe or Asia. That's about it.

Of course, in many ways, this could be great news: less consumerism, less waste, and more focus on the real values of the winter holidays (whichever ones you celebrate, they pretty much were invented for the same reason - the decline of light and the cold weather). The winter holidays were all about getting people together to support each other in the coldest and darkest days of the year, and only recently we got too greedy and it turned to be about things, not about people, and shopping has gone way out of control. The lineups you'd see on Robson street on Boxing Day were a frightening sight. I'm curious to watch and see if they'll be anything close this year.

In other ways, it's just not doing it for small businesses. People get what they need where and when it's cheap. Discount sites, which slash the retail price by at least half, and than give only half of what the customer pays to the business providing the services or goods, are becoming the norm. "Deals" are not enough anymore. People won't buy unless it's a "steal". And yes, it sorta is, if the business giving didn't calculate their offer very carefully.

As a small business owner, who gets most of my supplies in smaller quantities (read: not quite at a wholesale rate), this situation is becoming risky and dangerous. Slashing the price in half is ok, but slashing it into 4 is as good as committing business suicide on the spot. I always did my very best to keep the prices reasonable for my customers. If I were to set my prices more realistically, they would probably be at least double of what they are listed for at the present moment. And only very few people could afford them. The profit margin based on the prices you see on my website are allowing it to be sold wholesale, but there is no room for any other middlemen Keep in mind that distributors usually take at least 30% of the wholesale price. If I were to go this route, at the present prices I offer on my website, that would leave me with nothing to run the business, let alone pay myself for doing all the work. Unless, of course, I were to charge a lot more for my products.

With all that being said, obviously a business person has to reinvent itself if it wants to survive. I'm not really sure if I'm a business woman anymore, because a lot of the decisions I've made in the past seem utterly unrealistic now. For example - giving customers all the choices (about 50 fragrances in the line), and all the ancillary products, which take a lot of work and required a lot of effort for creating their own packaging. Suddenly, having all these scents does not seem necessary anymore. And if a product hasn't sold for relatively long time, I'm simply not going to create it again. So I'm anticipating some major re-structuring of my current line, and truly discontinuing scents that haven't been too popular, even if I think they are one of my masterpieces. I just don't have the resources (space, time and money) for producing them for the 3 and a half folks that love them. And it's not that I don't care about you and don't want you to smell good and have your favourite scent theoretically, at some point in the future when you want to re-stock - but that means me buying some materials especially and only for this particular perfume. And that I cannot do unless there is enough demand for it. It's the harsh reality.

So there are a few things that are going to have to go, and they will once this holiday season is over. The body products will be the first to go. As much as everyone were begging for them, and thought (or at least said) they are great, and loved them when they first came out - I'm not seeing this translate into the shelves clearing fast enough to justify the production. Not to mention having large jars of them taking up my storage space, not to mention carting them to the many trunk shows and Christmas fairs I'm doing this season. I'll keep making them for myself, because nothing makes me happier than my own concoction of sugar scrubs and soaking in a fragrant salt bath with the very scent I've always dreamed of bathing in. But they will remain something I do for myself and my friends only, not for any commercial volumes.

On another positive note, I'm hoping that my new teas will be as well received in the future as they have been these past 2 weekends. The Zangvil tea is all my own original recipe and is packaged in the new tea packaging, which is a 50gr size (but will be different weights for each tea). I've already blended a small batch of 4 tins of Charisma and it weighs 150gr per tin. It is lovely and although the small tins are sold out and Charisma tea is not on the website any longer - it will be shortly - once I've got some photographs taken of the new packaging.

We're in Alltop!

2011-11-26T23:07:00.003-08:00

So excited to find out that SmellyBlog has finally made it to Alltop perfume blogs.
Yay!

Thank you for your readership and continuous support. I'm looking forward to more blogging time next week, after this weekend's Portobello West holiday market is over.

Tea Journal: Ying Ming

2011-11-23T21:24:00.004-08:00

Last week I've began a tea tasting journal, and this is the first page of it!
Now that the Zangvil tea is ready, I have to prepare for the re-launch of my other teas. I'm reformulating them, as the tea master who created the other teas for me has moved on to doing other things. This gives me the opportunity to deepen my understanding and appreciation for teas. And since my next big undertaking is reformulating Roses et Chocolat tea, I figured I'll start with black China teas.

There is a bit of a disagreements between cultures as to the colours of teas. What we call in the West "black" is called "red" by the Chinese, who discovered the tea and invented most of the methods known to us now for harvesting, processing (oxidizing, rolling, fermenting...) and perfuming tea leaves.

We call red tea "black" because we refer to the tea leaves before infusion. The Chinese call it red based on the tawny reddish colour they develop after being steeped. True black teas will take on a black colour after steeping - for example: Pu-erh tea, which is fully fermented, and actually improves with age, like a fine wine. I find this fascinating!

I began my journal with the first page you are seeing here, and have decided to begin with Ying Ming tea. Although tea tasting requires observing the appearance of the dry leaf, infused leaf (how it looks after being wet) and the colour of the liquor (the "tea" beverage itself) - I will focus what I share here with you on the aroma and fragrance of tea. I have to say though, that I'm immensely enjoying the visual aspects of tea tasting, and have also created colour swatches with watercolour to record the various colours of liquor!

I was a bit weary yet curious to start with black teas (or red, if you wish), as I don't particularly enjoy them without milk. But I was pleasantly surprised to find interesting and intriguing subtleties to these black teas, and I'm learning a lot!

Ying Ming is fro Yunnan province in China, where it is grown in high altitudes and harvested in the moist and cool months of March and April. Supposedly, these conditions account for the tea's pronounced sweetness. It does have bitter back notes though (see my tasting notes below), so it is acceptable to serve it with a sweetener.

Dry leaf smells complex, tobacco-like, tannin but with sweetness that is subtle - reminiscent of hay and flowers, and hints of blueberry.

Infused leaf smells warm, round, fruity tobacco and berry-like with hints of cacao and earthy sweetness.

Liquor smells warm, brown, sweet, very typical "black tea" smell, but without the flat, tannin notes that I've encountered with poorer quality and bagged teas etc.

The taste is sweet and mellow in the mouth, a little tannin, and bitter and dry aftertaste.

Zangvil Tea in the Making

2011-11-23T20:08:00.004-08:00

Mission accomplished!
Zangvil tea was launched on Sunday, at long last... That was quite a journey discovering white tea and perfecting the tea formula (the first version of which I served at the Spring Welcoming Tea Ceremony during my Hanami Tea Party in March 2009).

The tea turned out beautiful if I may say so myself, and I'm absolutely smitten with the new label design, as well as the clean looking tea tins (they are all white!). Tea is an experience that incorporates all the senses - the sound of the water simmering and pouring, the look of the leaf (dry and infused), the colour of the liquor, the scent emanating from the dry and infused leaf and, of course, from the cup of tea itself - and last but not least - the taste and the texture of the tea in the mouth.

Last week, I made the 1st batch of Zangvil tea - only 8 tins to be exact. It was a fun yet not easy at all task, the toughest part was certainly slicing the vanilla beans. Even the candied ginger had to be minced into smaller cubes for best infusion results. Below you can see all the components of the tea after weighing but before being blended and packaged.

Zangvil tea is made of silver needle white tea perfumed with jasmine flowers (you'll find some petal bits and pieces scattered around), crystallized ginger, vanilla bean and ambrette seeds. It produces a very light, clear liquor (only slightly yellow) with shimmering silver plume floating in the water in the first 2-4 steepings, which gives it a very subtle and pretty effect. To fully enjoy that, serve in clear or white tea cups only!

It can (and should!) be infused up to 7 times to fully experience its subtle comlexity and richness. The floral jasmine and peachy white tea notes are most prominent in the first 3 infusions. After that, the ginger and vanilla and ambrette seed linger on. The latter linger all the way into the 7th steeping, with subtly balsamic, nutty aroma with a hint of sweetness and very smooth mouthfeel.

It is best served on its own, and should be sipped when its slightly cooled off. A pure treat on its own, but also wonderful when served with small, nutty desserts such as halva, almond pastries, white chocolate, and poached pear (for more serving ideas, see my Zangvil tea party menu).

Each tea tin costs $30, and contains 50gr of Zangvil tea blend; which should get you at least through 25 tea parties of your own. And if you were to take full advantage of the re-steeping potential, you will get at least 175 cups of tea out of this tin. That's a lot of tea!

Sights and Textures from the Zangvil Tea Party

2011-11-21T23:10:00.008-08:00

For those of you who missed the Zangvil tea party - here are some photos that will I hope you will find inspiring for creating your own wintery tea party this holiday season!

The assembly of desserts (except for the whipping cream that joined the midst of the pears only later on).
You can also see snowballs (or Mexican wedding cakes), orange-ginger icebox cookies, halva, and barks of the new White Potion chocolate bar!

Setting up the desserts in eikcam's handcrafted and painted birch pottery. Get into the winter mood with rustic style bypassing cliches.

White chocolate brownies with sour cream frosting. I the background - CocoaNymph's ginger marshmallows that topped the steaming chai we cooked!
And the lovely tea tumblers by eikcam - each has a different emblem - so it's quite easy to remember which cup is yours!

Tea sandwiches:

Asian Pear + Cheddar + Quince Mustard tea sandwiches

Orange +Fennel + Tarragon Tea Sandwiches

Kabu + Yuzu Tea Sandwiches

The Carrot + Ginger proved to be unnecessary for this very full menu... We had enough ginger already anyway ;-)

I've also served freshly baked cheese & chive scones, but they were gone before I had a chance to snap a photo!

So excited about the new (4th) fragrant chocolate bar that we launched this weekend!

The White Potion white chocolate bar was created together with Rachel Sawatzky of CocoaNymph, and has white chocolate, vanilla beans, roasted almonds, toasted coconut, and... tuberose essence! It's amazing and not to sweet at all :-)

As for the Zangvil tea - it's the first time I'm launching that is all my doing. I've designed the tea, a perfumed tea which is so fragrant and can be infused up to 7 times!

Ingredients:
Silver needle jasmine white tea
Ambrette seeds
Sliced vanilla beans
Cryztallized ginger

I'm very happy with how the new labels turned out as well. All the tea labels are going to be re-done, and the teas will be relaunched in the springtime.

Zangvil tea demo - 3 types of white tea and the other ingredients that make my new Zangvil tea!

A word about the poached pears: I felt like a genius finding this underaged pears at the Winter Market. If it wasn't for their lack of desire to reach full pear size, I would have had to serve them cut into cubes (shame on their seductive shape!) or as spoon dessert (which defeats the whole purpose of a tea party). Little Asian pears also work well for the same purpose.

Handmade ginger marshmallows (by CocoaNymph, naturally!), that we served with the homemade chai. Already a winter favourite!

And last but not least - the birch vases, so wintery and festive in a twisted way... I think I might just need to keep them here at the studio - they are a perfect match to the pussy willows I keep year-around.

Zangvil Is Here!

2011-11-18T09:27:00.002-08:00

Dear Fragrant Friends,

Winter is fast approaching, and to keep us all cozy, calm and content during this holiday season, I've concocted Zangvil perfume and white tea. This Sunday, 20.11.2011, we'll celebrate Zangvil's debut at the studio with a winter-white tea party, which is also the perfect occasion to lauch White Potion chocolate bar - our 4th fragrant chocolate with CocoaNymph - fashioned after the White Potion perfume (and truffles!). We are almost full - but still have a couple of teacups waiting for you!

In this newsletter:

Read the rest of the newsletter here.

Made to Order!

2011-11-15T23:16:00.002-08:00

New at Ayala Moriel Parfums - Made To Order Custom Perfume!
Tell us what your favourite notes are, and we will make you a One-Of-A-Kind perfume that is all your own!

