tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71503567584055974002012-01-29T00:35:51.367-05:00Glass Petal SmokeGleanings from the World of the SensesMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comBlogger1411100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-38996314057382398612012-01-24T13:23:00.000-05:002012-01-24T13:23:10.932-05:00Clancy's Fancy Hot Sauce: The Umami Mother Lode
Umami is a difficult taste experience to explain. Even Firefox's spell-check is confused and wants to replace Umami with "Mamie" (note to Mozilla: taste and Al Jolson don't exactly go together). Umami sounds like a cat call, a fumbling step towards ecstasy; it sounds nothing like "pleasant savory taste" which is the word's literal translation from the Japanese. Technically Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-85388981196619030662012-01-21T22:17:00.006-05:002012-01-23T12:11:09.912-05:00The Art of Spice Blending: Lebanese Seven Spices
When it comes to adding flavor with spice home cooks regularly add a pinch of this or a pinch of that to their culinary creations. Whether you cook by instinct or prefer the carefully measured approach of a finely tuned recipe, the art of spice blending is a worthwhile indulgence. The most rewarding aspect of blending your own spices is the level of intimacy one develops with Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-60502088535871503482012-01-14T01:03:00.006-05:002012-01-14T12:01:00.576-05:00The Olfactory Diary: A Tool for Developing Your Sense of Smell Winter is the perfect time to focus on developing your sense of smell. Nature hibernates as landscapes reveal starkness and texture, animating imagination in leafless boughs dusted with snow. Though you cannot see them, the leaves that will bud in spring exist in a state of potential; just like your ability to develop your sense of smell.
Beginning an olfactory diary in winter allows you to Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-31522120844791107842011-12-03T20:24:00.002-05:002011-12-03T20:54:14.732-05:00Eau Pear Tingle: A Perfume Inspired by Anosmia
Why would someone who can’t smell want to experience fragrance? In the digital galaxy known as the worldwide web, one voice came through. It was louder than the voices of Whoville, but just as singular in a world that takes the sense of smell for granted. Jennifer Boyer was born without a sense of smell, but it didn't stop her from making a case for fragrance in the lives of Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-8015684404374934222011-11-14T19:26:00.009-05:002011-12-27T11:37:05.905-05:00Anosmia Matters: Whether You Can Smell Or Not
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Imagine you are in a foreign country. Perhaps you've visited this place as a childMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-110206050276462052011-11-02T00:00:00.064-04:002011-11-02T17:51:14.825-04:00Nosing in the Future: A Periodic Table for Smell
I have a confession to make; I'm a science geek. The sight of a well done periodic table of elements sends tingles down my spine and puts a really big smile on my face. The Royal Society of Chemistry has helped develop a visual interpretation of the periodic table of elements that is interactive and exponentially cool. Chemistry World, the magazine for the Royal Society of ChemistsMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-36905448307387487652011-10-21T19:03:00.010-04:002012-01-12T11:51:43.320-05:00Perfumery's Future: IFRA Fall 2011 Presentation
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Today I had the privilege of giving the keynote speech at the International Fragrance Association 2011 Fall Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-56527180371343043432011-10-12T00:00:00.003-04:002011-10-12T15:19:20.109-04:00The Evolution of Eau de Cologne
The language of fragrance, like flavor, is subject to interpretation based on culture and personal preference. When ingredients used in perfumery double as flavors found in food or drink, a quality of receptivity emerges. Attachments to likes and dislikes fade as a quality of openness emerges. The composition of Eau de Cologne illustrates this best as does the story of its Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-15896615005936064302011-10-01T13:06:00.003-04:002011-11-14T00:10:10.767-05:00The Savor of Memory: Butter Tarts
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Butter tart; the sound of the two words strung together are pure poetry. Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-31884468102136903162011-09-21T00:00:00.003-04:002011-09-21T13:08:22.293-04:00Summer Food Memories: The Making of Kimchi
I spent most of August dutifully visiting our local Korean market, hoping to see Mike's homemade kimchi in the refrigerated case by the cash register. Cathy, his wife, greets me with a smile; she knows why I'm there. "Good Timing! He's in the back, making kimchi right now. Do you want to see?" I had to pinch myself. First time food experiences have a way of leaving their mark on youMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-32398813157324260682011-09-01T00:00:00.003-04:002011-09-01T00:34:09.137-04:00Portrait of Congenital Anosmia: The Teenage YearsA person born without a sense of smell has a condition called congenital anosmia. Unlike acquired anosmia, which occurs due to head injury or upper respiratory issues, there are no reference points for smell for the congenital anosmic, no Proustian memories to resurrect. Smell culture is learned by observing others which can be particularly awkward for teenagers who are in a more self-conscious Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-86456585543295040132011-08-22T00:00:00.284-04:002011-08-22T17:10:22.167-04:00Keynote Speaker for Fall 2011 IFRA Luncheon
A big thank to Glass Petal Smoke's followers on Twitter! I appreciate your collective patience and am now permitted to let the proverbial cat out of the bag regarding the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) speaking engagement I hinted at a few weeks earlier.
On Friday, October 21st I'll be giving a keynote speech at the IFRA Fall Luncheon. Everyone, including yours truly, Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-27670818442169739902011-08-17T14:41:00.011-04:002011-08-17T15:36:16.412-04:00Smell as a Weapon
There are two odors that transcend culture when it comes to bad smells; the odor of decay and that of human excrement. These offensive odors have tremendous appeal for the Pentagon's Non-lethal Weapons Program, which has participated in a Harry Potteresque "dark arts" form of perfumery since World War II. Two well-known stinktacular creations (which failed miserably due to dispersion Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-45517867681089502422011-08-11T20:03:00.020-04:002011-08-13T16:45:49.693-04:00Perfumer Christophe Laudamiel on How to Smell Perfume on a Smelling Strip
Master perfumer Christophe Laudamiel never misses a chance to evangelize the fundamentals when it comes to the art of perfumery. Think you know how to properly smell a fragrance on a smelling strip? Test your knowledge and experience against this video which was shot in DreamAir's offices in New York City.
