This week's poll is about food and perfume. Talk about anything you like: food and perfume pairings, your favorite foody perfumes, the last great thing you cooked or ate and what perfume you were wearing at the time. Or, share a (short) recipe or link to a recipe.
Note: image is Salted Caramel Macarons [cropped] by Shauna Younge Dessert Tables at flickr; some rights reserved.
Gorgeous picture! I’ve never had that type of macaroon, only the coconut w/ egg white ones. Any info on where to find them would be appreciated.
That picture seems to match my SOTD very well – Guerlain Iris Ganache. It may be a tad too sweet for the temps now, but I’ve been in the mood for it.
Other top foody perfume – Spiritueuse Double Vanille, of course! 🙂
Duh! I figured this cookie thing out – it’s the number of o’s – macaron vs. macaroon. For the culinary-gifted among us, there are some great how-to instructions on-line.
Exactly. They used to be impossible to find outside NYC, but I think there are places in many larger cities now….worth a google!
Before they closed, Fauchon in NYC used to fly them in from Paris every day; now I think there are several good places in NYC — the Times did an article fairly recently.
I’ll definitely Google. Thanks, Robin.
Also, I forgot last week to come back and ask – but would you like me to send you a sample of the Prada Infusion d’Iris Absolue? I’ll be happy to. Email – rappleyea11 at yahoo dot com.
That is really sweet, thanks! I am going to email you if I can’t find any at the mall this week.
I wouldn’t dream of trying to make macarons: they’re fiendishly difficult and not the kind of thing anyone would bother to make in France. You buy them in a refined pâtisserie as a treat – just like millefeuilles and religieuses and Paris-Brest and bûches de Noël… They’re best left to the experts.
I agree! And through the magic of Google, I actually found a wine and food market in the historic district here (Lex., Ky.) that has a chef that makes them! I’m gobsmacked.
Oooh, you have a treat in store (LOL!) if you’ve never had them. They melt in the mouth and I can tell you one is never enough. My limit is usually two. They are very rich (and sweet, of course).
Salted caramel is also my favorite flavor. I made macarons once, and it was way too much bother. Plus, I wasn’t happy with how they looked. I agree with you that they are best left to the professionals.
I just made a fresh batch of your herbal blend, and my kitchen smells wonderful. 🙂
A friend of mine also tried her hand at executing a recipe and ended up with the same conclusion. Not worth the trouble to make; much easier to buy if you know where.
Oh – Incidentally, Rapple – Macarons are now sold at the Metropolitan Opera’s intermission snack bars as a pastry selection, and they are HEAVENLY!
Last weekend I baked a big bunch of apple & cinnamon cupcakes with cinnamon-lemon topping. They’re so delicious it was hard to resist not to eat them immediately, so they disappeared really quickly.
The perfume I was wearing that day was 1725 Casanova by Histoires de Parfum.
I’m not a fan of foody scents, but creamy vanilla toffee in Prada Candy really caught my attention. And my mum fell for it too, so she’ll be getting a bottle sooner or later. I wish they really made that Prada CandyMan I mentioned sometime ago, so that I could wear it, too.
Your cupcakes sound wonderful!
They not only sound wonderful but they also taste wonderful.
They do sound wonderful. I’ve been trying to do the whole diet and exercise thing lately and this week I could chew on the upholstery. What’s in the frosting?
I mix sugar powder with one tea spoon of cinnamon powder, mix it together until it gets a light brown color, then I add few spoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and stir until it becomes a nice dense batter. Then you just spread it on top of your supcake. Yummy!
Thanks!
you’re welcome! I hope you’ll like it
Robin, I am blaming you for my latest lemming, and it isn’t perfume. After you posted a picture a macarons a few weeks ago, I just simply HAD to try some. I was going to be in Austin for a couple of days, so I did some research. I ended up going to a place called La Boite (for those living in/visiting Austin, it was the one on South Lamar, and if you are looking for it, look carefully or use your GPS, as it is easy to miss). Having never had macarons before, I have nothing to compare them to, but they perfectly matched the descriptions I had read–crisp outer crust, chewy inside, creamy filling, and *very* sweet. I felt satisfied with the two that I had bought (salted caramel and pistachio chocolate), but now I have been craving them ever since. It looks like Houston is the closest place to me to get them, so I may be having to make more frequent visits there.
Wow, I didn’t even know of La Boite – thanks for the tip!
50_Roses, I had been meaning to follow up with you about how perfume shopping in Austin went…?
The La Boite I went to is at 1700 South Lamar, and is open 7 days a week. It is in what is apparently a recycled shipping container. Look for something that looks like a trailer or temporary building–not fancy at all, and not part of the actual permanent buildings in the shopping center. I missed it the first time and had to go back. The online reviews are overwhelmingly positive.
The perfume shopping was fun, although I didn’t buy anything. On Saturday I went to Barton Creek Square, where the SA in Nordstrom was very nice. I left with three nice spray samples of Jo Malones, and probably could have gotten more, but I start to feel too greedy after 2 or 3.