This is a wonderful way for you to get creative, express yourself and make your dream perfume come true, with your favourite notes.

When placing an order for these perfumes - email us with your favourite notes you want to include in the perfume, and the name you'd like to call it.

Your perfume will be ready 4-6 weeks later, and we will only make it for you. It will be bottled in our 15ml splash/spray bottles (as in the picture above), and labeled with your own name on it, or you can name your own perfume as you wish!

Zangvil Perfume Debuts 20.11.2011

2011-11-13T10:20:00.007-08:00

Zangvil perfume will debut exactly a week from today!
This perfume evolved out of a sensory journey that began in 2008. I was feeling under the weather, and a cup of steaming ginger tea simply didn't cut it; so I put together a simple ginger & amber perfume to warm me up from the inside. So it made perfect sense that 3 years later, Zangvil also has a perfume twin to match - a delicate silver needle white tea perfumed with jasmine sambac and further fragranced with aromatic ambrette seed and vanilla bean and crystallized ginger.

The above image is the postcard for the Zangvil perfume, and it's the first time I'm using a human image for illustrating a perfume concept. I usually try to stay away from human figures because I feel it takes away from the personal experience of the perfume itself, and if anything, will make it look like a cheap perfume ad. With Zangvil perfume, however, it seemed there was no other way around (unless I was going with the sexy ginger below!).

However, using ingredients or botanical landscape for illustrating just did not seem to be right for Zangvil. This perfume is all about the tactile world - the cozy and warming touch of cashmere wool and its soft caress on the skin. I wanted the image to radiate softness and a subtle sensuality, just as the perfume does. I really wanted to show the contrast of skin against wool or fur. Yet I didn't really want it to be too sexual in the cheesy way that mainstream perfume commercials tend to be (though, admittedly, if you put a bottle image in front of any semi-nude image it will look like a perfume ad).

Also, because Zangvil is a unisex fragrance, I wanted both men and women to relate to it (not necessarily feel attraction to the figure, but rather identify with the sensation of the wool against the soft skin); and I wanted the gender of the model to be somewhat ambiguous, focusing on the rippling of the back muscles and the soft diffusion of light on the surface of the skin and the tiny hairs and goosebumps... The original concept for the photograph was just an area of skin and fur or wool next to each other. But through the photography process, we had to include larger areas of skin, because without a suggestion of a breathing body, skin actually looks rather gruesome and lifeless.

And speaking of skin - the back of the postcard, which tells the story behind Zangvil and details about the notes is printed in multi-coloured fonts in the various shades of the skin photographed for the front; which when isolated from the context (aka light and shadows on skin) looks like a palette of various skin colours.

So, exactly a week from today, I will be hosting an event that celebrates the tactile softness of ginger and amber in teh Zangvil perfume - with a tea party menu that is derived from the perfume, and focuses on white and muted coloured food with exquisite texture (see more details about the tea party in the previous post).

Zangvil Triple Launch Tea Party 20.11.2011 - One Week Away!

2011-11-13T10:18:00.007-08:00

On 20.11.2011 (Which turns to be quite an auspicious number that adds up to 8 = infinity!) Ayala Moriel will be celebrating 3 magical creations:

Zangvil perfume, Zangvil tea and a new white chocolate bar (the flavour is still a secret!) that we've created in collaboration with CocoaNymph!

Come celebrate with us in this festive, winter-white afternoon tea party. To add to the magic, we will be serving the tea and the treats in beautiful earthenware hand crafted by artist Grace Lee of eikcam.

Launching Ayala Moriel's new perfume, Zangvil and matching perfumed tea that Ayala created and is based on a rare beauty: jasmine scented white tea, along with other delicious botanicals, to create a perfume in a cup!
Rachel Sawatzky & I will also finally share with you our 4th collaboration: a white chocolate bar! The flavour will be a surprise - any guesses? ;-)

3:00-3:45pm - Zangvil: Tactile Fragrance & The Wonders of Synesthesia

Presenting Zangvil perfume & tea and discussing the intriguing phenomenon of synesthesia, and how this perfume aims to bring together all the senses.

4pm - Private Sale

All perfumes, candles, jewelry, bath & body products, teas and chocolates will be offered for sale, and also you could buy the eikcam's earthenware that you've been served with.

When:

Sunday, November 20th, 1-5pm

What:

1pm - Arrival
3pm - Presentation of Zangvil - Tactile Fragrance & The Wonders of Synesthesia + Tea Tasting
4pm - Private sale

Where:

#314-1230 Haro Street, Buzz #295

How to get here:

No. 5 Robson bus
SkyTrain (both Burrard Stn. and Vancouver City Centre) are walking distance from here.
If you arrive by car, there is an underground parking lot at the Blue Horizon Hotel on Robson.

1st Tier: Sandwiches & Savouries

Ginger + Carrot Tea Sandwiches
Kabu + Yuzu Tea Sandwiches
Asian Pear + White Cheddar Tea Sandwiches
Fennel + Orange Tea Sandwiches

2nd Tier: Scones etc.

Pumpkin & Fresh Ginger Scones served with Devonshire Cream & Orange Marmalade

3rd Tier: Desserts

Snowball Cookies
Ginger + Tangerine Icebox Cookies w/Ginger Glaze
Poached Pear in White Wine & Fresh Ginger
White Chocolate "Brownies" + Sour Cream Icing
Chocolate Cups with Ambrette Seed Ganache
Halva with Pistachios
New Surprise White Chocolate Bar!!!

Teas & Libations:

Zangvil (perfumed white tea)
Chai Tea
CocoaNymph's Hot Chocolate + Marshmallows
Riesling

RSVP by phone (778) 863-0806 or email ayala@ayalamoriel.com

Tickets are $12 online to guarantee your spot (we only have room for 30 guests) - or $20 at the door

And for those of you far away - the chocolate will be up for sale on the website next week, and for now, you're invited to guess which perfume inspired this bar! The only hint is that it is a white chocolate bar :-)

Incense & Chocolate

2011-11-12T20:48:00.007-08:00

The sensual world connects between the physical and the spiritual. It is with mindful observation of sight, touch, taste, sound and scent that we are able to connect to the world's divine beauty and discover the divinity that lies within us and pulsates through the universe.

Incense & Chocolate is a perfume that combines elements of two ancient rituals of offerings - burning of incense, and drinking a sacred beverage (hot cocoa, consecrated wine, etc.) as offering to the gods. In ancient Mexico, where chocolate originated, it used to be only the king who was allowed to drink cocoa, and otherwise it was offered to Quetzalcoatl, the god of cacao.

In our modern life, those little rituals that are often viewed as over-indulgences and are immersed in guilt, self criticism or worries about being judged by others - might in fact just be our little gesture towards our ancestors who were wiser than us with their choice of daily routines (for example: burn incense and meditate in the morning before checking their email... oh, wait, there was no email then!) and our way to connect to earth and ground ourselves in the modern world where almost everything turned virtual and disconnected reality.

Incense & Chocolate is a perfume that combines elements of two ancient rituals of offerings - burning of incense, and drinking a sacred beverage (hot cocoa, consecrated wine, etc.) as offering to the gods. I created it this summer, inspired by the two daily rituals I noticed have become important little moments each day: burning Japanese incense, which seems to calm me down and centre me, and savouring dark chocolate - that literally nourished my body, as well as my soul. I know it sounds very dramatic, but I really don't think I would have survived this summer without chocolate...

So exhale all your worries, uncork this bottle of magic and breath in the aroma of dark chocolate, olibanum, prehistoric fossilized amber resin and oud.

Incense & Chocolate is a One Of A Kind perfume - I created only one bottle of it, and the person who picks it first will be the only person I will create it for again in the future. It is bottled in our new EDP splash/spray bottles.

Favourite End Of Fall Fragrances

2011-11-12T20:34:00.004-08:00

Fall is coming to a close any day now, and it's time to make a list!
While these are not necessarily what I'm wearing this particular fall, they are what I would consider my autumn staples and what I would recommend to invoke the season of fallen leaves, harvest and shortening days, when more than anything else I want to curl by the fireplace with a Noire book and a dense perfume that reminds me of the golden days of Hollywood in the 30's and 40's.

Looking at previous years' fall lists I've made, I'm noticing a pattern in my choices. There is always something Chypre, something woody, something smoky and something spicy in my fall perfume favourites. So here are a few suggestions:

Something Woody:
I've been wearing Hinoki more often than ever (and find it especially appropriate when trying my hand at practicing martial arts...).

Mitsouko - a chypre that defies categorization, but certainly has more woody qualities than most. The haunting of contrasts is probably what makes Mitsouko timeless and never boring. This zen-meets-baroque perfume is luxurious, yet as sparse as a monk's dorm; woody and dry yet cradles a tender sweetness therein, and I can continue on and on, but the main question remains - how can any fall list not include Mitsouko?!

Bois des Îles is another favourite fall of mine - and I'm also enjoying a similar perfume, that shares the woodsy creaminess of sandalwood paired with the understated sensuality and elegance of vintage-glam aldehydes that makes you think of pearls and beige nubok. I'm talking about Champagne de Bois by Sonoma Scent Studio.

Something Chypre:
Ma Griffe - after years of loyalty to Miss Dior, the epitome of animalic-floral chypres tinged with green, it was time to find another green chypre. I spotted a pre-IFRA regulated version (from days of yore, when there was no requirements of listing any allergens on the ingredients list). It's very vintage-y, and if comparing to Miss Dior - it has more of a white floral and musky nuances to it, which remind me a bit of Chant d'Aromes. It also has more of a citrusy burst and it's more aldehydic and powdery than Miss Dior. I should get around to write a full review of it next week.

1000 de Patou also seems to hit the spot on the shortening days, reminding me of icy, frost-spiked leaves with its intriguing osmanthus and eucalyptus notes. Melancholy, elegant and old-fashioned, it reminds me of scouring my grandmother's dresser and colourful strands of tropical seashells and Amazonian bead necklaces.

Something Smoky:
from burning leaves and Lapsang Suchong tea to leather bound books, smoky notes are one of those things that make fall so mysterious that even if you're not traveling you feel you're going on an adventure... This fall, my love for smoky, leathery notes is replaced by a craving for incense, which I burn at least once daily. And I've just received a package of Japanese Kyara incense sticks - there is nothing short of magical about burning them, the scent changes after a few centimeters of stick have turned into ashes. Also, I've been enjoying the depth of Sonoma Scent Studio's Incense Pure, with its depth and complexity of tobacco paired with powdery tonka, rustic immortelle and sweet amber.

Something Spicy:
I've been deeply immersed in the Clarimonde project and wearing the oriental-spicy violet perfume I've created for it more than anything else in the past month. Oriental perfumes truly did originate in the orient, where spices such as cloves, cassia and star anise were pulverized into a fine powder and blended with fragrant resins and woods such as camphor, sandalwood and agarwood to create fine perfumes for rituals of both religion and seduction. Body incense is still popular in Japan, where it originally was used to purify one's hands before entering a temple; but also powder perfumes were used to scent a Geisha's hair. Aftelier's Shiso is based on such a Geisha formula, and is a remarkably authentic in the ingredients it uses and the intense and immediate effect it has on my mood - transporting me instantly into dimly lantern-lit rooms separated with fusuma and lined with tatami mats. Shiso is intense, deep and camphoreous, tinged with eugenolic spice and aldehydic shiso herb.

And last but not least - combining sugar and spice, is the haunting Un Crime Exotique - a gourmand that walks the tightrope between French patisserie and an Asian soup broth.

What are you favourite end of fall fragrances?