The type of smelling strip (blotter) used by Christophe Laudamiel in this video is Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-64707575431509584082011-07-13T16:08:00.005-04:002011-07-13T16:41:11.491-04:00The Case for the Connoisseurship of Smell
The sense of smell is least examined by those who can smell. Unlike seeing or hearing, its absence, known as anosmia, is as invisible as the act of scent perception itself. There are many reasons why one should pay attention to their sense of smell. Each one of us will naturally lose some of our ability to smell as we age which can affect appetite and signal the early onset of Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-81039456625453197602011-07-06T14:24:00.005-04:002011-08-16T18:00:50.115-04:00Sense of Smell Study Wants Your Nose
After reading The Sense of Smell: Using it or Losing it a Glass Petal Smoke reader wanted to know if there were any olfactory studies taking place in New York City. This is, after all, the city where Dr. Richard Axel and Dr. Linda Buck conducted research that led to their 2004 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
Think you can smell and live in New York City? The Rockefeller Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-81410332889980453342011-06-21T19:56:00.010-04:002011-06-25T13:23:52.519-04:00Mesquite Flour: A Flavorful Ingredient in Baking (with Cornbread Recipe)
Intertwining mesquite pods are a beautiful sight to behold. There is something fluid about their appearance that makes them look like they are performing an interpretative dance inspired by the double helix pattern of DNA. Scientists have been trying to decode the unique flavor of mesquite pods, but no unique molecule has been discovered to date, (the premise in the studies is Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-86430080751767865202011-06-01T13:53:00.008-04:002011-06-01T18:38:56.469-04:00Magic Tea Cake: Mastering Floral Flavors in Pastry
A master dough allows a baker to use one pastry formula to support a variety of flavors, allowing experts and novices to experiment comfortably in the kitchen. The master dough for Magic Tea Cake (technically a "quick bread") was developed to complement floral flavors that are attractive to bakers, but difficult to execute without producing results that are perceived as “perfumey” on Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-13191722638138841402011-05-20T19:44:00.015-04:002011-05-21T13:54:42.220-04:00The Sense of Smell: Using it or Losing it
A Glass Petal Smoke first! A radio interview on WVOX and related podcast. The official summary:
Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner interviews Michelle Krell Kydd and Kathleen Cochran about the sense of smell. The loss of the sense of smell (known as anosmia) is getting a lot of attention in the press. Doctors now recognize that there is a connection between anosmia Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-45843038784125566522011-05-16T16:49:00.014-04:002011-05-31T15:17:20.980-04:00Yuzu-It: Hot Sauce for Multisensory Flavor Cravers
Hot sauce is simultaneously stimulating and sensitizing. It thrills taste buds and makes us keenly aware that we are alive when the heat of chili pepper temporarily disrupts our ability to breathe (think about the way you feel the moment before a kiss and you'll get the picture). When folks at Miyako Oriental Foods developed Yuzu-It they created a hot sauce with the spirit of a Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-5363775433792479182011-04-30T00:41:00.021-04:002011-05-14T13:25:30.610-04:00National Sense of Smell Day: A Time to Reflect
Today is National Sense of Smell Day. It was established in 1993 by The Sense of Smell Institute, the educational arm of The Fragrance Foundation. Though efforts on the part of both nonprofit institutions to promote National Sense of Smell Day have dwindled, interest in the subject of olfaction has grown. A large part of this is due to the link between flavor and fragrance which makesMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-67728009443852027452011-04-01T00:00:00.011-04:002012-01-11T10:15:36.055-05:00Inside the Olfactory Mind of Trygve Harris
Trygve Harris is the owner of Enfleurage, a haven for natural perfumers and fragrance enthusiasts. The store specializes in essential oils, frankincense, agarwood (oudh) and aromatic materials from around the world. Ms. Harris divides her time between New York City and a home in Salalah, Oman. She travels frequently, visiting suppliers in locations where ingredients are cultivated, harvested andMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-78983209168311020442011-03-14T21:53:00.002-04:002011-04-17T22:14:05.508-04:00Purple Potato Pirate PieI have a confession to make; I'm related to William "Captain" Kidd by marriage. This fact has been a source of amusement for friends and new acquaintances, as well as polite assertions of innocence ("he was framed") by family members. It's a fact that intrigues me as much as the tale my Aunt Jean used to tell of my paternal great grandmother who was known for dispensing wisdom and arranging Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-85895824607470789202011-03-01T00:00:00.002-05:002011-03-01T00:51:13.930-05:00"O" is for Osmanthus: Explorations in Cake
Osmanthus is an ingredient that is gradually becoming familiar to the American palate. The dried blossoms are redolent of apricot, lemon and blonde leather, the later of which may seem unusual to the uninitiated palate. Saffron has the same animalic quality as osmanthus, but its leather note is rounded out by impressions of hay, honeyed musk, and almonds. How an ingredient is used in food Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-33789022412873705152011-02-15T00:00:00.072-05:002011-03-05T15:27:13.425-05:00Purple Sweet Potato Pie: An Exercise in Multisensory Baking
Baking engages every sense. We use our eyes to select ingredients and observe their transformation as they are combined. We listen to the sound of sugar hissing as it is poured into a bowl. We use our hands to work dough, sometimes noticing an uncanny resemblance to a body part or human flesh. We smell the aroma of butter, flour, sugar and eggs, and are immediately transported to Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-67729045656496371622011-02-01T00:00:00.124-05:002011-03-05T15:27:48.860-05:00Orange Blossom Crumiri
Orange Blossom and Saffron were introduced to Italian taste buds by the Moors. As with many exotic ingredients from the east, they are considered aphrodisiac. The commingling of flavors in Crumiri (a classic Italian shortbread cookie) with exotic Orange Blossom and Saffron makes history come to life on the taste buds. One bite of these cookies and you'll agree; history never tasted Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-44261734503636809682011-01-18T10:00:00.006-05:002011-03-05T15:28:27.579-05:00A Taste of Winter: Blue Corn Maiden Bread
The Hopi myth of The Blue Corn Maiden parallels that of the Greek tale of Persephone. In both traditions a woman is loved by a male figure who represents the transformational power of darkness. Fall and winter seasons transpire when the women are in the exclusive company of their lovers. Spring and summer return when the women are reunited with family and friends. Glass Petal Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-44281954451007957432011-01-08T19:44:00.019-05:002011-01-09T00:31:07.048-05:00The Magic of Smell and Taste
There are regular readers of Glass Petal Smoke and those who discover the blog by algothrimic happenstance. The most interesting email inquiries come from the later, who are “flavor and fragrance curious.” Something inside of them wakes up when they read about the power of smell and taste, and how deeply these two senses are tied to memory.