On Sunday I went to The Domain. I really enjoyed shopping there, as it has a nice relaxed feeling, but I was dismayed to find that some of the stores that had perfume (Anthropologie and Luxe Apothetique, for example) had testers but no testing strips! I ended up using up all my skin space quickly, as I simply cannot judge a perfume by sniffing the spray nozzle! Anthropologie had some Ineke scents, which I had never tried before, and Luxe has what I take to be the full range of Tokyo Milk. Unfortunately, I was out of skin space by the time I got there. I have mad a note to myself to take my own testing strips the next time I go to Austin.
Atelier 1105 DID have the testing strips. I had wanted to try the Caron Delire de Roses, which they do have in both EdP and extrait (in an urn). I couldn’t actually tell much difference, except that the extrait was perhaps a little richer with less citrus in the top note. Neither one seemed to last long on my skin. It was quite a sight to see the perfume urns though. The bottles for the extrait are really quite beautiful, heavy-looking cut glass. I wouldn’t mind having one of the bottles, and putting one of my own perfumes in it. Prices for 7.5 ml or 15 ml extrait are $110/$180, but refills are only $55/$90. They were out of 7.5 ml bottles, but were supposed to be getting more in. There were a couple other urn scents, but I don’t remember for sure which they were–I think one of them was Tabac Blond. Carons in extrait concentration seem to be very scarce, so Atelier may be the only viable option short of going to New York or something. OTOH, the prices for some of the EdTs were far higher than one can find online. They had the men’s, for example, for something like $90, whereas I got Le Troisieme Homme and Pour Un Homme for my husband for about $30 each online.
Overall, I enjoyed my shopping experience. I appreciated that I could self-park for free at both places, and not have to deal with a parking garage. The Galleria is probably the best overall perfume shopping in Houston, but parking can be a nightmare. The garage tends to fill up, and I have spent 15 or 20 minutes driving in circles looking for a spot. The above ground parking is easier, but the rates are ridiculous–8 to 10 dollars for a couple hours.
Your Austin shopping sounds amazing! Just thought I’d drop a note to try Kuhl-Linscomb in Houston for niche lines I’ve not seen elsewhere. (I have no affiliation with them) From SL, I Profumi de Firenze, SMN, Carthusia, YOSH, and Tokyo Milk to Aqua di Parma, that shop has an overwhelming collection. Happy ‘fume hunting, wherever you roam.
Thanks for sharing your adventure, 50 Roses! Sounds like fun (except for running out of skin space).
Yay! I’m glad you had a good experience. I live right near the Domain, and have been having fun exploring the Carons at Atelier 1105. I really don’t know where else in the US other than NYC has any urn fragrances.
Chiming in: Sloan Hall in San Antonio (sister store in Houston) is carrying many Caron parfums and the SA reported that they are getting some urns in the coming months! I walked in recently to buy some cards and immediately saw the new Caron display. I was able to test Nuit de Noel, Bellodgia and Fleurs de Rocaille all in parfum. (the SA was amazed I even knew what they were- hehe.)
wow, the urns must be getting more widespread, or else Caron just loves Texas! (or perhaps I just wasn’t aware that they were more widely available…?)
The proprietor of Atelier 1105 said that the Caron people came from Paris to inspect the store and make sure everything was on the up and up before they would let her have the urns…
I thought they were only in NYC too. Hopefully it wil pass inspection!
Ooh, yum! I love salted caramel anything. I think there is something very compulsion-inducing about that combination!
Oh yum! The drag about macarons is they just don’t keep — they’re best eaten the day they’re made. I used to bring boxes home from NYC, but they were always a let down the next day.
A lot of bakery items are like that. Here in Texas, where we have a lot of people of Czech ancestry, we get kolaches, which are a sort of sweet roll. Really just a piece of sweetened bread dough with fruit or cream cheese filling, but wonderful when they are absolutely fresh. There is a place in La Grange that makes wonderful kolaches and every time I drive through there I buy a few. The ones I eat right away are fantastic, but by the next day they are definitely not as good.
This is the first time I’ve read or heard the word kolaches in years! My ex’s grandmother used to make them, and I still have her recipe. They are delicious fresh out of the oven.
Yes! Kolaches! I had never heard of them before moving to Texas. Last weekend in NC my toddler daughter was talking about them, much to the confusion of my NC family.
In case you are interested, the place in La Grange is Weikel’s bakery, right along Hwy 71. They have a large selection of flavors and there is nearly always a line of people waiting to buy them. They are hands down the best kolaches I have ever eaten.
Yep, they go soggy. Just like French baguettes: they don’t keep.
My first perfume loves were tea scents, if those count as foody. I own and enjoy Tea for Two, Jacomo #8 and a small vial of DSH Ceylon (which is no longer listed on her new website! *sigh*).
Today I’m sampling Givenchy Organza Indecence vintage and the reissue side-by-side. They are creamy spicy, so sort of foody. So far, I’m finding the reissue to be a touch “safer,” with a very warm base under the spices. The vintage strikes me as a bit sweeter, lighter, and with a touch of complexity I’m struggling to identify. The top notes of both are similar, but as they dry down, I’m noticing more differences.
Update: After a few hours, the reissue is still going strong (a little too strong, actually) while the original has nearly faded away. The reissue has something soapy in the base that I don’t particularly adore. I’m grateful I haven’t fallen for one of those expensive FBs I’ve seen on ebay. I don’t think I need to own either of these, although I prefer the vintage (so typical to prefer the hard-to-find!).