Clearing my Dresser

2011-11-10T09:59:00.003-08:00

I'm clearing my perfume dresser from excessive perfumes (so little skin time pour moi). They are listed on Basenotes, but if you're not a member there - here's what I've got and hope to find someone who will love and wear them!
Shipping is
Agent Provocatuer purse size 30ml, beautiful bottle, completely full and brand new (not boxed though as it came in a set of 3) $30
Chaman's Party by Olivia Giacobetti for Honore de Pres - Wonderful smoky vetiver, 100% natural & certified organic (100ml glass bottle, no box, 90% full) $65
Aqaba - 50ml (95% full) in straw box (though it is a bit wrecked), beautiful, classic oriental! $45 *PENDING*
Bond No, 9 Andy Warhol Silver Factory travel spray 10ml sprayed twice $20 *SOLD*
Ormonde Jayne Tiare EDP travel spray 10ml sprayed 4 times $20
Something About Sofia (Benefit) 30ml cute & adorable bottle! NIB $15
Harajuku Lovers Sunshine Cuties ltd. edition Lil' Angel 10ml - adorable doll-shaped bottles NIB $15
Ralph Lauren Notorious 50ml NIB $20
Ralph Lauren Notorious mini NIB $5
Jo Malone Grapefruit Cologne 9ml new, full, no box $10
SJP Lovely EDP Shimmer Spray 50ml (90% full), boxed $20
3121 (Prince's perfume) 30ml, 50% full & in box - $5
Vintage!!! Laura Ashley No. 1 stopper bottle 30ml EDT, boxed and worn maybe x4. Beautiful, classy green floral $40 *SOLD*
MoroccanOil Luminous Hairspray Strong Flexible Hold - Brand New, never used 330ml $15
MoroccanOil Glimmer Shine Spray for all hair types BNIB never used 100ml $15
Deseo (JLo) 50ml in box 85% $25
Yves Rocher Monoi de Tahiti body spray 70% full $5
Un Jardin Apres La Mousson dry oil 100ml in box - 98% full $50
Yvresse by YSL 125ml EDT in box 98% full $40

Shipping is $10 for most orders world wide (the larger 50ml or 100ml bottles and the MoroccanOil hair products may be around $12-$15 though)

Email me ayala (at) ayalamoriel.com

Add A Little Sugar...

2011-11-09T15:10:00.007-08:00

Back at the organ and Honeysuckle & Curry Leaf perfume... This song, with its impeccable tenderness is what plays in my head along the conceived scent... They honeysuckle is there alright. But not so much can be said for the coconut & curry leaf dessert. Still, it's a little too green, not quite creamy enough.
Add a little sugar?

Clarimonde's Dream Pillow Reviews

2011-11-08T21:23:00.002-08:00

The Clarimonde's Dream Pillow that I created for the Clarimonde Project was reviewed yesterday in the 7th installation at Indie Perfumes blog, and also in Scent Less Sensibilities' enticing tale titled Dreaming Venetian.

It's been a great privilege to partake in this project alongside such talents as Dawn Spencer Hurwitz, Mandy Aftel, Deana Sidney, Alexis Karl and Maria McElroy.

I've made more sachets today, and will be sewing more pillows on demand as I make them all by hand. I can make only very few of them and for now they are only sold via my Facebook fanpage (click on the "Buy Now" tab on the left) and will be added to Etsy later in the week.
The perfume will be made available for sale later as well, I'm still working on label... It really deserves a different packaging than the rest of my creations.

Butternut Squash & Sage Scones

2011-11-06T20:05:00.007-08:00

Butternut Squash, a photo by Patent and the Pantry on Flickr.

I'm a sucker for pumpkins. If it wasn't for their humungous size, and my inability to store them properly after slashing them open, I would be making something with pumpkin every week. That's why I love butternut squashes so much: they are usually small enough that I can easily use them up even in my small household of two. In addition, they have less water content, more flavour, and a creamy texture that makes them versatile for both savoury and sweet dishes and pastries. The following recipe is adapted from The Joy of Baking pumpkin scones recipe (which is really good as well!).

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup cornmeal (fine, not grits!)

2 Tbs light brown sugar

1/2 Tbs sage leaves, dried and rubbed (or 1 Tbs or fresh, chopped sage leaves)

1/4 tsp ground dry ginger

1/8 tsp Nutmeg, grated

1/4 tsp Allspice, ground

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/3 - 1/2 cup (80 - 120 ml) buttermilk

1/2 cup (120 ml) cooked and pureed butternut squash

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Egg Wash:

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk or cream

How to:
- Preheat oven to 400F (200 C)

- Blend dry ingredients together

- Cut butter into dry ingredients

- Whisk the eggs and mix with the butternut squash and buttermilk

- Add to the dry ingredients and stir

- Knead briefly, just to form a soft, pliable dough. It should be soft but not too sticky (add flour if necessary)

- On a lightly floured surface, pat down or toll to about 4cm thick. Cut with a medium sized cookie cutter. It helps to dip the cookie cutter in flour in between scone-shaping.

- Place the cut out scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat sheet.

- Brush with egg and milk mixture. Sprinkle with allspice, some sugar and a hint of nutmeg.

- Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick insterted in the middle comes out clean.

These scones are quite versatile in how they can be enjoyed - if you want them for an afternoon tea with other sweets, serve with Devonshire cream and a peach or apricot jam, orange marmalade or light honey.

For dinner or lunchtime, they make an excellent accompaniment for a hearty soup; or as a snack of their own with a slice of sharp cheese.

Eau Naturel in LA Times Magazine

2011-11-04T07:35:00.005-07:00

Read "Eau Naturel" - article about natural perfumery in LA Times Magazine, by journalist and crime-novelist (and perfumista!) Denise Hamilton (The Jasmine Trade, Damage Control).
The chart of natural-to-synthetic continuum that's in my perfumery course handbook, and is discussed at length in SmellyBlog's article "What Is Naturals?!" is mentioned there too, and if you haven't read it yet I encourage you to do so now.

Zangvil in the Georgia Straight

2011-11-04T07:32:00.002-07:00

Our new perfume, Zangvil, launching 20.11.2011, is featured in this week's Georgia Straight (p. 30) .

Happy Birthday to My Smelly Scorpio Brother!

2011-11-02T11:02:00.005-07:00

Today is my oldest brother's birthday, and I'm wearing (and mailing him another bottle) of the custom perfume I've created for him a few years ago, which I named after his nickname Yoyo.

He is a Scorpio, ruled by Mars and therefore the complete opposite of me (Aries, also ruled by Mars). Scorpio's motto is change, death and renewal, and they live their life with such force that they draw much attention with their charisma, yet once you know them better you realize it's really hard to tell what's hidden inside their shell. In their most dangerous incarnations, they will sting themselves with their own poisonous tail. In their more benevolent role, they are ambasadors of change and are not afraid of create it for themselves and for other, destroying and ridding themselves and those close to them of the unnecessary, and making room for new growth.

Like most men on the planet, my brother wanted his perfume to be irresistible to women; yet some of his favourite scents are very arguably quite revolting. My brother's favourite scents include some scents that are not exactly what you'd think pretty or desirable in a perfume (this is how their order of recollection as he described them for me on the phone in 2006):
Banana
Anise
Bakery early in the morning
Pipe smoke
Tomato leaves
Earth after rain
Books - both old and new
Gas station
Turpentine
Paint thinner
Leather in a cobbler's shop, and the smell of new leather sandals
Wood-shavings and the smell of a carpenter's shop
Bonfire
Scorched potatoes in a bonfire
The smell of goat's barn from far away

Quite a diverse list with not even a single flower in sight. Sigh...

How do I not make that smell hideous?
By focusing on the leather and the licorice. I built the perfume around licorice notes (star anise and aniseed, but also the lactonic tarragon absolute, to mellow things out and give a suggestion of banana). I also decided for a very unusual exception, to dip into the sample of castoreum that was sent to me by a manufacturer about 10 years ago. So the leather actually included real animalic leather note from poor Russian beavers, mingled with intensely smoky cade (for the scorched bonfire potatoes), dry tobacco absolute balanced with sweet cocoa absolute. For a hint of paint thinners, I opted for styrax, which has a very chemical-like smell (which I'm very fond of, by the way). There are more notes to it, but this is the gist of what Yoyo's perfume is.

And of course, re-blending it, I'm realizing there were essences that I was too scared to add before (costus, for example) that will certainly be fantastic there, and what was I thinking not putting it there? So the 2011 edition is going to be a little bolder and richer, and with more pronounced animalic notes. And it will finally be in a spray bottle like my brother always wanted it to be.

Oh, and by the way - the 2006 version must have been irresistible enough, because he's happily married and expecting a 2nd baby next year.

Happy birthday, Yoyo!

Clarimonde's Dream Pillow

2011-10-31T15:05:00.008-07:00

If Halloween is the time when the veils are thin between reason and fantasy, between the conscious and unconscious, this story is a most timely one. Who hasn’t dreamt of bringing their loved one back – from the dead, or from the oblivion where most relationships find themselves once they are over? Clarimonde is one such story, in which love cannot be fulfilled because of the dramatic dichotomy and differences between the two lovers. Yet, somehow, they manage to reunite… Clarimonde returns from the place where non ever came back after her death which Romuald witnessed; and Romuald finds a way to be with Clarimonde in the safe world of his dreams, where everything is possible and no one can truly be held accountable for their actions.

I tend to shy away from vampire literature and cinema, finding them either too frightful for me (I’m just now, in my 13th year in Canada, finally getting used to the idea of skeletons and skulls and faux blood being OK and maybe even of some aesthetic interest…), and at best bring to mind the pathos of mail-order-bride spam from Russia that I receive on a daily basis.

However, when learning about the Clarimonde project that Lucy Raubertas of IndiePerfumes blog has initiated, I have first encountered a vampire story that was not frightening, but rather touching on a most personal level. Once completing the short story titled Clarimonde (by Theophile Gautier, which was published in 1836), I felt like it touched a nerve. It certainly helped that the vampire lady in it was not a blood-thirsty vixen, but rather a creature of light and beauty. There were no scary moments in the story to send chills down my spine either. And more important than what was not there that keeps me away from the vampire genre at large, was the depth of layers of meaning the story unfolded every time I read it again (and by now I read and listened to it 5 times…).

Clarimonde strongly resonated with me, thought at first I could not quite tell why or how, aside from its alarming resemblance to a virtual love affair, in which the subject of one’s love cannot quite be part of their everyday life; yet takes a bigger-then-life form in the internal world of the lovers. It is an intangible yet very real experience, which seems to become more and more prominent in our day and age and is something I have been exploring in my Virtual Lover project.

To me, the story of Clarimonde is that of love and betrayal. It is a story of a woman’s love so strong and her beauty so powerful that it concurs a man’s most sacred values and aspirations and shakes him to his core. It is also a story of a woman’s sacrifice – her health, her life, her innate nature – only to make one man happy… And the man turns to be a very ungrateful one. It is a story of loss, spoiling of perfection (I do see the dual life that Romuald lived as a balanced and beautiful solution to his difficult position); ruining something that is precious and pure only because it does not fit with dogma.

Yet, despite of Clarimonde’s sacrifice and how she changes for him (instead of taking other lovers and sucking their blood as she pleases, she only takes a few drops of his while doing everything to not hurt him and heal his little tiny puncture of a wound); despite all that, Romuald refuses to stand up to dogma and see that her love is, indeed, as pure as God’s and it is that love that makes her not truly cast away from humanity or from the divine’s love. Just as he can’t find the power within himself to say no to the vows on the day of his ordination and change his path, he passively lets Abbe Serapion cast Clarimonde into oblivion…

It is also, as Mandy Aftel pointed out in the process of us creating and sharing the thoughts and feelings that the story brought forth, a story of extremes that seemingly do not reconcile. The man telling the story, a European monk, goes from the extreme of ugly, mundane and colourless life of suffering, service, sanctity and sacredness by day to that of love, beauty, pleasure, abundance, opulence, desire and rich hues by night. The only thing that connects these two worlds is his sleep. So I have decided to focus on that part and see how these two worlds connect through perfume.