Once a person has opened up to their senses it's as ifMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-73316608602269923662011-01-04T20:10:00.018-05:002011-08-16T21:05:37.517-04:00Inside the Olfactory Mind of Dr. Roman Kaiser
Roman Kaiser is a native of Switzerland. He is a chemist, naturalist and perfumer. Dr. Kaiser has spent a good part of his professional life analyzing plants and their scents. In his new book, Scent of the Vanishing Flora, he shares details on 267 endangered flowers that are disappearing due to habitat loss. He has graciously agreed to take the Glass Petal Smoke "Sensory Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-80960726800409793322010-12-16T00:45:00.018-05:002012-01-27T08:13:15.896-05:00Green Tea ShortbreadShortbread is a wonder cookie. It has a delicate crunchy texture that rests on a mantle of sweet buttery goodness. Think you can eat just one? Think again. Shortbread whispers in your ear. It taunts and teases until you partake of another luxurious morsel, keenly aware of each melting crumb on your tongue. The notion strikes you. Food like this should be illegal. Thank G-d it's not.
Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-6813779854817417352010-11-23T22:00:00.042-05:002010-12-12T13:51:04.126-05:00Rum Raisin Scones
Some flavor combinations speak for themselves; rum raisin is one of them. Though this recipe requires a bit of preparation (you have to macerate the raisins and get them good and drunk) the baking experience has an interesting perk. As the scones bake the spiced sugar and cream topping caramelizes around the pastry, leaving the baker with little bits of candy to eat once the Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-33188897352221772722010-10-19T00:06:00.760-04:002011-10-01T15:33:00.674-04:00What Does Your Sense of Smell Mean to You?
Many people feel self-conscious when it comes to talking about their sense of smell. Though objectivity is highly valued in our culture the realm of the senses is subjective. There are no wrong answers when it comes to personal sensory impressions; feelings and emotions count. It's easy to understand this concept in principal, but until you experience it for yourself what Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-27717003441943178722010-10-16T19:40:00.070-04:002010-10-20T16:20:45.509-04:00Persian Shortbread: Fearless Baking with FlavorAltering recipes for flavor is tricky business. Anyone who's ever ruined a batch of cookies knows how disheartening the consequences of pastry bungling can be. You pull the trays out of the oven and the errors of your ways are written all over the cookie sheets for everyone to see. You're a "cookie killer"; time to get a scarlet tattoo of your new name and give up baking for good.
Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-91504969491853434472010-09-21T19:59:00.026-04:002010-09-22T17:18:52.058-04:00Vintage Oolong: One Haute Cup of TeaOolong is a semi-oxidized variety of Camellia sinensis that falls in between the green and black family of teas. It is known as a digestive and is commonly served at the end of a meal in Chinese restaurants. Tie Guan Yin is a type of Oolong with an interesting pedigree; it is connected to the bodhisattva of compassion in the Buddhist pantheon of deities.
The attribute of mercy was particularly Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-56757196318581086772010-09-01T15:55:00.021-04:002010-09-01T22:53:45.300-04:00Eye on Scent Culture: Aliage by Estée LauderLeaves take all kinds of strange shapes, as if to invite us to examine them. Star-shaped, heart-shaped, spear-shaped, arrow-shaped, fretted, fringed, cleft, furrowed, serrated, sinuated; in whorls, in tufts, in spires, in wreaths endlessly expressive, deceptive, fantastic, never the same from footstalk to blossom; they seem perpetually to tempt our watchfulness, and take delight in outstripping Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-45851237214601862192010-08-21T18:16:00.033-04:002010-08-23T21:08:28.115-04:00Eau: The Scent of Moroccanoil®
The magic of fine fragrance lies in two important qualities; composition and the ability to trigger memory. Functional products--like shampoos, moisturizers and detergents--can be as olfactively provocative as an expensive perfume. The frequency with which they are used, combined with the utilitarian “problem solving” aspect attached to their performance, creates loyalty and emotional Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-84072729673971902052010-07-31T14:27:00.018-04:002010-07-31T15:24:06.635-04:00Pork PerfumeIn case you haven't noticed, pork has made a comeback. Bacon in particular has noticeably escaped the confines of the breakfast table, making appearances in dark and milk chocolate bars, brownies, and ice cream. Those who are more than bacon curious can turn to Heather Lauer's book Bacon: A Love Story for more savory and sweet ideas. (Her blog, Bacon Unwrapped, is also a delight.)Those who Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-90568043001999782352010-07-30T12:02:00.011-04:002010-07-30T12:32:50.109-04:00Smell Culture: Truck Stop EauWhen you are on the road, traveling from state to state, you get a glimpse of what life is like in other places. Ohio is not far from New York, but their smell culture might seem a bit foreign to those of the perfumista persuasion. This photo was taken inside the ladies room at a trucker's rest stop. Warning: Attempts to suppress laughter may result in failure.Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-62607570414881441522010-06-10T11:32:00.004-04:002010-06-10T11:40:07.384-04:002010 Fancy Food Show in New York CityThe Summer Fancy Food Show, June 27-29, in NYC is North America’s largest specialty food trade event and attracts 2,400 exhibitors showcasing over 180,000 specialty foods and beverages. It is, quite frankly, a flavor and fragrance lover's dream event. Glass Petal Smoke readers are invited to attend at a special discounted rate of $25.00. Click on this link to register for the show. See you Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-74000077927364733572010-04-17T16:36:00.050-04:002011-05-13T14:52:18.072-04:00Persian Lime Poppy Seed CakeThere is something about the first burst of spring green that awakens the senses. Scintillating shades of vibrant chartreuse remind us that new beginnings are on the way. The earth beneath our feet yields with each instep, flaunting its fertility as it stirs our own desire to make the dormant manifest in our lives.