Thanks…have not tried the new, so good to know.
Oh, AND in the fruit category I have a mini bottle of Bill Blass Nude (apples or pears?) and one of my first FB, Givenchy Ange ou Demon Le Secret, creamy cranberries (my only fruity floral). Mostly, though, I avoid fruit scents, even citrusy ones.
I thought of a question, too: coffee scents? The only one I know is the Angel one, which I do not like. I don’t think I want anything mocha–I don’t like the sweetness of chocolate in my scent. Are there any scents more like black coffee? Ooh, or even a spicy coffee?
The A*Men Pure Coffee is lovely, but maybe that’s what you mean by the Angel one? Then there’s Jo Malone Black Vetyver Cafe.
My favorite is a lotion that I bought once after Jessica reviewed it here: Kona Coffee by Alba.
Yes, A*Men Pure Coffee was what I was thinking of. I find all the gourmande Thierry Mugler’s to have a similar sweetness that I don’t like. I *think* I tried the Jo Malone, but I don’t recall it too well. Overall, JM hasn’t really floated my boat.
I will look into the Alba lotion–sounds pretty yummy! Thanks! (AND since I just returned from Oahu, it would be very seasonal!)
Hi there Marjorie Rose! I was just going to ask you if you went. I don’t remember seeing you on here last weekend and I thought perhaps that was why. So, how was it? Did you have a good time?
Hiya, Poodle!
Yes, I have been on vacation, and although I did bring my laptop along, I used it very little (other than looking up good restaurants and hikes and such)!
I had a good time overall! I did have to plan little escapes every day so that the time with Mom was more enjoyable and less frustrating. I was able to do that nearly every day, though, so that is good! I did some snorkeling an Haunama Bay, not exactly off-the-beaten-track given its popularity with Waikiki tourists, but very accessible. I did a short hike with Mom, which was lovely. We also took a dinner cruise, which was pretty funny to me since it was primarily populated by Asian tourists and the entertainment degraded into a 70’s dance music sing-along (after the obligatory hula). 😀
I even got a little sniffing in! They have all the fancy shops in Waikiki, so I went into Hermes and finally got to sniff the harder-to-find scents like Rose Ikebana and Vetiver Tonka. I really liked Vetiver Tonka and will have to acquire a sample some time to give it further testing.
So, glad I went and sorry that school returns in a few days!
Sounds like you had a good time! I’m glad. Someday I’d like to get to Hawaii but until then I will live vicariously through other peoples vacations.
DSH has a coffee scent that I’ve read really good reviews of – Cafe Noir:
http://www.dshperfumes.com/products-page/base-notes/cafe-noir
Lumiere (from her holiday collection) also has a coffee note.
I feel like Crazy Lilubelle, which I’m totally misspelling, had a coffee-scented stick, but I could be confused. Also, CSP’s Amour de Cacao, though of chocolate and not coffee, makes me think of coffee. (I say, as I sit here drinking coffee that I brewed over a packet of Starbuck’s salted caramel hot chocolate. For some recipes, I hope I am not too tacky in saying that if you click on my name, it will take you to my kind of racy food blog. (I feel like some gifted therapist would say that I’m conflating and confusing my sensual delights, but whatever. Actually, no one has said that. )
CSP has another great coffee scent, Vanille Mokha! I love it so much I have 2 backup bottles. I’ve read that it’s the one that the CSP founder wears.
I can imagine the DSH being especially yummy. Her scents (or the few I’ve tried) have a lovely honeyed note to them–could be wonderful with coffee!
New Haarlem (coffee & lavender) is great.
Thanks! I’ll write it down.
Ava Luxe cafe noir. Emphasis on the spice.
Sounds delicious! Must try it! Thanks.
Ari over at Scents of Self had a whole post about coffee scents very recently – you should check it out! It made me realize I have never really tried any coffee perfumes, which is weird, since I basically mainline coffee every morning.
Yes, please do! 😉
The closest to black coffee I have encountered are Jo Malone Black Vetyver Cafe (which does not smell like a typical Jo Malone, but unfortunately is right on par for their lasting power) and Plume Natural Perfumes Coffee and Cedar. Ava Luxe Cafe Noir is a very spicy coffee scent. Good luck! I love my coffee fumes too.
It’s not a gourmand scent but I always found that Amouage Lyric’s peculiarly sweet yet meaty/savoury character made it just about the perfect fragrance to pair with food. It’s got enough presence to stand its ground yet it’s not one that would project far and nauseate others. In fact, for me a sniff of Lyric always invokes the atmosphere of some opulent dining room where the air is thick with smells of rich dishes and fine wines mixing with perfumes of glamorous diners.
I’m curious what other perfumes people wear when going out to eat somewhere nice or for dinner parties, etc.
me too! will be watching the responses.
Yvresse is my go-to fancy-dinner perfume. It’s an elegant scent that has presence, but not so much that it interferes with food or offends others. And what better way to begin a nice meal than with a glass of champagne?
Inasmuch as you can generalize about such a broad category of perfumes, I think chypres harmonize well with food.