Therefore, I have decided to create a dream pillow for this project, rather than a traditional perfume. Dream pillows are little flat pillows that are filled with a sachet of herbs that should invite a restful sleep. The pillow is tucked inside your real pillow, and while moving in your sleep, the herbs release their sweet scent and sweetens your dreams…

It was a fine overcast day last Saturday, and I finally completed sewing 7 dream pillows inspired by Clarimonde... They are all filled with a sachet of dried herbs that should invoke a restful sleep: valerian roots, violet leaf, lavender buds, and some orris root, patchouli leaves and rose buds for their scent and evocative colour of blood and passion.

These herbs, however, are perfumed by what is my interpretation of the "Oriental perfume" that lingers in Clarimonde's death chamber in the 2nd physical encounter between the lovers, the only one that is fulfilled (the first one being his sight of her in his day of his ordination, in which he rejects her and chooses God; and the last one is at her tomb, which is very grim). In this one, his love and sadness for her loss brings her back to life even if just for a few moments, in which they kiss and embrace, and a bond is created that makes their life inseparable for as long as 3 years…

For the Clarimonde perfume, I decidedly chose essences that would build a classic and “typical” spicy-oriental; that which is heavy on the patchouli and eugenol (from cloves). But I also juxtaposed it with notes of flowers that are mentioned in the story: the blue violets in her hair, the red carnation of her lips, the white rose that symbolizes Clarimonde’s life at her chamber (it is not until the last petal falls that we know she is really, truly dead). These all took a life of their own as I read the story, with clear colours, textures and scents… The sensuality of Clarimonde is contrasted (and balanced) by the distance of her beauty and the coldness of her touch, which Raumald feels when she is alive at their first encounter at the church; and is no difference after her death. The story had very interesting palette of colours: mostly black and white, with splashes of colours on the appearance of Clarimonde, mostly of red and blue hues, and the blood is purple… There is only one thing that is yellow in the story: Clarimonde’s blond hair (or gold, as Romuald describes it).

So, I have chosen notes that are warm and spicy, such as vintage patchouli and vintage cloves, saffron and carnation to portray the warmth; and a violet accord to bring the cold, moist element to the perfume. Aside from violet leaf and cassie (both very wet and cold smelling essences), I have also used the velvety, candied-violet note of alpha ionone – and this is my first time to use a natural isolate in a perfume. I chose this note not only because I wanted the violets to have a dominant presence; but also because there is something very pure, clear and surreal about this note, which reminds me of Clarimonde’s voice as she speaks to Romuald for the first time in his dream.

I have included in my packages to the 6 writers covering the Clarimonde project, also a perfume that is unfinished and is what I used for scenting the Clarimonde dream pillow – except that it is in an alcohol form and with the addition of angelica, orris root and liatrix (which is present in the pillow, but not in the essences used to scent it). I’m debating if to add any lavender to the perfume; so far I like how bold and clear the perfume is, and how it’s such a strong characteristics oriental, but with the emphasis on violet, which normally is more prominent in prim floral bouquets and soft powdery concoctions.

To fully experience the power of this pillow, you must sleep on it, literally. Place it instide the pillowcase of the pillow you use while sleeping, and notice how it transforms your dreams making them more vivid and memorable.

Other Clarimonde posts from participating blogs:

The Clarimonde Project/& Sharif Give-Away

Clarimonde Part 2 - Vintage Perfumes and Heat for the Cold

Monica Miller's letter to Lucy about her Sangre perfume and perfumed lip stains

Perfume Pharmer Review of Clarimonde Dream Pillow

Lost Past Remembered – Deana Sidney: Recipe for a perfumed port with chocolate, ambergris and oud

Immortal Mine
Alexis Karl & Maria McElroy (Geisha M)

Scentless Sensibilities

Mandy Aftel's Oud Luban

Jade Dressler's blog

Scent Hive :
Part 1
Part 2 (Oud Luban, Immortal Mine)
Part 3 (Paradise Lost, Clarimonde Dream Pillow)

Réglisse Noire by 1000Flowers

2011-10-30T22:14:00.005-07:00

Feathery caress of green fennel on the tongue, collected from the wild in the midst of Mediterranean winter. The initial leafiness is deceiving, as it is quickly replaced by the intense back-of-the-mouth sweetness of licorice roots, filling the entire mouth with a radiating warmth. And then a breath of fresh air makes a U-turn, bringing back an expansive ozone wind, rain-covered herbs in a garden. The wet foliage recedes slowly with a hide-and-seek that characterizes licorice notes (which I suspect is what makes them such a perfect culinary symbol for Halloween), revealing a brown soil of dusty patchouli and cocoa powder, moist vetiver rootlets and pure vanilla extract.

Réglisse Noire was created by Jessica Buchanan when she was studying perfumery at the G.I.P. (Grasse Institute of Perfumery). Licorice allsorts hold a sentimental spot for Jessica, as it was the only candy she was allowed as a kid when when visiting her grandmother, who always kept a crystal bowl of them in the living room. (Why do I get the feeling that her parents were health-freaks & tree huggers like mine? My mom would let me chew on plain dried licorice roots instead of giving me harmful sweets!) Their sweet taste remained in her mouth and in her memory, and is at the core of her first perfume that debuted her indie perfume house 1000Flowers in 2010.

In a perfume-tech-talk context, Réglisse Noire is an essay on the relationship between sweet vs. ozonic/green (anise, fennel, licorice, shiso leaf), and earthy notes (patchouli, vetiver, cocoa). It is a second cousin of Angel (also with dominant helional and patchouli notes), and an even closer relative to Lolita Lempicka. However, it is not nearly as linear as these are, and has more depth and complexity due to the higher proportion of natural raw materials. The vetiver truly cuts down the sweetness and mellows the artificial intensity of helional (a note similar to the scent of ozone, which one can detect around waterfall and reminded Jessica of some of the "greener" facets in licorice notes).

1000Flowers' mandate is to walk a balanced path between using naturals and synthetics that have less negative impact on the environment. For example: using only biodegradable musks that are naturally occurring (for example: she does not use galaxolide, which is what's in your Tide and most laundry detergents and dryer sheets, is NOT biodegradable), but she will use ambrettolide (naturally present in ambrette seeds, and which smells like "white musk"), or exaltolide (aka 15-pentadecalactone which is present in Angelica seeds).

Top notes:
White Pepper, Ozone, Mint, Shiso Leaf

Heart notes:
Star Anise, Ginger, Licorice, Cocoa

Base notes:
Patchouli, Vanilla, Vetiver, Musk

Top Autumn Sensory Discoveries

2011-10-27T22:32:00.009-07:00

This ties in nicely to my Autumn Aromas & Fall Flavours series of posts, but is actually part of a joint blog project for the season that Helg at Perfume Shrine has invited us to participate in. Visit the blogs at the bottom of this post to expand your sphere of sensations!

This year I have discovered the sense of touch. Not that I lived without it or wasn't aware of it before; but I feel that I have been re-acquainted with it, and after living my life through my nose for many years, I'm now connecting these sensations with the tactile world... Reading Diane Ackerman's A Natural History of the Senses certainly helped me to notice that and understand better the meaning that the sense of touch plays in my life. There is more to skin than appearance...

And this spills over to my creative efforts of perfumery in surprising ways that I could have not expected - particularly with Zangvil which is due to launch 20.11.2011, on which I will talk about at much length as its release date approaches... For now I'd like to touch upon a few new sensory delights I've discovered recently.

Touch: Wool & Cold Skin
Wool, as it turns out, is not always itchy and irritating... And in the Pacific Northwest it is our best friend, hairless creatures that we are... I stumbled upon a rare find - a 2-way stretch wool tights by Metalicus that I can spend the whole day in without feeling the urge to undress or scratch my thighs; and we all know how marvelous Cashmere wool feels, and how little of it is enough to keep us wrapped in warmth... And me and my woolen shorts (often paired with over-the-knee socks and colourful boots) are pretty much inseparable, regardless of how sunny or rainy these fall days may be. They also make me either look very happy or very ridiculous - eitehr way I don't care, because it sure garners smiles from passers by whichever way I go.

The other extreme of fall is that of the dropping temperatures. And while it can be sunny and beautiful out, the water temperatures drop significantly once October rolls in. Not that this stops me from the occasional ocean swim... I find it interesting that my friend Jolanta, who was the first lady that fell for my perfume Zangvil, likened its scent to the experience of swimming in a cold glacier lake up in the Rocky Mountains: An experience that was all about the extremes: bracing cold water contrasted by the dry hot mountain air int he middle of the summer. Perhaps it is that extreme sensation that I crave when I go for my ocean swims. The hot/cold confusion that makes the blood rush and circulate so much faster, making the cold air feel warm, and makes life feel tangible after every cell of my exterior wrap is punctured by an icy needle of ocean water below 15C.

Flavours: Black Cardamom & Star Anise

New spicy discoveries include, undoubtedly, black cardamom. But I'm also feeling an increased love for star anise - which has a mysterious yet very sweet and licorice-like taste, using it in both savoury and sweet treats. It's marvelous in Vij's recipe for black chickpeas in date & star anise masala, and it's phenomenal for poaching pears. I'll be posting more recipes using either or both black cardamom and star anise in the next few days (and I have a project on the horizon of a pomegranate & black cardamom chocolate torte).

Culinary Textures: Pear & Quince
Not that these are the only textures I enjoy with food, but they are certainly evocative of the season. The texture of cooked or baked quince is matched only by that of poached pears (which are more delicate - less grainy - though Bosc peras are quite similar). Because quinces are so tough to cut, I usually buy them only once a year. This time around, I'm planning to poach them in red wine, then bake them in a chocolate frangipane tart!

And speaking of pears, for a little taste of heaven, make yourself a a brie & pear sandwich on fresh croissant - begin with spreading a bit of cassis mustard, top with a slice of room-temperature brie cheese, and finish with ripe sliced red Bartlet pear.

Sight: Red
I've been avoiding wearing red for at least a couple of years now, for reasons unknown to me. It used to play a huge role in my wardrobe, especially with contrasting black and white... I've moved into the real of cool colours instead - teal, sea blue, kelly green and even electric blue! But fall (and Apothic Red...) is my pitfall for enjoying reds all over again - there is nothing quite as soothing to the eye as Japanese maple leaves at this time of year. A picture is worth a thousand words:

Sound: Acoustic Guitar
About anything in my life goes back to skin, somehow... Which might explain why now of all times I'm drawn to guitar music (Flamenco, jazz, blues but especially flamenco). When played by master musicians that are more than just virtuoso, listening to a guitar is about as close as it gets to caressing the skin...

Oh, and I love listening to Rodrigo y Gabriela when I'm doing Pilates. It gets the heart pumping at the exact correct rate!

Scent: Dying Rosehips
There is nothing that I like better than start my day with a morning stroll in Coal Harbour as the sun rises. And thankfully, we can still see many sunrises in the autumn, even in Vancouver. There is something soothing about watching the aquaplanes coming in and out of the harbour, leaving a vanishing trail of whiteness in the water as their jet-fuel excrement mingles with intense saltiness of seaweed and clammy odours of sea barnacles drying on the rocks at low tide.

Tonight, as I strolled on the seawall in Coal Harbour and noticed a new scent as I passed by a rose bush, I noticed a new smell: decaying rosehips. Reminiscent of the forest floor's rotting fallen leaves mingled with wine-like fermenting sweetness.

Last But Not Least: Perfume
Fall is when I return to old friends such as Mitsouko, who await me patiently while I spend most of my year trying different scents that I'm working on at various stages...