Each of us has an olfactive palette that reminds us of spring. With it we Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-65290776459701883182009-12-30T13:11:00.069-05:002010-01-02T20:27:58.486-05:00Reading Your Way to Great TasteThere are few indulgences in life that come without a price. Case in point; the past two weeks of holiday feasting that has loosened belt buckles across the nation. Reading books about food is a great way to hone your sense of taste minus the risks associated with gluttony. Consider the following list a prescription for the New Year. Side effects include: knowledge of interesting and unusual Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-5780428751626796372009-12-12T21:49:00.031-05:002011-04-03T23:20:14.761-04:00National Geographic: The Intimate Sense of SmellDiscovering a great article on olfaction that doesn’t make you feel like a science dweeb is a rarity. That’s why the September 1986 edition of National Geographic is a must-have for anyone remotely interested in the sense of smell. For a fragrance lover, it is the equivalent of finding a hardcover copy of William Kauffman’s Perfume in excellent condition. The magazine includes an in-depth Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-11769316518158840032009-12-05T21:11:00.037-05:002010-10-05T23:51:42.809-04:00Chrism: Perfume for the SoulSt. Joseph’s Abbey is a monastery located in Spencer, Massachusetts. The monks who live within the walls of the abbey are renowned for their delicious Trappist Preserves, but they are also involved in the creation of Chrism, a fragrant anointing oil used in rituals of the Roman Catholic Church. The aroma of Chrism possesses indescribable beauty and is truly a perfume for the soul.
The Holy Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-16062121473052688042009-11-07T23:23:00.063-05:002009-12-17T21:14:58.291-05:00Memories of TamarindI grew up in the Fordham Road section of the Bronx. In the seventies a large influx of Puerto Rican immigrants moved into the neighborhood and brought their food and their culture with them. On hot summer days a petite man dressed in jeans, a white cotton undershirt and an old straw hat would park his shaved ice cart at the entrance of St. James Park and 191st Street. This gentle and Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-54939036523788448292009-10-17T23:04:00.045-04:002009-10-18T11:23:23.097-04:00Fragrant Rituals: Chemex Coffee“Coffee should be black as Hell, strong as death, and sweet as love”--Turkish ProverbThe alarm clock rings at 5:30 a.m. It’s dark and quiet. The kitchen refrigerator enters a cooling cycle and broadcasts a familiar melodious hum. The ingredients for a coffee breakfast wait inside the door. A single tug of the handle and the long strips of foam tape that insulate the frame of the refrigerator Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-78492524651045343952009-10-11T15:47:00.057-04:002010-11-05T21:00:01.359-04:00Crumiri: Cornmeal, Vanilla & MemoryMy father introduced me to fire when I was seven years old. He watched over me as I stood on a step stool and cracked two eggs in a pan. The familiar popping and crackling sounds that define the melody of fried eggs began, followed by a soft cacophony of squealing that resembled the chatter of hungry baby chicks. I asked my father if he could hear the chicks under the pan lid. He smiled, making Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-61073193095389773622009-10-01T20:43:00.055-04:002009-10-02T13:03:39.549-04:00Chuao Firecracker Chocopod: Chocolate for the Senses A Chuao Firecracker Chocopod invites suspicion at first glance. A connoisseur would never consider eating premium Venezuelan dark chocolate blended with “pop rocks”. Chocolate doesn’t need gimmicks that are so sacre bleu, so yesterday's El Bulli, so ridiculously infantile. Warning: the first time you eat a Chuao Firecracker Chocopod be prepared to eat those doubting words.Chocolate lovers are Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-55184996109691415612009-09-18T20:03:00.078-04:002009-09-18T23:08:17.281-04:00The Geometry of Perfume’s Future Fragrance marketers will resort to “gifts with purchase” and nail biting as they watch sales numbers move into the end of the calendar year. No matter what the outcome, searching for signs of recovery in profit and loss statements will not yield solutions to fundamental paradigm shifts. The perfume category is diluted with smell-alike fragrances, functional products for the home and hyper Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-69938550555990088472009-09-07T23:05:00.049-04:002009-09-08T16:42:57.395-04:00Proust Revisited: Madeleines and Lime Blossom Tea The only thing that came between the narrator of Remembrance of Things Past and his madeleine was lime blossom tea. It seeped into buttery crevices, engorging the sponge-like texture of the petite scalloped tea cake before exploding into precious pearls of memory on the tongue. Finding a great madeleine recipe can be as challenging as sourcing artisanal lime blossom tea, but the effort is Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-48065047581024759472009-08-14T17:05:00.027-04:002009-08-14T23:26:28.075-04:00Multisensory Products: Korres Lip Butter Crayola Crayons are responsible for aiding and abetting more makeup habits than many women will admit. At the age of five Crayola taught me that bigger was better when it came to color possibilities. Back then a box of 72 colors was considered colossal; today the Telescoping Crayola Crayon Tower puts the crayon count at 150. I am grateful for the fact that I knew the difference between Burnt Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-60164708290052557132009-07-26T18:28:00.041-04:002009-08-23T20:12:06.361-04:00Readers Write: Hermes Bel AmiPeople who know me or meet me for the first time often request fragrance recommendations. I take these inquiries seriously as fragrance is an intimate experience that affects the senses of the wearer and those in their immediate vicinity. After a few lifestyle and fragrance history questions, I can intuitively meet the seeker’s request. There are occasions when one fragrance begs to be worn and Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-7637933383756229692009-07-21T20:51:00.027-04:002009-08-23T20:08:14.977-04:00Kiehl's Vetiver Essence: A Case Study for Countering Hyper Regulation?This month I received a bottle of vintage Kiehl's Vetiver Essence from Regina Joskow. (Regina is the daughter of Aldona Joskow, the subject of the post Perfume Memories: Mitsouko). The two of us grew up together and