Mmmm. Yes, it’s an interesting point. I don’t have a go-to scent for dining out as such, but try to select something that wears quite close and isn’t too rich or complex, which leads to sensory overload. I wore the CdG Calamus to a long lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant last weekend and it was perfect – quiet yet distinct and worked with the food rather than against.
Contrarily, I love to wear big old fashioned perfume to cocktail hour. There is something so perfect about L’Heure Bleue or Shalimar or Habanita in that context.
Looking forward to other’s responses too.
Parfumerie Generale Jardin De Kerylos is my perfect gourmand for a hot summer (or spring as is the case this year!) day. Mmm, that green fig! And I swear there’s some coconut in there…
It was also time to pull out the ice cream maker last night for Coffee Ice Cream – I can’t believe I’m saying this when it’s still March! I’ll take it, though. 🙂
My first try of a fig scent was the SSS Fig Tree, but it is lovely, fresh and creamy. Makes me think I should try some other fig scents!
Ooh, how did you like Fig Tree, Marjorie Rose? I haven’t tried that one! Usually I like fig but don’t go gaga over it… the JdK is an exception!
Eswift,
My notes say “green, vegetal fruit, like a branch with the bark pulled back. Has a bit of creamy sweetness, feels very fresh and summery. Cold and cooling rather than snugly. Dry down is creamier.” I like Fig Tree, and the dry down is my favorite part, since I tend to prefer warmer scents over cooler, greener ones. I think it would be especially lovely in warmer weather. I like it well enough that I *do* want to try some other fig scents to see what I think of them as a genre. 🙂
Sounds right up my alley. Thanks for the mini-review, I will definitely be trying this one now!
Between my recently acquired sample of Fig Tree (LOVE it!) and a recent sniff of Philosykos, I’ve decided that this summer is devoted to sampling all the fig perfumes I can get my hands on. One of my spreadsheets lists perfumes to sample by fragrance note, and the fig one’s gotten quite long. 😉
Quick, track down some Tokyo Milk Ex Libris while it’s still out there (last I checked, Beautyencounter still had it). Based on its disappearance from Tokyo Milk’s website and Indiescents, I infer that it’s been discontinued — which royally sucks, because it’s a terrific spicy green fig and is responsible for MY current fig obsession.
Thanks, Emily. I’d noticed that Ex Libris had disappeared from the TokyoMilk website and was wondering what had happened.
I thoroughly enjoy my foodie perfumes: the boozy red berried fruits in Back to Black, immortelle-laden orange of L de Lolita, cherry/almond in Luctor et Emergo… I was even tempted by piment brulent once because it smelled like a delicious, spicy curry to me, to the point of igniting a mighty appetite. Sometimes I swear I get a chocolate note from N. 5. I’m sampling two foody perfumes today, fils de dieu and cedre sandaraque. I am enjoying FdD very much, and like piment it reminds me a bit of curry, but more of a cilantro-sprinkled, light coconut milk based curry over a bed of steaming vanilla rice. Cozy yet light. Reading up on cedre, I wasn’t expecting anything gourmand but I am getting a gummied fruit note off the top.
I have only tried Fils very quickly so far, but liked it. Made me miss that Cinq Mondes rice scent, whose name I can’t remember.
I don’t wear foodie fragrance or wear perfume when I’m hosting dinner. I wear distinctive white florals a lot and they don’t go too well with food. If I wore anything like that, I would feel as if I’m a vase of lilies at the dinner table. My daugther was talking about a bacon cologne she found yesterday. I’ve no idea what it’s called. She loves her bacon and also gourmand fragrances as well. I am making moules marinière tonight. I wonder what fragrance might go with that? Something sparkly with a hint of herbs perhaps?
That sounds like Gorilla Perfumes Dirty to me! A really lovely herbal mint scent. I didn’t think I needed it, but ended up craving it so often that I gave in and bought a wee solid perfume.
I don’t know that one. I like mint and other herbs so I might give it a try!
Oh, I love Dirty! Super-fresh mintiness and then it gives way to a perilla ‘hologram’ as LT might say, with a teeny bit of something less-clean. It stays linear like this on me for ages. Well worth trying if you are ever near a Lush shop, and their scents are such good value.
Perfect timing! I’m wearing PG’s Indochine today, with its honey, cardamom, pepper and soft woods. I’m not much of a gourmand scent fan, but this is my favorite.
Macarons are amazing–I fell in love with them in Paris, at Ladurée. They have become very fashionable in Houston, an much more widely available. I love the salted caramel and pistachio, but miss the floral ones at Ladurée, like rose-violet or bergamot. Perfumista heaven 🙂
Cardamom, did you say? Indochine sounds like something I need to try. I’ve poked around in the PG range on Luckyscent’s website, but it was so extensive that I felt like I couldn’t get a good handle on it.
If you are a cardamom fan, Indochine would be a great start in the line. So far, many in the PG perfume line have impressed me. Along the lines of Indochine is Cadjmere, which I also love. Mr. Guillaume has a real nack for inviting, sweet woods, without veering into fully foodie scents. Indochine is very soft–I’m a 1-2 spray person for most fragrances. . .and decant and dab for famously big fragrances. This one, I spray 4-5 times, then reapply 3-4 hours later. You’ll have to let me know if you try it. Be well.