I've been also returning to wearing Agent Provocatuer occasionally after a couple of years of hiatus, and really enjoying a lot its saffron facets and intense, bluntly sexual/animalic personality, saved only for the softness of rose.

And a comfort-scent to turn to is the gourmand Un Crime Exotique (poached pear, this is when you enter again...).

Aside from these three, I've been mostly wearing my own intense killer-tuberose which won't be launched till way later in 2012, and another narcissus perfume I'm working on with costus... Overall, I've been craving costus a lot lately, and I even included some in my creation for the Clarimonde project (you will read more about it over the weekend), which is another thing that is scenting my nightlife (you will see why very soon... Trust me!).

My other olfactory discoveries lies in non other than fine Japanese incense sticks (I'm yet to learn how to warm incense properly koh-doh style) - particularly the one that I'm burning tonight: Fuin Kyara stick that has just arrived in the mail after some major messing-up on behalf of Canada Post (I ordered it in August!) and I'm immensely enjoying its woody, sweet and slightly animalic aroma underlined with earthy, musty nuances and an overall sacredness that reminds me of the effect of burning frankincense - only with much less smoke. The incense keeps changing aromas as it progresses through the stick, which makes me think that it is designed that way...

I've also received a precious gift of hand-rolled Rose Nerikoh from Yuko of Phyto Perfume, and a loose incense blend from Ross Urrere. But these deserve their own post at another day.

Incense is one sure way to connect through our breath and the olfactory world into our subconscious mind and the depth of our heart... But that's already looking like the beginning of another post.

Discover more sensory delights over at:
Perfume Shrine
Katie Puckrik Smells
Scent Hive
The Non Blonde

Black Cardamom & Pomegranates - Savoury Seduction

2011-10-26T21:51:00.003-07:00

Nothing signifies the beginning of fall season more than that of cooked & baked spices filling the kitchen. After all the easy summer cooking (steamed vegetables, mostly), it's time again for making robust curries, soups and baking delicious aromatic cakes.

Black cardamom is a relatively new discovery of mine in the world of spices (you should see my spice rack! Its only rival is my perfumer's organ and my shoe collection). And I've been using it creatively to transform familiar recipes into something exotic and mysterious. Because this is what black cardamom smells like: smoky, spicy, pungent, warm and aromatic. It is similar to green cardamom with its eucalyptus-like camphoreous vapours that rise when pounding it in the mortar and pestle. But it has a personality all of its own - smoky, dark and earthy, not nearly as sweet as green cardamom. Therefore, it is perfect for savoury dishes that need a departure from the mundane.

And that's what I did to my babaghanoush recipe, along with some pomegranate molasses (!), both combined transported it from a familiar dip commonly eaten with flatbread or in sandwiches, into a delicious treat that I think won't shame a great chef in a fancy restaurant. Savour it!

Eggplants are a versatile vegetable that might seem intimidating to most North Americans, but in reality is quite easy to cook with, if you only know how to prepare it so its flavours really shine. The key with eggplants is not let its high water content overwhelm the recipe and take away from its flavour. This is why eggplants are best when roasted to the point of caramelization; or pre-salted to drain excess water before being sauteed, fried or baked. Eggplants are even used in Moroccan confections (I kid you not!). But now I want to share with you a recipe that is a spin on a most familiar and popular dip called babaghanush. Usually, eggplants are roasted on open fire If you have a gas stove, roast the eggplant directly on the gas flame; if not, simply prick with a fork 2 large eggplants and bake or grill in 450-500, rotating periodically, until it is blackened from all sides. Scoop the cooked flesh out with a spoon, and mash with a fork or a potato masher. Add the following:

1-2 Tbs tahini (raw white sesame paste)

Lemon juice from one whole lemon

2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated

2 Tbs pomegranate molasses (dark, almost black syrup from pomegranates - be sure it's one with no sugar additives - you can find these in most Persian or Middle Eastern grocery stores)

1/4 tsp cumin, ground

2 black cardamom pods, peeled and pounded with mortar and pestle

Salt to taste (might not be necessary - depending on the type of tahini you use; many of them already have sufficient amount of salt in them already)

Garnish with olive oil, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds, or with black olives.

Serve as a dip for vegetables, flatbread, or inside sandwiches. Personally, I just eat it with a spoon as is...

My next challenge is creating a dessert for this weekend featuring both pomegranate and black cardamom. I've used black cardamom in my Black Beauty Truffles with much success, and am curious to see how the tangy touch of pomegranate (not to mention their ruby red colours) will enhance a chocolate dessert. Wait and watch...

Autumn Aromas & Fall Fragrances 2011

2011-10-26T21:32:00.004-07:00

Every year, I like to observe the change of seasons, and watch what the new season brings along with it - some familiar scents and sights, and others are new and exciting.

This fall, I find myself strangely lured into the kitchen more than simply necessary - for baking and cooking experiments that create more food than necessary to feed my 2-person family. Thankfully, I have a brother in town who seems to be always starving, and our friends, as well as studio guests, help us clear the baking dishes for new experiments...

I'm more fascinated by cooking than I ever was before (I'm usually more excited about baking - both savoury and sweet pastries and breads, cooking has always been in my mind just a necessity, and I cook decent food but don't think of it as particularly creative or original...). And so this blog has turned into more of a food blog as of late... But that does not mean that I'm any less interested in perfume. I think what's happening is that the knowledge and experience of creating balanced perfumes is spilling into my flavouring world, and I just can't sit around when all these new recipe ideas pop into my head! Besides, while perfume formulas are not something that is advisable to share - recipes for food, desserts and libations are meant to be shared.

The following fall posts will be dedicated to autumn aromas, as I did last year, only with new fragrances, aromas and flavours. This time around, I would like to offer three posts: New aromas that I encounter this fall; Fall flavours (including a recipe or two...), and last but not least - a list of my favourite fall perfumes!

Masquerade Secret Supper

2011-10-24T19:30:00.009-07:00

Yesterday I attended a Samhain dinner party titled Masquerade Secret Supper hosted by my friend Charlotte and her roommate Ada. It was oh so lovely and delicious, and I hope you will find it as inspiring as I did!

It was a fundraiser dinner hosted at their home, and I could have not imagined that they would have transformed their living room into an intimate, restaurant-like dining room! It was so beautifully decorated - fall leaves and maple seed "helicopters" on the table, with tiny carved pumpkin lamps, a mobile of paper-cut houses with flickering candle within each; and a fabric collage of animal-shaped shadows spread on the wall (Charlotte is a textile artist among her many talents).

It was very dimly lit, so I could not take any photos whatsoever of the food (which is a shame, but also was a very nice break from taking photos of every piece of amazing food I experience, which can be not only tiresome, but also take away from the experience). So instead, I stole the hand-written menu from my table and you can use your vivid imagination to picture yourself how each course looked and tasted!

Menu:
Hors D'euvres
- edible artichoke centrepiece with tappenades and fresh-baked bread

Soup
- Butternut squash soup with pear, blue cheese cream and red wine reduction drizzle

Entree
- Roasted root pie with herbed chevre a la mode
- Braised tender lamb in pomegranate sauce
- Massaged kale, beet and pumpkin seed salad with lemon-tahini dressing

Dessert
- Chocolate pumpkin cheesecake
- Assorted choux a la creme (chai spice, chocolate hazelnut, rosemary salted caramel) with apple fennel croquettes

Drinks
- Crisp Autumn Night: a purifying potion of rosemary, peppercorn and vanilla infused gin, with tonic and simple syrup poured over a caramelized pear.
- Red wine
- Virgin cocktails available

The appetizers were flavourful and appetizing, the soup of butternut squash and pear delicate, flavourful and something I definitely want to try at home (I got all the ingredients!) and by the time I finished the main course of harvest root pie and kale salad, I felt lucky the choux a la creme (cream puffs) were tiny and delicate - because I barely had any room left. These three tasted amazing, but my palate was even more tantalized by the little bites of fennel & apple croquettes (which were slices of fennel and apple atop buttery and soggy sable). My favourite of the three was the hazelnut & chocolate creme one. And I am glad I got a couple of bites of the pumpkin & chocolate cheesecake, which was more of a cream layer cake, with chocolate wafer base, pumpkin and creamy cheese filling, and a fudgy chocolate icing decorated with pomegranate seeds.

But my favourite of all was actually the "Crisp Autumn Night" cocktail - an imaginative brew that was accompanied by the instructions you see in the photograph. It was made of gin infused with vanilla, pepper and rosemary, served with tonic water, caramelized pear slice, and, lo and behold - two ice "stirring sticks" - one with a greenish hue (cucumber? rosemary??) and the other embedded with pomegranate seeds. It was such a treat and if the rest of my Celtic year is as complex and satisfying, I might just have to try to brew it myself next Halloween... If I can wait that long!

And if you can't view this image, here's what the little note said:
"In the Witches' wheel of the year, Samhain (pronounced "waawen"), which usually falls at the end of October, is the time when the veils between the world of the conscious and rational, and the unconscious and un-rational are thin. It is also the New Year - a timei to reflect on and let go of the old in order to make room for the burgeoning and new.
This potion was brewed with the magival intention to bring this symbolic reflection, release, and invitation into a drinkable form. This is a spell in a beverage. Its makers invite you to use it either as a delicious un-magical cocktail or as a cleansing and renewing elixir by following these steps:
1. Ground yourself by taking a deep breath.
2. Remember this previous year - from last Samhain up until now. Be gentle and forgiving in your review.
3. Recall the things you are ready to let go of, to do without, to interrupt, to be done with, and blow them into your drink. Literally.
4. The drink's magic is its ability to purify, cleanse, and transform your energies and offerings.
5. Now take a taste, and set your intention for the year to come - imagine abundance, friendship, self-love, dancing, brimming creativity, and the energy to see all your projects and ideas through.
Anything is possible when you start the New Year in the Enchanted Forest...
Cheers!"

Stale

2011-10-19T21:55:00.004-07:00

My apologies for the stale state this blog has been in as of late. It is not nearly as attractive as stale madeleines, though I do assure you there is a lot to read here if you are not a regular here and visiting for the first time. There are wonderful articles about the building blocks of perfumery, fragrant recipes for sweet and savoury dishes and desserts that I have invented using aromatic herbs and sometimes also essential oils; there are perfume reviews, and journal entries that reveal some of my creative process of perfume design.

With that being said, I want to explain my relative quietness on SmellyBlog. Lack of posting could have many different reasons - but I can assure you it is neither lack of inspiration, shortage of topics to write about or materials to cover, or stories to tell. On the contrary. Life has taken over and my fall schedule has been filled with so many events I barely have time to catch my breath and have a chance to share it here with you. To make things short, I'll just say that since September, when I spent a whole week teaching perfumery to my students from all over the world (last serious post here), I'm back to school taking French classes, plus I've been busy cooking and baking up a storm for Monique's bridal showers, hosted a lovely Thanksgiving dinner (which took no less than 2 days to prepare...), attended Vancouver Eco Fashion Week, not to mention modeling in a fashion show for Two of Hearts clothing line and boutique on Main street. And there was the madness of Groupon, promoting the perfume making classes and workshops at my studio as well.

Last but not least, I'm working on the last details of my Zangvil perfume launch that will come out with a tea on 20.11.2011, during my Zangvil Tripe Launch Tea Party - so I can only be thankful that the only thing I need to do for the new chocolate bar is tasting it and making sure the graphic design is done on time, and lineup a photoshoot for the chocolate shortly after...

And as if this is not enough already - I'm working on a couple of private label perfume that I'm very excited about (and can't tell you about till 2012). But don't worry - there is also an unusual joint-blog-project that I will be able to tell you about next week. So you will get some more jus-y details on SmellyBlog very shortly!

Now, I have to go and sleep on a few things...