were perfumistas before the word ever passed between anyone's lips. We reconnected over dinner at Salam, a setting befitting our passion for fragrance as perfume was born in the Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-87913245653721842562009-07-11T12:53:00.031-04:002009-08-23T19:58:46.880-04:00Olfactive Oakmoss Exhibition at Cabinet in BrooklynThe hyper regulation of oakmoss in fine fragrance makes this event/exhibition too good to miss.Date: July 18—August 8, 2009Location: 300 Nevins Street, BrooklynNY Gallery Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12-6 pm, & by appt.Opening Reception: Saturday, July 18, 6-8 pmArtist Talk: Saturday, July 18, 5-6 pmCabinet is pleased to announce the opening of Recent addition to the permanent collection, an Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-14798792260464708802009-07-07T18:05:00.034-04:002009-07-14T08:43:36.418-04:00Scent Culture: In Search of a First FragranceI receive emails regularly from readers looking for scents from their childhood. It is a privilege to be on the receiving end of these inquiries as they remind me why the sense of smell is so important. Though we are living in a culture that is predominantly visual, the culture of scent is on the rise. The reason is deceptively simple. When the economy cycles down the desire to live an Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-62334689776028224942009-06-10T21:44:00.016-04:002009-06-14T20:40:12.865-04:00Thirst: Ten Ren Plum TeaThirst is a basic instinct. It haunts the senses, coloring everything in its path until its desires are met. The craving for drink is linked to the chemical requirements of the body. In summer months we long for beverages that are cool, salty and sweet to replenish electrolytes lost through perspiration and energy that is sacrificed to heat. Drinks that revitalize and quench elicit feelings of Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-32519806055201728762009-05-28T19:25:00.068-04:002009-05-28T22:58:14.819-04:00Royal Paulownia: The Perfume of Spring Along the HudsonWhen May roses begin to perfume the air violet blooms burst forth on Royal Paulownias that grow along the edge of the Hudson River. There is no time to mourn fading purple lilacs when the trumpet-like clusters of Paulownia tomentosa release their fragrance. Their scent reveals a riverside terroir that smells ozonic, vanillic, powdery and almond-like. The fragrance is most prominent when dusk Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-58840430698887607802009-05-21T13:25:00.029-04:002009-05-21T14:11:14.964-04:00Event: Craig Claiborne & The Invention of Food JournalismDate/Time: Thursday, June 11th at 6 p.m.Location: The New School, Theresa Lang Community and Student Center, Arnhold Hall, 55 West 13th Street, 2nd floor, NYC.Why You Should Go: It's $5 and the panelists are stellar.Called the nation’s preeminent food journalist, Mississippi-born Craig Claiborne trained in Switzerland as a chef on the GI bill after World War II. On his return to the United StatesMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-40234561573881006362009-05-04T20:25:00.059-04:002009-05-04T22:45:00.338-04:00Romancing the Bran: Orange Spice Quick BreadWhenever I hear the word “bran” I think of Euell Gibbons. Gibbons was a wild foods enthusiast and television spokesman for Post Grape Nuts Cereal in the 70’s. As part of his ad pitch he’d earnestly ask, “Ever eat a pine tree?”. If you have tasted Grape Nuts then you know that pine tree doesn’t quite describe what the hard cereal nuggets taste like. Grape Nuts taste like they are supposed to Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-7735377839440269322009-04-28T16:30:00.053-04:002009-04-29T10:25:40.455-04:00La Crasia Bracelets: Arabesque Adornments for the WristLa Crasia Gloves & Creative Accessories is a small boutique located in the Lexington Passage at Grand Central Terminal. Its demure size belies an extensive and tasteful collection of feminine treasures.Requisite gloves, scarves and handbags of all sizes are showcased throughout the store, but the real find is a collection of floral patterned bracelets which are displayed next to a chic selection Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-65020765009406327772009-04-27T18:11:00.017-04:002009-04-28T21:13:49.621-04:00Celebrating Spring: Cherry Cream SconesAs April draws to a close spring comes into its own. Trees flower overnight and the landscape is dotted with pointillist bursts of color. Life isn’t content to simply stir; it emerges everywhere and proclaims its fertility. This is a time to observe change and allow the muse to roam freely.There is a row of cherry trees in Hastings-on-Hudson that locals know well. It is situated on the corner of Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-2340761458117130612009-04-24T15:42:00.034-04:002009-04-26T13:56:57.519-04:00Glass Petal Smoke Makes the Finalist List for The 2009 FiFi AwardsGlass Petal Smoke garnered two finalist mentions at today's 2009 FiFi Awards Nominees Breakfast. The articles cited in the "Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage" category include "Perfume Memories: Seeing With Scent" and "Perfumer Yann Vasnier Captures the Scent of Baudelaire".This is an historic year for fragrance bloggers as it is the first time the Fragrance Foundation has honored blogsMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-40574354716111945772009-04-20T17:46:00.048-04:002009-04-29T11:43:53.076-04:00Ode to Oakmoss: Crabtree & Evelyn Ultra Moisturizing Body Butter A young Jean-Claude Ellena may have slept on a bed of oakmoss in his youth, but perfumistas everywhere can ditch the Proustian reverie and indulge in a delicate gossamer of refreshing Citrus and Oakmoss at will. The chypre undertone in Crabtree and Evelyn's Ultra Moisturizing Body Butter with Revitalizing Lemon and Coriander is an exquisite find in a product with a $32.50 price point. One would Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-83850858898340001172009-04-10T18:28:00.032-04:002009-04-25T16:46:20.999-04:00Flavor Finds: Levain Bakery's Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies The economy may be taking a bite out of New York City's restaurant business, but that doesn’t mean you have to answer your molten chocolate cake jones with a trip to the supermarket freezer aisle. Your craving is a cookie away. Yes, a cookie.Manhattan’s Upper West Side is home to Levain Bakery. The bake shop occupies a small space on 74th Street, but its intimate setting and open kitchen are as Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-58607291402232718562009-03-26T16:59:00.071-04:002009-04-04T11:59:35.006-04:00The Scent of Twitter in Perfume's Future I’m still trying to figure out how a word with a negative connotation (“twit” as in “idiot”, “twitter” as in “wasting time”) became a branded gerund for micro-blogging. The idea of people posting daily “tweets”, for all of their friends to see, smacks of adolescent narcissists with too much time on their hands. When I read a Twitter page attributed to Christopher Walken*, suddenly Twitter and Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-77398395998764474472009-03-15T12:14:00.063-04:002012-01-15T22:45:00.918-05:00Oud: A Rare and Powerful ScentFragrance delivered through incense offers a glimpse of the invisible. It quiets the mind that insists on visual proof of what is being sensed and effortlessly calms. In releasing patterns of smoke, incense animates the soul of the ingredients being burned while moving the spirit of each person in its presence. If we can believe in things we cannot see, things we may only know as impressions, Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-31405881501387794152009-03-12T19:53:00.004-04:002009-03-12T23:35:47.349-04:00MSNBC.com Article on Natural Scents is Misleading On Tuesday, March 10, 2009, writer Marisa Belger wrote an article for MSNBC.com titled “Safer Scents: Sniffing out Green Alternatives”. The eco-brand Tsi~La is highlighted. Below the article are links to other stories such as “Is Your Sofa Toxic? Switch to Eco Furniture”. There should be a new metric for this type of online attention-grabbing. It could be called “scare-to-click” vs. the Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-20430921968508724982009-03-06T16:45:00.064-05:002009-10-14T13:24:31.810-04:00Rising Moon Spring Ale: Defying Bitterness with Aromatics The first time I drank beer was with my father. It was a bottle of Hofbräu Oktoberfest and I was sixteen years old. I took three or four sips and gave up. When he told me that beer was an acquired taste I respectfully disagreed; if it tasted bitter and awful then there would be no getting used to it. In retrospect, I see that this was precisely the effect my father was hoping for. I was Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-80718387225581981272009-02-22T13:23:00.020-05:002009-02-25T21:29:57.539-05:00Patchouli: From Haute to Not and Back AgainPatchouli straddles the line between love and hate. Devotees of the essential oil find its exotic aroma intoxicating and revel in the way the raw material turns the wearer into a virtual censor, leaving a trail of scent in its wake. Those with disdain for patchouli consider any encounter to be an odious intrusion. The reason for such contradictory responses goes beyond personal taste, tenacity Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-87533180374055461972009-02-15T13:19:00.046-05:002009-02-15T22:54:44.183-05:00Saltistry: The Poetry of Taste Salt is a flavor in its own right, but it also has the ability to enhance and carry other tastes. There is an undeniable poetry in salt. Mothers learn to decipher their infant’s cries to determine the meaning of their tears. Adults weep when words won’t do. Humans and animals are alive because of salt’s ability to regulate fluid balance. In utero, each of us inhaled and exhaled amniotic fluid soMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-76935222462728134172009-02-08T17:03:00.011-05:002009-02-12T17:09:21.676-05:00Rose and Saffron TeaAs Valentine’s Day draws near, recipes for associated victuals and libations appear everywhere, each promising more than a modicum of pleasure and satisfaction. I turned to the Mantegna Tarot for assistance after giving this yearly ritual due consideration. I drew the "Temperance" card and that inspired an aphrodisiac tea which utilizes key ingredients from my recipe for Gâteau Baiser De Safran (Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-72942811228305716792009-02-07T15:47:00.026-05:002009-02-12T17:10:16.944-05:00Eye on Smell Culture: FenugreekResidents of New York City received a lesson in the complex nature of molecules when the source of a pervasive maple-like scent that periodically invaded local neighborhoods was revealed as fenugreek. On several occasions optimal weather conditions carried the smell from Frutarom’s flavor processing plant in New Jersey and delivered it into nostrils of citizens whose complaints have filled 311 Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-77974711767548914312009-02-03T21:33:00.039-05:002009-02-03T22:45:01.793-05:00Dioressence: The Poetics of FragranceThe scent of Dioressence by Christian Dior is agonizingly beautiful. The oriental fragrance was launched in 1978, a year after Yves Saint Laurent's Opium took the world by storm. With Opium, Patchouli was returned to its rightful place in the pantheon of luxury fragrance notes. Until that time it was considered too "hippie", though it was brilliantly transformed by perfumer Bernard Chant in Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-4249635320569550612009-01-27T20:56:00.025-05:002009-01-27T21:41:08.572-05:00James Beard: The Quintessential American EpicureIf you're of the gormandizing ilk there's an event at the New School that should be on your radar. It costs less than a movie and is guaranteed to enlighten your mind as well as your palate.James Beard: The Quintessential American EpicureThursday, February 12, 2009 6:00 p.m. James Beard, called “the quintessential American cook” by Julia Child, laid the groundwork for the gastronomical revolutionMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-82415843290825240292009-01-25T16:00:00.025-05:002009-02-12T22:26:42.194-05:00Strange Fruit: The Flavor and Fragrance of Feijoa The flavor and fragrance of feijoa defies categorization. On sight, the fruit resembles a cross between an elongated lime and a kiwi. The nose expects to smell something green, but the immediate impression of a feijoa is a tropical mélange that evokes guava, strawberry, pineapple and violet notes. There is something about the green element in feijoa that is at once familiar, yet seemingly Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-11997461678126075752009-01-19T21:42:00.029-05:002009-01-20T21:06:21.573-05:00The Scent of Change: Inauguration Day 2009 We’re feeling it in New York and the nation is feeling it too. The scent of change is in the air.Today is January 19, 2009. Martin Luther King’s Day marks the day before Barack Obama’s inauguration as the 44th President of the United States of America. My spell checker wants to call Obama “Osama”—it has been officially