Thanks, Hemlock — inviting, sweet-ish woods are right up my alley! I am putting together a sample order, and will add Indochine and Cadjmere.
What would be your recommendations for places to buy macarons in Houston?
Maison Burdisso has been making macarons, and selling them at local farmer’s markets for some time. They’ve got a website, and it tells which markets, where, and the times. They sell out quickly, so shop early. I was at a dinner party, and the hostess had macarons, and the hostess remarked that she fond them in a cupcake shop. Dessert Gallery had them at Valentine’s Day, when I was picking up cupcake treats for my family. I splurged and had two macarons for me, and skipped my cupcake 🙂 Happy hunting!
Salted caramel macarons are my favourite, but they’re definitely not mauve or white: they’re the colour of caramel. I would find it very strange to bite into a mauve macaron and find it tasted of caramel. Ladurée sells macarons like in the pic: they would be blackcurrant, violet and lemon.
Fauchon had a chocolate one w/ passionfruit filling. It was stupendous. I liked the pistachio too.
Oh, I love pistachio too. Never had the other flavour. Does sound scrumptious.
I had my first macaron August last year from Europea in Montreal. I only bought the macarons because I had to buy something to get a reusable lunch tote which I had to have due to its cuteness factor. In any case, I don’t recall the flavor I had but it was gooooood (sweet, light and just hit the spot). Fast forward to December and my friend with whom I ALWAYS have a NYC @ Christmas outing said she must visit this very well-regarded (by her friends from Paris) macaron place even though we had already walked way past the location. It’s just a little hole in the wall called MacarOn Cafe on 36th Ave. b/w Broadway and 7th. If you are ever near NY Penn Station, drop in and have a bite of macaron. You can buy them online, too 🙂
My SOTD is L’Occitane The Vert…not gourmand per se but somewhat food-related on account of the green tea. I was just at the library and the librarian was all — I love that smell although she thought she smelled rose.
I just went to the L’Occitane website and noticed that there is an all-in-one shower gel with The Vert which I must try as I am always looking out for versatile body products!
Have a great weekend everyone.
Good to know, thanks — must get myself up to NY, haven’t been in ages.
Coincidentally, I’m sampling Neela Vermeire’s Trayee today and finding it very foody – I guess it’s the saffron, cardamom, vanilla and other sweet spices. It’s very nice!
One of my favorite foody perfumes is S-Perfume 100% Love, which is rose and chocolate but it reminds me of an almost buttery dark chocolate raspberry truffle. Really yummy and not at all heavy. 🙂
Noz, have you tried Mohur yet? It’s like a milky rose confection. Yummy!
Yes, I like that one, too – these NV Duchaufours are both wearable and interesting!
This week I made a Nigella Lawson champagne risotto for my boyfriend’s birthday! It was awfully tasty, and I suspect I will be making it for Passover next week. For perfume, I wore the Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensee that rubbed off of him (it was his birthday present!)
That (risotto) sounds odd but intriguing!
I love Atelier’s Vanille Insensee. Best of the line I think, by a long way.
I’ve made this same risotto before too, and it is the best! And its a reason to splurge on a bottle of champagne 😉
I’m not generally a gourmand fan, but in the last year I explored several fragrances with a licorice note and found them very much to my taste. One of the most interesting one is Saaliiisssiimo, by Hilde Soliani (yes, the fragrance name has a lot of letters!). Saaliiisssiimo features licorice, saffron, and rice, and was reportedly inspired by a dish created for a food festival. I really like it!
Oh, sounds so nice — I like licorice & rice, never had them together in a perfume.
I love licorice in fragrance. I have Reglisse Noire which is a favorite. Do you have any other licorice recommendations?
Love love love Reglisse Noire.
Reglisse Noire is beautiful! Caron Eau de Reglisse is another I love – a citrus-licorice combo that’s great for summer!
That sounds nice. My sniff list just keeps getting longer and longer.
I have come this close to blind-buying Eau de Reglisse, especially since it’s usually inexpensive — it does sound delightful. Another one to add to my next TPC order.
I’ve discovered that I LOVE to wear L’Heure Bleue while I cook anything that requires slaving over a hot stove. Something about the steamy heat of the kitchen seems to make LHB less opaque — I can smell its individual notes more clearly, especially the anise. Anise/fennel also happens to be one of my favorite things to cook with — I could cut up fennel bulbs all day, just for the smell.
Any Bay Area macaron lovers might want to check out this place; I haven’t been myself (and am in no way affiliated), but have heard good things: http://chantalguillon.com/
(Off-topic: I’ve been out of town most of the week on a business trip, and am just now catching up on my NST reading. Before I left, I agonized over appropriate perfume to take along. I settled on The Different Company Osmanthus for day and Miller Harris La Fumee for evenings, both of which were perfect — many thanks to Rappleyea for the sample of the latter. And I HIGHLY recommend Tokyo Milk’s travel candles for making hotel life a little more home-like; Song in D Minor is lovely.)
I’m going to try that with L’Heure Bleue. I’ve had a similar experience with Chanel No 5 Eau Premiere.
If you try cooking with LHB (so to speak), do update! I haven’t yet smelled Eau Premiere, but I do own No. 5 EDP — maybe I’ll wear that for my next kitchen marathon and see what happens. I bought it a long time ago because I somehow felt obligated to own a bottle of No. 5, but I don’t really love it (yet).