Monique's Bridal Tea Party

2011-10-13T11:13:00.008-07:00

On October 2nd 2011 I hosted a very special tea party at my studio - bridal showers for my friend and intern (graduate student of 3 years) Monique Trottier, who just got married to her new beau (of 15 years!) this Sunday... And what better excuse to celebrate and pull out some of the most luxurious fragrant recipes and ideas than a wedding celebration?

As you can guess by her name, Monique is French Canadian, so it was not difficult to go with a mostly-French menu. I decided on a theme of Violets & Leather - because I know Monique likes both notes. And the menu was just born out of that...

I don't have photos of all the savouries (yet) but here are some dessert photos I managed to snap with my iPhone before all the guests arrived...

And the guests, by the way, were the sweetest crowd imaginable, including Gwendoline from Patent and the Pantry, whose blog I followed for a while, and with whom I enjoyed exchanging baking tips and recipes with, and the gifted artist Rachael Ashe who took proper photos of all the baking which I hope to post here later.

The cherry on the top: Viola truffles (dark chocoalte with violet leaf absolute and orris butter) and Sahleb truffles (white chocolate with orris butter, coconut milk and a hint of rose).

Violet shortbreads - true decadence! Perfectly flaky and flavoured with orris butter and alpha ionone natural isolate, decorated with crystalized violets, of course.

Pumpkin scones! Monique is a pumpkin lover, not surprising for someone who is obsessed with the Harry Potter septology... I almost left them out for black current scones, but these seemed perfect especially it being autumn.

Something spicy and smoky was in order!

And of course - we had to have some madelienes! The are flavoured with honey, and Earl Grey Cream tea leaves.

The menu signs - all the menu items were revolving around the delicate tea-like violet and ionone aromas, and leather-like smoky accents.

Tea Sandwiches:
Brie + Pear Mini Croissants (with cassis mustard)
Smoked Cheddar + Honeycrisp Apple Tea Sandwiches on Rye Bread
Classic Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
Chevre + Wine Jelly Baguette Open Sandwiches

Savouries:
Mini Mushroom Quiches

Scones:
Pumpkin Scones, served with creme fraiche and local fig confiture

Sweets & Desserts:
Madeleines au The Earl Grey
Sables au Violette (violet shortbreads)
Chipotle Brownies (spicy and smoky!!!)

Chocolate Truffles:
Sahleb Truffles (white chocolate with coconut, orris and rose)
Viola Truffles (dark chocolate with violet leaf and rose)

Teas & Libations:
French Earl Grey
Osmanthus Oolong
Cream Earl Grey

Violets for my Furs - the perfume that seemed the perfect match for this party, as it has both of the notes (violet and leather) that were the theme; and served as an example for various violet-like and leather-like notes, but most importantly - the aphrodisiac properties of perfume, which is what Monique wanted to be featured in the presentation part of the event. The ingredients in this perfume were what the presentation revolved around: the story of Napoleon and Josephine (she liked violets above all scents, and before his exile, Napoleon picked some of the violets on her grave, and kept them with him until his own death); violets' seductiveness with its ionones, which seduce and tease the nostrils by fading in and out of the olfactory bulb's perception... The connections were drawn between ionone-rich essences (violet, iris, boronia, cassie, osmanthus...) and leathery notes. Interestingly, ionone is present in teas. And so are tannins, which are important in curing leather (and are what give leather its "leathery" aroma in the curing process). Cassie, for example, is one of the plants that is used for curing leather and also has a very violet-like scent. Osmanthus, another ionone-rich absolute, has a scent reminiscent of apricots and... you guessed it! Leather!

Monique is a famous book worm, so it was only natural to end the presentation with spraying black lambskin leather bookmarks (courtesy of Jola V. Designs) with the Violets For My Furs perfume.

The intricate connections between botanicals and essences, their healing powers, folkloric and symbolic meanings are all fascinating and add another layer of understanding and appreciation of perfume that none of the guests would have expected. Not even the aunt who never wears perfume and never thought she would be in the least interested in it :-)

From left to right: Monique, Ayala, Jolanta, Anita (who graduated with Monique as well) and in the very background - Tamya.

Perfume Workshops on Groupon for 48hrs Only!

2011-10-11T23:22:00.004-07:00

Check out Groupon's Daily Deal in Vancouver starting at midnight (Wednesday, October 12th and running for 48 hours only). For those of you who've been always dreaming of coming to my studio for perfume making workshops - your moment has arrived!!!

The other part of this offer is my new series of interactive lectures under the general title "Introduction to Natural Perfumery" - each month, a special theme that is relevant to the season will be featured, and each one is a unique experience - some feature tea and chocolate tasting sessions, and others will answer many questions you've been too shy to ask, such as how to use perfume to attract a lover - or even how it can be used to communicate with spirits of the dead (especially useful for Halloween ;-), and will learn about the history of perfumes and the spice trade all the while sniffing the most prized perfumes and raw materials from around the world. For more details about each month's special featured lecture, look in our newly updated calendar for 2011/2012!

Vancouverites are not the only ones who should check out this feature - if you're from out of town and planning a trip to British Columbia in the next 12 months, you may want to take advantage of this unique opportunity!

If you're a Groupon member you probably know, a certain number of people must sign up for the deal to run so please help me make it happen! And also, the more referrals you bring in the better deal you get. And don't forget to tell all your friends about it

Happy (Belated) Canadian Thanksgiving!!!

2011-10-11T11:45:00.017-07:00

I've been up to my neck (in a good way!!!) celebrating Thanksgiving and although my greetings to you, my dear readers comes in late, I hope this post will be inspiring for those of you down to the south of the border so when your Thanksgiving rolls around you'll have more than sufficient ideas, inspirations and recipes for your celebration. Mainly, I want to get you excited about vegetarian recipes, because almost all across North America, this holiday is so strongly associated with eating a stuffed turkey. I've been vegetarian since birth (and only recently succumbed to eating creatures of the sea, as I feel my body needs just a little of extra boost of vitamin D to compensate for the year-around shortage of sunlight in Vancouver).

For a few years now, I had a fantasy of convincing some friends to celebrate Thanksgiving with me without the turkey (the vegetables "side dishes" are more than filling anyway, don't you think?).

Instead of stuffing a turkey, I cooked what I do best: Turkish-style stuffed vegetables. There is hardly any vegetables you can't stuff, and although many Arab recipes call for ground red meat in their stuffed vegetables, I used the same stuffing used in grapevine leaves to stuff all the other vegetabls I laid hands on (all avaialable from the farmer's market this season!): cabbage rolls, stuffed zucchinis, stuffed peppers (I used poblano peppers, which are more spicy and robust in flavour, especially after roasting them in olive olil... Mmm...), stuffed Roma tomatoes and red Spanish onions. It was all heavenly!

This year my dream Thanksgiving dinner finally came true. To me this was a meaningful moment: perhaps Vancouver really this is my home, at long last. I certainly have dear friends here who are happy to play along my vegetarian menu and try something different and beautiful that symbolizes abundance and supports local agriculture.

To make the rice filling:

3 cups brown basmati rice (soaked for an hour or overnight, and drained well)
1 large diced onion (plus any of the interior of the onions you were going ot use for stuffing but weren’t able to separate into layers)
1 Tbs olive oil
Remainders of other vegetables for stuffing (i.e.: the flesh of zucchini, eggplant, etc.), minced
1-2 large carrots, grated
2 large bundles of baby dill, finely chopped
1 large bundle of spearmint leaves, finely chopped
1-2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp allspice, ground
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup or more pine nuts, toasted (you may substituted for blanched, chopped and toasted almonds)
A handful of raisins (optional)
4-6 cups of boiling water

Sautee the onions in the olive oil. Add the minced vegetables and grated carrots. Sautee and add the rice and keep stirring for about 2 minutes. Add boiled water (4 cups at first, and the rest only if necessary – i.e. if the rice does not cook well).

For the sauce:

1 large onions
1 Tbs olive oil
3-6 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbs. red wine
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 celery sticks, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 Can Pureed Tomatoes
4 whole clove buds or ½ tsp ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick or 1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice, ground
2 bay leaves, whole
½ cup parsley
½ cup fresh dill
1 Tbs. raw cane sugar (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Sautee the onion till it is golden in colour. Add the celery and the pepper and sautee till they soften a bit (about 3 minutes), and lastly – the garlic. Add the carrots and any other minced vegetables cores that you got from preparing the stuffed vegetables. Add the wine and cook for 30 seconds or so. Add the canned tomato puree and spices, sugar if desired, and bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Add the dill and parsley at the very end.

To prepare the vegetables:
Begin with preparing the vegetables for stuffing – and remember to reserve the parts removed from the core of each vegetable (except for the pepper seeds…) for the stuffing or the sauce.

Peppers:
Choose peppers with thin "skin", such as Poblano (which are very dark green peppers also spicy when fresh, and piquant and robust once baked), or Cubanelle (pale green peppers and also very thin), or even sweet banana peppers. Cut off the tops. Leave the stems on to make nice little "lids" to cover the peppers once stuffed. Bake in the oven in 375F in olive oil pyrex pan for 45-60 minutes.

Mini summer squashes:
Cut a circle around the top as you would with a pumpkin, and reserve to create a "lid". Scoop out some of the flesh with a melon baller. Bake in the oven in 375F in olive oil pyrex pan for 30-45 minutes.

Eggplants:
For stuffing purposes, I prefer the dark purple eggplants rather than the Japanese eggplants (whose skin is too tough and waxy). Select small ones, which you can cut into two and scoop out the flesh with a melon baller. If you can only find large eggplants, slice into very thick slices, and remove some of the flesh to create an indentation for the stuffing. Bake in the oven in 375F in olive oil pyrex pan for 45-60 minutes.

Zucchinis:
Choose small zucchinis, which are just long enough for a potato peeler to be inserted into them to carve out the core. Arrange the zucchinis laying down in the pan when using small ones. If you can only find long zucchinis, cut into halves (or more pieces as needed) and do the same, keeping a bottom piece undamaged so it can keep the stuffing in. You can make them all have a flat bottom, and arrange them standing upright in a bread-pan. Bake in the oven in 375F in olive oil pyrex pan for 30-45 minutes.

Tomatoes:
Cut the top and hollow with a melon baller. Place in a deep pan immersed about halfway through in olive oil. Bake in the oven in 375F in olive oil pyrex pan for 30-45 minutes.

Onions:
Cut into halves lengthwise, and carefully separate into its layers. The very core can be used for the sauce or the stuffing. Bake in the oven in 375F in olive oil pyrex pan for 20-30 minutes.

Cabbage Leaves:
Cabbage leaves require softening before you can roll them around the stuffing. Salt water will do the trick! Boil a large and deep pot of water with 1 Tbs sea salt. Cut around the base of a whole savoy cabbage (their leaves are easier to separate). Insert a fork into the base (aka stem) of the cabbage so it's easier to turn it around in the boiling water as you remove the leaves. Stuff them by placing a couple of tablespoon or more of the rice filling and roll around. You can either arrange in layers inside a pot, or in a pan (I like to layer mine with olive oil, the tomato sauce, than put the cabbage rolls and cover with tomato sauce). Bake covered with aluminum foil for 30-45 minutes. You may want to remove the foil at the end of the baking time for 10 minutes for getting a slightly caramelizing effect on the sauce - which is simply delicious!

And this is how they come out of the oven (well, that's really left overs because there was not enough light the night of the dinner party...):

Served with hot tomato sauce poured on top, and some yoghurt drizzled around the plate or in small side dishes. It's the best harvest dinner I can think of - for both Sukkot and Thankskgiving.