re-programmed to know better.Tomorrow is January 20, 2009. Barack Hussein Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-74164493562051100132009-01-18T20:49:00.011-05:002009-02-15T21:41:05.474-05:00Penzeys Spices Tuscan Sunset: The Melding of Taste and SightPerfumers and spice blenders are highly skilled in the art of combining individual ingredients and cultivating new aromatic effects. Naming a new creation is extremely important as the result must reflect the defining qualities that stir the senses. A name brings a creation to life, providing a reference point and destination. When we have a name for something, we know how to relate to it and Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-78873553462874618882009-01-17T14:35:00.012-05:002009-01-17T19:02:51.764-05:00Scent Opera at the Guggenheim MuseumStewart Matthew has collaborated with perfumer Christophe Laudamiel and composers Nico Muhly and Valgeir Siggurdson to create an opera with an olfactive libretto. Scent and sound will weave a sensory spell before an audience ensconced in the dark.Show times are Sunday, May 31st and Monday, June 1st at 7:30 PM. Tickets are priced at $30 ($25 for members and $10 for students). The museum is Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-6757339420794940162009-01-05T20:45:00.060-05:002009-01-17T19:05:05.848-05:00In Memory of Karin Berg 1936-2006Those of you who read Glass Petal Smoke regularly may have noticed Karin Berg's name in the dedication on the bottom of the page. Karin Berg was a personal friend who was born on January 5, 1936 and passed away on October 26, 2006. Her spirit has interesting ways of showing up in my life, especially on her birthday.I just finished writing a letter to fellow blogger Caitlin Shortell, editor of Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-27222134553971828882009-01-04T19:09:00.044-05:002009-01-17T17:53:44.377-05:00Crashing the Clock: Scent and TimelessnessIn trades driven by craft and artistry there is no quality more desirable than timelessness. Timelessness transcends boundaries and restores eternity in a world obsessed with “keeping time”, (just stand on the corner of 57th and Park Avenue in New York City and you can witness the cultural mania for time on the façade of Tourneau). There is a distinct hurdle inherent in embracing timelessness. ItMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-6087879378855296262008-12-17T21:00:00.006-05:002008-12-18T20:29:56.681-05:00The Smell of Fear Fear is cold, metallic and salty. It’s the sound of stilted exhalations, the irrational shuffle of shoes moving this way and that, the mental retracing of every detail that has added up to a single moment that can’t be wished away or avoided. Fear is a collision with everything that negates life. According to researchers at SUNY Stonybrook, fear has a smell that comes from specific human Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-70574624421104456892008-12-15T21:26:00.009-05:002008-12-15T23:48:02.815-05:00Comfort on Call by Clinique: A Perfumista's Dream Cream You have to hand it to Clinique. Not only does the brand make terrific products, they seem to have a knack for evoking all of the right emotions when it comes to a simple name. Comfort on Call conjures up images of physicians in white coats and cure-alls that are available any time, day or night (a close second to Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar when it comes to "ethos capture" in a product name). SoMichelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-21148252764302637022008-12-14T19:00:00.012-05:002008-12-15T11:02:05.748-05:00Christophe Laudamiel Leaves IFFChristophe Laudamiel has quietly left IFF to work for a fragrance media company called Aeosphere. His official title is co-CEO and Senior Perfumer. Anyone familiar with his olfactive work and independent forays knows that he has been marked by the fates for quite some time. Visionaire 47 Taste, lecturing to architects at Harvard, scenting rooms at the 2008 World Economic Forum in Davos; the Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-59507925120679257272008-12-11T12:57:00.041-05:002008-12-11T21:24:07.378-05:00The Scoop on Miss Dior's Current Formulation In March of this year some very intelligent fragrance lovers were wondering whether or not oakmoss had been removed from the composition of Miss Dior as the raw material was no longer listed on the packaging. Oakmoss is a defining ingredient in perfumery's chypre category and is on IFRA's list of ingredients that may cause skin irritation. IFRA's position on oakmoss is clearly stated in the Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-67952094540561700352008-11-11T13:11:00.042-05:002008-11-14T12:22:49.338-05:00Quince: The Flavor and Fragrance of Autumn In November the colors of fall saturate the landscape with hues of red, orange, and yellow. The season’s scent is crisp, dusty and honeyed, a generous perfume offered before the last parched leaves drop in a finale of confetti. As trees grow bare and breezes turn into winds, harvest fruits find their way to the hearth. Raw or cooked, the aroma of quince embodies the flavor and fragrance of Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-74118984455210908432008-10-30T15:00:00.011-04:002009-04-29T10:08:50.025-04:00Perfumer Yann Vasnier Captures the Scent of Baudelaire A whiff of perfume can resurrect the past for those who've lived through it, but it can also recreate that time, offering a token of bygone days to others. Many of the poems in Les Fleurs du Mal, a Baudelaire classic, reference the sense of smell. “Le Flacon” (The Perfume Flask) is particularly intriguing as it traverses shadow and light in the author’s imagination while he explores the paradox Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-70774014257104763282008-10-23T09:00:00.009-04:002008-10-24T20:26:18.334-04:00Lipstick Queen: Black Lipstick for the Living Black lipstick is nothing like “the little black dress” essential to every woman’s wardrobe. After observing customers gathering around the Lipstick Queen island at Barney’s I came to the conclusion that women have an instinctual reaction to the idea of black on their lips; they adore it or abhor it. Personally, I am of the latter camp and find that black lipstick looks good on models that Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-15236809083349678322008-10-12T21:37:00.008-04:002008-10-13T11:04:02.384-04:00The Scent of Election Day: Go Away Evil Go Away Evil. The name says it all. A single aerosol can that not only has the power to freshen the air, but delivers olfactive