Cooking with L’B will be a change for me – normally I wear it in the rain! My No 5 EP experience is that the steam from when I’m making a cup of tea will suddenly bring it out beautifully, even if I had stopped smelling it on myself before that.
Yes, I have No5 in the EDP and don’t wear it much. It does have a lovely vanilla note in it that I like on some days.
TDC Osmanthus is so versatile. I’m making another note to try La Fumee!
I don’t think I fully appreciated TDC Osmanthus until this trip. I’d bought a travel spray for $12 (unsniffed) — didn’t hate it, but didn’t love it, either. I brought it along because it seemed work-appropriate and because it was a handy size, and the more I wore it, the more I liked it. I wonder if the climate had any effect — I was in Phoenix, and it seemed like I could smell both Osmanthus and La Fumee more distinctly than I could back in the Bay Area. Huh.
You’re so very welcome! 🙂
My sample is nearly gone now, so it’s probably time to move La Fumee up a few spots on my to-buy list.
I never thought of bringing scented candles to a hotel – great idea.
I brought along a coffret of tocca travel candles on a trip to cancun last year. The 5 star hotel was spectacular and wonderful in just about every way, but before leaving I read quite a few reviews of past guests having issues with the open air bathroom in the room (there was still a door, but it was not solid, and the sinks backed up to the bed). So I came prepared with my travel candles, and was happy there were, eh, no other smells getting in the way of our vacay!
I’m making salmon chili today, so didn’t want to wear anything not foodish! I’m wearing Pacifica’s Thai Lemongrass, and it seems to be working out well.
Salmon Chili (if anyone wants to try)
(and in no particular order)
4 c vegetable stock or broth, unsalted if commercial
1 can of diced tomatoes and juice or three or four chopped vine tomatoes, depending on size
2 c canned navy beans, drained (or you could cook your own, but it’s a bit of an unnecessary pain in the butt)
3 to 7 jalapenos, depending on how hot you want it
1/4 t powdered, dried mushrooms (use a spice or coffee grinder to powder them, the pre-powdered ones tend to be crap)
1/3 c weak or light roast coffee
2 to 2 1/2 c combined onions, bell peppers and celery
2 to 3 garlic cloves
1 T butter
2 strips of bacon
1/4 t hot paprika or smoked hot paprika
1/4 t cayenne
sea salt or smoked sea salt to taste
smoked black pepper to taste
lemon juice to taste
sour cream
fresh chives
fresh parsley
oh, yeah, and 1lb salmon, wild-caught is good, but farmed is fine, it’s just chili.
Render the bacon over med-low heat, remove meat, add butter to pan. Sweat onions, bell peppers and celery until onions are translucent. Add garlic, reduce heat to low and cook five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add jalapenos, cook until soft. Add all at once coffee, beans, tomatoes, lemon juice, dried mushroom powder, cayenne and paprika. Simmer as low as possible for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add stock, simmer another 10 minutes, season with the salt and pepper and add more lemon juice, if necessary. Simmer 10 more minutes, add cubed salmon, continue to simmer until salmon is cooked through. Taste for seasoning, adjust if necessary. Serve garnished with the sour cream, snipped chives and parsley and crumbled bacon.
I now know what I’m going to make with the salmon I have in the freezer. Hubby is not a salmon fan so I usually cook it on nights he’s not home but if it’s a chili he might actually like it. Even if he doesn’t I’m pretty sure I will. Thanks for the recipe.
What an interesting recipe, Kate – I’ve copied it to try when I get a chance.
In all fairness, it’s my little brother’s recipe (adapted) that he does on the grill (which is why I add all the smoked spices). It can be quite hot, depending on the jalapenos. Just to give you an idea, for his last birthday I gave him a bag of dried ghost chiles, and was declared “the best sister ever!” *grin* So be careful!
Whoops! Something was nagging me, so I looked back at the recipe. That should be two CANS of beans, not two cups! Sorry!
Sounds like we have the same brother. Lol. I give mine spicy food type gifts or cookbooks and I too am a fabulous sister.
How is the diet going, Poodle? I’ve hit one of my “give up” phases…I’ve “been good” forEVER it seems like, and only gone down one size. And even then, my stupid linebackerish shoulders are keeping me in exactly the same size blouses. *sigh*
I am so tired of lettuce.
Lol. I’m eating so many veggies I’m going to look like the Easter bunny by next week I think. I’m thinking now that it wasn’t really what I was eating but more the lack of exercise that was the problem so I’m trying to get to the gym more and I am even trying to work out at home a bit. I am opting for the healthy choices for food but I like food too much to deprive myself. I ate too much sugary stuff over the holidays. My middle aged metabolism can’t handle it. So I would rather workout more and eat what I want within reason. I’m only down 2 pounds so far but I guess slow and steady wins the race. I didn’t gain it in a week so I’m not going to lose it in one. To satisfy my sweet tooth I guess I can invest in something like Prada Candy. Maybe I’ll reward myself when I reach certain goals. Like if I work out at least 3 times a week for the month of April I will buy a bottle of something on my wish list. I miss the metabolism I had when I was 20.