Chypre Week 2011

2011-10-06T00:17:00.007-07:00

The past few week were consumed entirely by big projects such as the week long Chypre course (September 19-23) at the studio (and a few other events and projects about which I will tell you in my next posts). I like to start my week with a nature walk, so that students have a direct connection to plants, their aroma, and the many inspirations that come from the rich and beautiful natural world and how they impact all the senses - visual, tactile, olfactory and even the sounds of nature are a strong part of my creative process and I like to pass that passion on to them. Besides, it's always been the students' favourite part of my classes - going out to nature and seeking inspiration, using the techniques they learned int he lab to find, assess, evaluate and analyze scents in real life.

We walked down Robson street towards Stanley Park, where we stumbled upon a rockrose bush, and noticed the smell of it, reminiscent of the cistus oil and labdanum absolutes we encountered in the class (it's probably a different species though, and not as fragrant as the ones growing in the Mediterranean region...).

When we arrived at the Rose Garden in Stanley Park, we were surprised by the beautiful pairing of purplse shiso and heliotrope flowers next to each other. Both are visually appealing with their purples and deep red, and have amazing smells: purple shiso smells practically like a perfume all of its own - very fragrant, floral more than herbaceous, and with a very fruity-aldehydic top notes. Heliotrope smells like piperonal (heliotropin) - which most of us associate with either marzipan or playdoh!

Then, with our noses up in the air, we proceeded to the South Creek trail in Stanley Park (which connects the Rose Garden to Beaver Lake, amidst the rain forest) - in search for the naturally-occuring sweet Chypre smell of forest undergrowth in fall... Its' a challenge to find that scent in the air, and even more so to pin point its source, but it is there, awaiting those who listen with their noses. It was an exercise in focus, refreshing our olfactory bulb, being open to new and unfamiliar smells in a rather moist and cold environment (aka: not ideal for discerning smells too readily). At some point, we had to close our eyes and go through the path to find that sweet smell of fallen fir needles, red cedar, moss, lichen and rainforest floor...

Our first session in the lab was dedicated to trying to make Oyselets d e Chypre. I searched in vein for an authentic formula or recipe, so I thought I'll use the opportunity to teach my students how to try to make their own experiments based on the recipe I had for incense cones, but using a different gum to bind them (Gum Arabic, rather than the very costly Makko powder - as we had no intention of using these for incense burning, but rather as sculpted potpourri).
We all ended up with sticky hands, fragrant with sage, cassia and labdanum... And with results that were even stickier and had to be left alone to dry for at least a week. Once the water evaporated, these ended up smelling very Chypre-like, in a most authentic meaning of the word - smelling of labdanum and Mediterranean herbs. Warm and lovely.

In the next lab session was dedicated to creating a chypre accord solid perfume. And in the last two days we created chypres in alcohol base, first from a given formula, and than manipulating it into different sub categories from the Chypre families inspired by the forest walk (i.e.: a coniferous chypre or green chypre) or by classic perfumes that the students analyzed in class (i.e.: a fruity chypre inspired by Femme, woody chypre like Mitsouko, etc. ).

Throughout the week, students were given lectures about the history of Chypres, learned about the many subcategories of the Chypre fragrance families with examples both from classic perfumes as well as all-natural perfumes from Ayala Moriel's line to demonstrate how this family can be represented using only natural fragrances. And every morning began with blind-scent-ID-games and studying the raw materials (olfaction and characteristics of each note and a bit of history of the plant as well as the main chemical constituents).

The next intensive week in Ayala Moriel's Foundation of Natural Perfumery course will take place in January 16-20, 2012, and will focus on the Fougere fragrance family. We have limited number of spaces for new students, who will be required to send in a CV with a coverletter to get accepted to the program, as well as enroll in the Perfumery Lab 101 a 2 day lab prep course prior to that week - scheduled for January 11 & 12th (9:00am-3:30pm) and January 13th (9:00am-1:00pm). To apply please email your CV and cover letter to ayala (at) ayalamoriel.com.

Pearfection

2011-10-05T22:14:00.005-07:00

The best desserts are made of three layers. And frangipane tarts definitely fit this category. I've been craving pears really badly recently (which is not a problem, really, considering that they are in season), and so I've decided to finally challenge this desserts, which is not only difficult to come by in North American pastry shops, but also seems very intimidating to master even for an enthusiastic baker like me.

I can't decide which layer I like the best - the almond cream or the fruit. For the sake of simplicity, let's begin with poaching the pears...

To poach the pear, take 3 ripe yet firm pears, peel them and cut into halves. Scoop out the core with a melon scoop. Cook in a wine and sugar and spice syrup.
I used:
4 red (Anjou or Bartlett) pears
2 cups red wine
4 cups water
1 cup sugar (which I honestly think should have been reduced by half)
1/2 a vanilla bean
Rind and the juice of one Meyer lemon
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 whole star anise (which I think could have been reduced to only one)
- Bring the syrup to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the pears and reduce the heat. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Cool the pears while being immersed in the syrup. They can be served in any temperature in my opinion (room temperature, warm or cold), on their own, or with a dollop of whipped cream.
But if you want to turn this into a decadent and elegant pastry like pear & almond frangipane tart, proceed to making the crust... Which is reserved for the next post.
By the way - you will only need 2 pears for the tart; but it's good to have extra ones, in case a pear gets broken or mushy. Besides, the poached pears are so delicious that I guarantee you'll want to eat them on their own and 2 won't be enough!

Best served with an osmanthus oolong or a milky oolong.

Pear and Almond Frangipane Tart

2011-10-04T12:43:00.007-07:00

Frangipane tart was in my dreams for longer than I can remember... Maybe it's the name, which reminds me of a beautifully scented tropical flower that brings fond memories of summers in Tel Aviv. But most likely, it's the seductive, velvety appearance of the dessert's middle layer, partly concealing the fruit in the most seductive of ways...

When passing by a bakery in Paris (May 2009) that had a similar apple tart in their window, I promised myself to get a slice when I return to the apartment where I was staying... By than it was closed, of course. And the next mornings, I passed by it too early in the day before it opened. So there was my chance to have a frangipane tart Parisienne... It's actually a specialty of the region of Bretton, where it is traditionally baked with apples. The variations on this theme are countless - usually almonds, but sometimes other nuts (pistachio, hazelnut...) and most commonly the fruit is from the rosacea family (apple, pear, apricot, plum, cherry...).

Fortunately, I found a great recipe with a crust that is super easy to make - Dessert First' adaptation of Dorie Greenspan's recipe. So, I got myself a tart pan with a removable bottom for the first time in my whole life. From this point, there was no return. Unlike many other frangipane tarts, you don't need to roll out the dough (which is the single most intimidating part about tarts: the dough is always full of butter, which must remain cold and not be over worked for the pastry to turn out flaky and light). It's difficult to roll cold butter (try it!) and I find it quite frustrating. Besides, you end up with a counter covered in sticky dough and flour...

The other think I love about this recipe is its efficiency in using up all the materials. The dough requires one yolk. There is nothing I like less than wasting half eggs after working so hard to separate them... So I was excited to discover that in this recipe, since the frangipane part (aka the almond cream) requires one whole egg and one egg white, the extra egg white remaining from the crust will not go to waste. Phew...

Pâte Sablée

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

9 tablespoon very cold salted butter*, cut into small pieces

1 egg yolk

Mix the flour and powdered sugar.
Cut the butter in and blend with a manual pastry blender until tiny crumbs form.
Add the egg yolk and knead as little as possible - just until it can form a ball of dough.
Press the dough into a 9" tart pan (with a removable bottom). Excess dough will be used later to patch up the crust after the 1st round of baking...
Freeze for 30 minutes or until the almond cream is ready and you're ready to bake the tart!
When you are ready, preheat the oven to 375F. Cover the tart dough tightly with a sheet of buttered aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the crust becomes dry and slightly golden.
Take out of the oven, remove the buttered aluminum foil, and let cool completely before adding the frangipane cream filling...

And while the crust is chilling in the freezer or out of the oven - make the almond cream (which is the Frangipane itself!). This is actually the easiest part of the whole thing (aside from eating the tart...). By the way, it is named after the Italian marquis Frangipani, after whom the flower is named as well (the reason for that being, that the Frangipanis worn the first scented gloves of that particular combination - containing a large amount of orris, by the way... When the flower (Plumeria alba) was found, it reminded its discoverers of that same Frangipani perfume, and named the flower after it... Frangipani in Italian means "Breadbreakers". So... If you can't find bread, eat frangipane!

Frangipane
(Almond Cream Filling)

6 tablespoons salted butter*, at room temperature

2/3 cup raw cane sugar

100gr ground blanched almonds (which, fortunately, is the entire bag of blanched ground almonds you get in most grocery stores).

2 teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 large egg

1 egg white (remaining from making the crust!)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons pure almond extract

Blend all ingredient with a mixer. Fill the partly baked crust only after its cooled down completely to room temperature. If the crust needs any patching with more dough - now is the time to do it.
Fill with the almond cream (it should be a little on the firmer side, but still easily spreadable evenly within the tart shell. Slice the pears into 3/8 thick slices. Place on a flat spatula and transfer 4 halves of pear in total onto the frangipane filling. Press a little so that the slices separate nicely atop the tart.
Bake the whole tart until the almond cream filling is golden and puffy. Watch your oven closely, and listen to your nose to check the tart before your timer goes off! Mine took only 30 minutes to bake, instead of the 40-45 minutes the recipe anticipated it would take. You may want to garnish it with powdered sugar, or brush with a light coloured jam (i.e.: peach or apricot) but I find either unnecessary. This tart is sheer perfection just the way it is!

Serve the frangnipane tart in room temperature (if you don't think you'll finish it within 2-3 days, store on the fridge, but you MUST bring it back to room temperature before serving. It's also delicious while still warm and fresh from the oven, which is how I enjoyed it for the first time around 9pm on September 28th... It's not really that complicated, but it does have quite a few stages and a fair amount of waiting and cooling - and since I was doing other things that day, it took me the entire day to complete this dessert. At the end of the day, I found it to be more satisfying than other layer cakes I've baked in the past (Gianduja, Tiramisu, Black Forest Cake...). Certainly a day to remember!

* A little note about the butter: most recipes for pastries and sweets call for unsalted butter. Which is really clever, except that they always add more salt in the end... If only unsalted butter was not twice as much as the salted, I'd say go for it. But since the recipe asks for salt anyway in the end, why not save the time of measuring and save a few dollars, and opt for the salted butter... That's what I keep on hand anyway for miscellaneous butter uses.

Interview for The Green Prophet

2011-10-04T10:46:00.002-07:00

Here is more media that I did not upload in time, but is still as relevant as it was back in March 2011: Interview for The Green Prophet titled ‘Scentual’ Natural Perfumes That Won’t Turn You a Puckish Shade of Green.
Enjoy!

Brickell Magazine: Top 20 Professionals Under Forty

2011-10-04T10:21:00.005-07:00

Ayala Moriel Parfums was chosen among 20 professionals under 40 in the Eco Biz category by Brickell Magazine.

90 More Minutes for 30% Off EDP

2011-09-30T22:33:00.000-07:00

The sale is still on, till midnight tonight...
Eaux de Parfum 15ml are 30% off (aka $84 instead of $120).
Take advantage of it...
Sweet dreams! xo

Back to School Sale!

2011-09-29T12:45:00.002-07:00

Did you know that perfume helps with memory retention? To help make your school year begin on the right side and give you that extra brain boost of all-natural scents to remember - we are offering a special 30% discount on our new EDP spray bottles!

Join our Facebook fan page to qualify for the discount (details on how to get it are on the FB page).
The sale expires September 30th at midnight, so you have just a little over a day to take advantage of it and get your favourite fragrance for $84 instead of $120!!!

Shana Tova!

2011-09-28T23:45:00.001-07:00

Rosh Hashana, a photo by Ayala Moriel on Flickr.