Your recipe sounds awesome! Two comments: 1) try soaking and then *steaming* the beans rather than using canned. There’s no comparison in flavor and texture. 2) (if I may be a food geek) wild salmon is much higher in omega-3 than farmed, so much healthier.
Whoa, I’ve never heard of steaming beans before. How exactly do you do that, and how long does it take?
Yes, tell more about the steaming! I’ve never even heard of that for dry beans.
I learned about this in a raw food book. I soak them overnight (or while I’m at work if I forget to soak them at night) and then just put them in my steamer basket like I would any other vegetable. It generally takes about an hour with light steaming (water on a simmer – not a rolling boil). But test the beans as you go as different beans take different times. I think the difference in flavor is definitely worth the trouble, and really, it’s not hard at all.
I am definately going to have to try that. Particularly as I would like to eat (spend less on, really) less meat this year. Oh yes, and I finally bought a multipot, that could help too.
Thanks, Rapple — sounds like a good thing to try, provided that I can plan ahead. We’re also trying to eat more veggies, and have some good places to buy bulk dried beans.
The lemongrass sounds absolutely yummy with your delish dish, which I am definitely going to try, Kate!
I think something lemony would go with most cooking and baking, as it is such a common foodie ingredient – something astringent to offset the richness. Also: contrary to the caution about not wearing BIG scents when dining out or cooking, I think it doubles up the sensory volume in a wonderful way – try it at least once!
I am thinking Bulgari Black would be beautiful with a curry – or even a classic steak au poivre.
Interesting – I like the idea of Black with something savory, Ida!
Has someone talked to Julia recently?
or Daisy :s ?
I talked to Daisy about 3 months ago and to Julia about 2 months.
Currently sampling Dzhari which is quite nice on my skin. Are there any other perfumes besides Dzhari and Ta’if with a prominent date note?
One of the new Phaedon scents is mostly date.
Dzhari is the Phaedon one 🙂
Oops…so sorry! I think that’s the most “date-heavy” fragrance I’ve ever smelled.
I had an amazing olfactory-gustatory experience back in November, when I went to the ‘Tour of Thailand” menu at Next Restaurant in Chicago. One of the final courses was a simply prepared dragon fruit with rosewater, laid out with several long stem roses; the servers asked us to smell the roses before eating the perfumed fruit. The roses themselves were incredibly fragrant; I couldn’t stop sniffing, and the pairing with the dessert was delightful. (here is a picture, not taken by me:
http://www.theskinnyduck.com/wordpress/wp-content/gallery/next-thai/IMG_0258.JPG )
I took my rose home with me, and kept smelling it all night; I had never paid so much attention to rose as a note, and I was totally bewitched. I spent the next week re-testing every rose sample in my drawer– Portrait of a Lady, Ubar, Rose de Nuit, half a dozen Parfums de Rosine… I had a new-found appreciation for roses after that meal!
Sounds delightful!
sooo jealous! That place is on my restaurant bucket list!
It really does live up to the hype; keep trying for same-week tickets! Hope you get to fulfill your bucklist wish.
Next door at the Aviary they have this crazy Rob Roy that’s served in a bag of lavender- scented smoke. You cut open the bag at your table, and sip while the lavender air floats around you. Totally weird, very tasty!
wow sounds amazing! I will aviary on my list with next when I get to chicago at some point! Thanks for the tip!
whoops, meant “add” aviary…
That sounds amazing, Elisa! I’ve always wondered what to do with those dragon fruits…
What was your fav rose perfume after this?
I really came to enjoy Ubar, rose de rosine, and Kilian’s Liasons Dangerouses– Luca Turin calls it “rose jam” and I find it to be like a delicious treat. Most importantly, I found a new appreciation for my go-to spring and summer scent, Amouage Dia. I guess I have really learned to stop and smell the roses 🙂
Completely off topic here, and my apologies if it’s already been mentioned, but I found an interesting scent strip Friday. It’s in the 6 April 2010 subscriber issue of Entertainment Weekly, opposite page 6, and is a promo for the new season of The Borgias. The side where the flap opens has a shot of the Lucrezia character, with the name “Lucrezia” and the tagline “The pity was, he loved a Borgia.” The flap has part of her image and a tiny overlaid image of a pseudo-medicinal, cork-stoppered and gold-wire-wrapped glass bottle with green liquid. The opposite side is a cast photo with the motto “Flesh and blood”, the show name+subtitle, network info and season premiere time. (Heloooo, Jeremy Irons!) The actual scent… I haven’t opened the strip itself, because it’s STRONG enough to experience without fully opening! Generic kinda-tuberose-gardenia-Big-White-Floral with a hint of Tampax accord, and some strong fruit that may or may not be apple? I also occasionally experience something like a very, very cheap faint underpaid anemic halfhearted ghost of a ripoff of Poison! No idea about drydown, as I’m not brave enough to expose skin to this strip. I am POSITIVE this is an already existing scent that Showtime licensed for this ad rather than a new creation simply for the ad, but I cannot for the life of me think of what it is… any ideas, anyone?
NP
Hope someone else will know — I know nothing!
Ok, so here’s my quick recipe for THE BEST French toast!
Start with good bread. French baguettes are classic, but brioche or another rich bread is good, too.