Wishing you all a sweet, fruitful and beautiful year of health and happiness. Shana Tova u Metuka!

Smell Map of New York

2011-09-28T23:32:00.004-07:00

Nicola Twilley at Gel 2011 from Gel Conference on Vimeo.

Nicola Twilley shares the process of how she came up with a smell map of New York City - based on the scent preferences of the people who inhabit it.
You must watch all 16:40 minutes of it, it's equally fascinating and nerdy!

Zangvil Tea Mystery Ingredient Revealed!

2011-09-26T15:09:00.007-07:00

Zangvil's mystery ingredient is...
Ambrette seed!
The seeds of Abelmoschus moschatus (an evergreen shrub from the hibiscus family, with yellow flowers with purplish-pink centre) are known for being the most similar plant aroma to that of the deer musk!
Because of its beautiful, musky odour, floral, wine-like, nutty, reminiscent of overripe fruit or even lychee. It is very rich in ambrettolide, which smells like what we learned to call "white musk" (yup, the one by The Body Shop!). Ambrette seed is considered an aphrodisiac. It is also used as spice in the East, and is used by Arabs to flavour coffee (much like they do with cardamom seeds). The tincture is used to flavour tobacco as well as liquors. Ambrette also has medicinal benefits (mostly used to ease indigestion, cramps and nervous dyspepsia.

Zangvil tea can be re-steeped as many as 6-7 times, with the woodsy, musky vanillic notes of the hand-sliced vanilla beans and aromatic ambrette seeds and hints of spicy sweetness from the organic candied ginger lingering on and on even beyond the tea leaves themselves (which still emit their subtle, peachy-jasminey aroma till the 4th steeping).

Congratulations to ahsu for guessing correctly (the 2nd time around...).
You will be receiving a 50gr tin of Zangvil tea (value of $30), which will be sent to you when Zangvil perfume & tea are launching - 20.11.2011.
Until than, you can pre-order it online!

Interview for Inside Vancouver

2011-09-20T20:41:00.002-07:00

Read my interview for Inside Vancouver - I'm this week's featured Vancouverite!

Paige Padgett Green Beauty Expert's Blog

2011-09-20T20:40:00.003-07:00

Ayala Moriel Parfums are featured in Paige Padgett's blog post Cosmetic Chem 101: Fragrance. Paige Padgett is a Green Beauty Expert, makeup artist, blogger and educator. She is also Jillian Michael's personal makeup artist and posts regularly on her website giving green beauty tips and advice.

Chypre Through the Ages - A Timeline, Sorta...

2011-09-17T22:14:00.022-07:00

This is an article in progress, as I attempt to create a timeline for the Chypre fragrance family. Please add comments if you have information (dates, noses) for some of these perfumes or are aware of other perfumes that I missed here...

Chypre perfumes originated in the island of Cyprus, and were based on labdanum as the most significant and characteristic ingredient. The island is where the remnants of the most ancient perfume factory was found, where local plants such as labdanum, bay laurel, anise, coriander, sage, pine, parsley, almond, bergamot and others were infused into olive oil and distilled to produce perfumes that were supplied to the royalty, nobles and the wealthy in the ancient world (Egypt, Persia and Rome) until 1850, where it was ruined in an earthquake.

The first Chypre "perfumes" in Europe were Oyselets de Chypre - fragrant pastilles molded in the shape of little birds used as potpourri or fumagating pastilles. The first formulations were made of labdanum resin, styrax and calamus (sweet flag) ground and made into a paste with gum tragacanth and than could be sculpted or moulded. They became popular in Europe after the crusaders arrived in the island of Cyprus (in the 12th century).
At the end of the 14th Century Eau de Chypre, the Chypre scent (based primarily on labdanum, and only later on oakmoss was added) became quite popular in Europe. At this point oakmoss was added - some formulas were simple, containing white moss and animal materials such as musk, ambergris and civet; some were more sophisticated and called for oakmoss, orange blossom, benzoin, styrax, civet, almond, cardamom, rose, clovewood, sandalwood and camphor.

Coty's Chypre was not the first of its kind than, not even the first one that appeared in the 20th century as we can see from the numerous perfumes titled "Chypre" at that time:
1909 Chypre de Paris (Guerlain)
1911 Chypre (Forvil)
1912 Chypre (d'Orsay)
1917 Chypre (Coty)
1919 Mitsouko (Guerlain) - Jaqcues Guerlain
1920's Chypre (Sauzé Freres)
1922 Nuit de Noel (Caron) - Ernest Daltroff
1925 Chypre (Chanel)
1925 Le Chypre (Lanvin)
1925 Crêpe de Chine (Millot)
Chypre (Dana)
Chypre (Rigaud)
1933 Vol de Nuit (Guerlain) Jacques Guerlain

During World War II, this legendary perfume was created
1944 Femme (Rocahs) - original formulation by Edmond Roudnitska

Europe post WWII was swiped by a surge of optimism and renewal with Christian Dior's "New Look" that had its iconic fragrance parallel with the sensual yet fresh green notes in Miss Dior (Originally created by master perfumer and author Jean Carle, only to be later reformulated more times than can be counted... The green notes must have been subcontiously craved because of a need for renewal after the traumas of the war.
1946 Ma Griffe (Carven) - Jean Carles
1947 Miss Dior (Dior) - original formulation by Jean Carles
1947 Vent Vert (Balmain) - original formulation by Germaine Cellier

1953 Jolie Madame (Balmain) Germaine Cellier
1962 Chant d'Aromes (Guerlain) Jean-Paul Guerlain

The 1970's were characterized by perfumes for the career oriented woman - angular, clean, bitter and dry, with soapy tendencies. Green florals and Chypres were among them, including these classics:
1969 Chamade (Guerlain) Jean-Paul Guerlain
1971 No. 19 (Chanel)
1973 Private Collection (Estee Lauder)
1971 Aromatics Elixir (Clinique)
1972 1000 (Patou) Jean Kerleo
1979 Jean-Louis Scherrer
1980 Ivoire (Balmain) - Germaine Cellier

1980's Chypre (Body Shop) - Please comment if you have info about this scent

The 1980's and 1990's marked the beginning of significant reformulations of some of the classic chypres, most likely because of an attempt to make them more appealing to larger audiences and "update" them.
1989 Rocahs (Femme) reformulation by Olivier Cresp
1989 Madame Rochas (Rochas) reformulation by Jean-Louis Sieuzac & Jacques Fraysse
1990 Vent Vert (Balmain) reformulation by Calice Becker

In the new millenium there is a renewed interest in Chypre especially among the niche perfumery houses, with perfumes such as:
2006 Chypre Rouge (Serge Lutens)
2007 Une Histoire de Chypre (Aedes de Venustas)
2008 Les Elixirs Charnels - Chypre Fatal (Guerlain)
2009 Un Rose Chyprée (Tauer)
2009 Priate Collection Jasmine White Moss (Estee Lauder)
Dark Chypre / Chypre Noir (Ava Luxe)
Chypre Fruite (Montale)
Chypre Vanille (Montale)
Aromatic Chypre (Pecksniff's)
Chypre Green (Pecksniff's)
Chypre (Dupetit Natural Products)
06 / Chypre (Patyka)

The early millennium also marked the growing threat on the core natural ingredients that are required for composing the classical Chypres; and the influence of regulatory bodies in Europe and the tightening restrictions of IFRA (the perfume industry's self-regulatory body), resulting in the rise of a new genre of faux chypres that I call "pink chypres". These oakmoss-less fragrances rely on synthetic musks and dry woodsy notes (synthetic or low-cost naturals such as vetiver, cedarwood and patchouli) to create an unsweet effect as a counter-balance to the many heavily gourmand and stickily sweet fruity florals of that decade. These scents were to appeal to a similar consumer group that would have picked classical Chypres if it weren't for the strict regulations. The fact that these new so-called Chypres are relying on synthetic and cheap naturals that are considered "safe" for now in regulatory terms only serves as a proof that this genre is the child of both political and economical circumstances and is the industry's way of directing consumers to buy what they want to make, while constantly butchering classic formulas of yesteryear (often to the point of no recognition). Oakmoss levels being reduced to 0.1% in IFRA's (latest but not last...) 43rd amendment, and the atranol removed to meet regulatory requirements in all oakmoss extracts produced for the fragrance industry today have changed the character of Chypres all around.
Here are some examples of oakmoss-less Chypres:
2000 Agent Provocateur
2001 Coco Mademoiselle
2003 Narciso Rodriguez For Her - Francis Kurkdjian & Christine Nagel
2005 Lovely (Sarah Jessica Parker /Coty) - Laurent Le Guernec & Clement Gavarry
2005 Pure Turquoise (Ralph Lauren) - Annie Buzantian
2005 Miss Dior Cherie
2005 Chinatown (Bond No. 9) Aurélien Guichard
2007 31 Rue Cambon (Chanel) - Jacques Polge - an oakmossless Chypre with an accord of iris and pepper that supposed to substitute for its dry and woodsy character.
2008 Deseo (Jennifer Lopez/Coty) - Ellen Molner & James Krivda

In summary, strangely enough, Chypre is going a full circle - from being based on labdanum as the primary ingredient, to oakmoss being a must in the formulas, and now when this is becoming less and less possible (if wanting to comply with IFRA) - it is being omitted altogether from the modern incarnation of this fragrance family.

Zangvil Tea Scale Up + Contest

2011-09-16T11:53:00.005-07:00

Yesterday I've decided on the final formula for my Zangvil perfumed tea blend, and did the first trial scale-up. And of course, now comes the less fun aspect of the process - which is pricing the tea and doing all the necessary calculations, not to mention label design. Each tin, as it turnes out, contains 2 full-length vanilla beans, and the white tea itself is on the pricier side - so the tea is not going to be cheap to produce, that's for sure... However, the good news is, that this tea can be resteeped up to 6 times with a very beautiful, fragrant results all the way till the 6th steeping. Very unusual for such a delicate tea, but it has a lot to do with the other ingredients there too.

The new line of teas (as some of you may have already gathered from the pages of this blog, I'm re-doing all of my tea collection, and they will all re-launch in larger, 50gr tins, as they become ready). New labels are necessary as well, because not only will the list of ingredients will change, but also the size and shape of the tins. And while I'm at it - I'm thinking that little splashes of colours would be nice, similarly to what my amazing graphic designers have done for the scented chocolate bars.

I'm thoroughly enjoying the process of creating the new perfumed teas, so it will take a while before the other teas (Roses et Chocolat, Immortelle l'Amour) will be ready. Charisma formula is ready (it all began as a house blend I made for studio guests), so it's just a matter of sourcing the materials myself.

It is such an interesting medium to create in, and testing it is very different from testing perfumes - it requires brewing many pots of tea in the right temperature, analyzing the aroma and flavour, and seeing how many steepings can be achieved with each blend. So it's giving me many excuses for throwing little spontaneous tea parties for family and friends and get their opinions and observe their response to the tea, which is lots of fun on its own.

Also, each material having a different colour, shape and texture that is visible even more than with the essences I work with for my perfumes. The visual and tactile aspect is a lot more obvious than with liquid essences. The fuzziness of the silver hairs on the white tea leaves and buds. Yellow jasmine flowers. Crystallized ginger looking like chunky gemstones. Long and plump vanilla beans, which I slice by hand, a process that inevitably squeezes out the black seeds from within, leaving their fragrant specs on my fingers and having a rich woody aroma. And the surprise ingredient - are you ready yet? Hmm... I think I will leave this as a secret and will run a contest instead for the person who guesses it! It adds a very luxurious and special effect in the perfume and is totally unexpected - a little nutty and very sweet and soft... Look at the picture and let's see who might be able to guess! The person who does, will receive the 1st tin of Zangvil Tea when it launches November 20th.