Make a batter with egg and milk. I use about 1/4-1/3 cup milk to 1 egg. I also add a few shakes of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. The SECRET ingredient: after mixing the above thoroughly, gently whisk in 2-3 Tbs. flour. This is the key to a beautifully crusted French toast.
Coat and soak bread slices, how many will depend on how thick it’s cut. About 3 slices for one egg.
Fry in a medium, heavy-bottomed skillet (I use cast iron) with butter–just hot enough to sizzle but not to brown the butter. Leave it alone long enough for it brown. Flip it once to do the other side, too.
Serve with real maple syrup or berry preserves. Yum!
(Maybe wear a light vanilla scent with this? I think buttery Jeux de Peau would be redundant!)
Day old croissants make awesome French toast. And if you care to lose one or two of them to being dried out in the oven, they’re also great to grind into crumbs and use in with the flour of a butter cake. Couldn’t tell you exactly what kind of butter cake, my great grandmother’s notes called it Breton Butter Cake, but um…well, it’s not. There’s a Sweedish Butter Cake that sounds a little similar…but not quite.
Yum, yum, yum. Thanks for this recipe!
I love French toast. I love breakfast food in general. I’d almost prefer to go out to breakfast than dinner.
Ditto!! My husband and I go out for breakfast regularly, and make breakfast for supper several times a month..
Breakfast for dinner is one of my favorite meals! I love breakfast foods, but neither my husband nor I is a morning person, and there is no way I have time to mess with making eggs and pancakes or such on a weekday morning.
Exactly!
ditto #2! Love breakfast food! For my birthday last year I had my husband take me to a restaurant where I could get fois gras french toast (foodgasmic btw)!
Traversee du Bosphore works well with coffee. 🙂 I had a late breakfast with my friend yesterday and as I was drinking some excellent coffee, the TduB wafted up and mingled with the coffee scent and it was lovely.
Oh, yum!
late to the party here, but totally enjoying reading everyone’s comments and recipes! Although I consider myself a foodie, I’m not really into gourmand scents. But awhile back I did sample Like This and really loved it, especially for fall. It is definitely on my to buy list. Other than that one I do like some figs and coconut scents, but they’re usually not the main feature. I didn’t get around to much cooking this weekend but I did pick up the coconut hershey kisses they have out for easter, and they are delish!
I will have to look for those…I do like the coconut m&ms.
I don’t care for coconut, but I *love* the dark chocolate kisses with the mint truffle filling that they have at Christmas. I usually go through 2 or 3 bags of those between November and January.
We bought 5 bags of the cherry m&ms at Xmas, and have just polished off bag #4 after seeing 2 movies this weekend. Quite sad about it. 🙂
which movies robin? Would you recommend them?
Both for kids — Hunger Games (my son & I both read the books, movie not as good but still very enjoyable) and Mirror Mirror, which was cute enough but I could have lived w/o it. Fun to watch Julia Roberts though.
I can see how Like This might be a good gourmand for people who aren’t usually into gourmands (or, in my case, for people who OD’d on gourmands in their pre-perfumista days). The foodie-ness in Like This seems a bit abstract, if that makes any sense — it manages to evoke deliciousness without heavily referencing any particular type of edible.
your description is spot on emily!
I have an old Lucien Lelong cologne sampler (from the 60s?) and decided to try Indiscret. It turned out to be very spicy, similar to Etro Messe de Minuit, but softer and sweeter. Not at all what I expected!
Good morning to all. This is an open question to everyone. I know the answers are subjective, but I would like to know, among the Le Labo fragrances, which do you find most sophisticated, unique, and with moderate sillage? It will be my first time to buy this brand and I want to solicit the feedback of those who have experienced Le Labo. Thanks in advance. 🙂
I am a Le Labo lover! They are all very, very different scents, so it’s obviously going to depends on what you like personally………my all time favourite is the Tubereuse (only available in NYC store, but you can buy a sample from the Perfumed Court). It leaves a lovely glow that radiates about me, which can be noticed by people in a subtle way.
They have a range of scents – florals, heavier orientals, woods, a few lighter ones like Bergamot and Neroli. So it really depends what you’re after and what you like. They do samples which you can buy online, or get in store. So it’s worth spending a bit of money and time initially to try them all!
Thanks Blimunda! Will check out Tubereuse and will include it on my list. Right now, I am eager to sample Poivre 23, Patchouli 24, Rose 31 and Labdanum 18 based on the generally positive reviews they get from different forums. I prefer something between medium to light in density, with a moderate sillage, sophisticated and not something you can smell everyday from the others. Hope Le Labo has at least one that will fit that description! 😉
Oh – and in terms of foody scents, my favourites would be RAHAT LOUKHOUM form Lutens!! I haven’t smelled this for a few years, but I remember trying a sample during a yoga lesson and it was grrrreat! My other foody favourite would be Safran Troublant. It is an absolutely genius fragrance, so diffusive and yummy, but not sickly sweet at all. I wear it when I go to Indian restaurants or other spicy style cuisines. it seems to match well!
I wish someone would make a perfume based around QUINCE! It is am amazing fruit, and I’m sure Membrillo quince pate would be a perfect inspiration for a foody perfume…….has anyone tried or heard of a quince perfume?!?! Andy Tauer – are you up for it?!?