magick and conquers all things dark, dangerous and foreboding. I discovered Go Away Evil at a botánica a few blocks away from International Flavors and Fragrances’ labs and it seemed both fitting and timely. Hell’s Kitchen never delivered a kitschier product, or for Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-9551281396110435072008-10-01T22:37:00.041-04:002008-10-03T21:46:25.045-04:00Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle: Dans Tes Bras Most perfumes that are touted as smelling like “skin” are often poorly constructed fragrances that have more in common with The Emperor’s New Clothes than the art of perfumery. Not so with Dans Tes Bras, the latest fragrance from Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle. Add perfumer Maurice Roucel to the mix and something rare in the landscape of fine fragrance creation emerges; a beautifully Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-68409043860457039402008-09-21T21:10:00.035-04:002008-09-21T23:39:13.181-04:00Sechuan Buttons: The Taste of Electricity Nicolas Mazard, manager for micro-greens specialist Koppert Cress USA, is part ringmaster and part pusher. Dressed in company regalia he takes center stage at the Koppert Cress booth and presents an intriguing selection of micro-greens to curious passersby at the 2008 International Chefs Congress. His melodious French accent and striking good looks are as riveting as the selection of Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-78103008718943315362008-09-05T20:00:00.039-04:002008-09-24T22:22:20.391-04:00Fragrant Explorations: The Scent of GardeniaThe seed of an explorer lies dormant inside everyone. When carefully nurtured through travel, it blossoms and reveals this truth; the boundary between the senses and sensory objects is an illusion. We assimilate everything that we encounter in life and this shapes who we become. Travel is a catalyst for self-discovery and those willing to go where others have not sometimes bring the journey to Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-42174301341079220142008-08-24T15:37:00.045-04:002008-08-24T22:27:28.970-04:00In Memory of Juergen W. Ausborn: Foodie and FriendOn an ordinary Friday I put my mailbox key into the lock and did what I do each time I open up the box; turn the key to the right, listen for an echo to see how much mail is inside, and remind myself to curse in French in case the electric bill has arrived and there are children nearby. Though my affection for Women’s Wear Daily has been on the wane of late, I still look forward to the fragrance Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-75875809028323669052008-08-17T16:00:00.043-04:002010-10-14T20:13:58.974-04:00Ambrosial Delights of Varietal HoneyAt the end of August, fragrant blooms of honeysuckle begin to fade in verdant winding tendrils. Though other richly perfumed flowers emerge in the landscape, a distinct emptiness arises when it’s no longer possible to taste a drop of honeysuckle nectar. The slowly extracted stamen of this flower rewards an eager mouth with a sweet pearl of nectar and embodies the edible perfume of summer. Its Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-84419924084155133312008-06-27T19:00:00.017-04:002009-04-29T10:01:58.045-04:00Perfume Memories: Seeing with Scent First steps, first kiss, first love—memory is especially fond of embracing events that shape fundamental life experience. I’ve often marveled at the life of Louis Braille, who accidentally blinded himself while playing with one of his father’s awls at the age of three. The memory of his childhood accident could have easily remained a haunting vignette, to be played over and over again whenever Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-12057081463313142992008-06-15T10:00:00.027-04:002008-06-15T21:38:23.541-04:00Rhodia: A Pencil for the Senses People fall in love for all kinds of reasons, but when the object of affection is a pencil, you have a little bit of explaining to do. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking relationship avoidance, fetishes or totems. I’m talking about worshipful admiration and praise that is akin to a foot stompin’ gospel revival. I’m not talking about any pencil. I’m talking about a Rhodia; a pencil for the Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-47679174593725445832008-06-08T07:00:00.008-04:002008-06-17T21:13:59.549-04:00Jams: Capturing Taste and TimeJam offers an intense and complex taste experience that rivals the flavor of Jelly. Jellies contain less fruit than jams (also known as preserves) and are simply anemic in comparison. Well-made jams resemble fragrance absolutes in that they contain the concentrated essence of the fruit. Fruit is picked in season and slowly cooked in pots that fill the kitchen with rich and fragrant aromas. Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-5396447155571504042008-06-02T19:48:00.031-04:002009-03-08T23:30:32.767-04:00I Smell Therefore I BlogToday, seven panel members at the American Society of Perfumers 54th Annual Symposium were presented with a series of questions related to the future of fine fragrance. The questions and responses made one thing very clear; bloggers and Internet culture continue to perplex the fragrance industry. So does digital marketing that focuses on product experience and establishing customer relationships Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-91464053200914095982008-05-27T01:00:00.005-04:002008-05-28T11:26:46.855-04:00Avant Eau: Scratch, Sniff & Read Perfume lovers rejoice. You now have a good reason to keep your nose buried inside a book. If There Ever Was: a book of extinct and impossible smells, is a collection of olfactive curiosities based on people, places and things that no longer exist. The book and related exhibition is the brainchild of Robert Blackson, curator of the Reg Vardy Gallery in Sunderland, UK. Sound impossible? Think Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-73730319142063160552008-05-20T08:00:00.005-04:002008-05-23T10:37:11.026-04:00Perfume 101: Stealing MojoThere are some people who veer on the side of gender categorization when it comes to fine fragrance; I’m not one of them. I’ve never felt confounded by cross-spritzing and neither has anyone in the vicinity of my sillage. There was one exception, but it was not through any gender-bending effort on my part. I would categorize the effect as a form of olfactive ventriloquism. Instead of throwing my Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-65303923134171201602008-05-13T11:30:00.008-04:002008-05-13T16:45:31.603-04:00Alkermes: The Scarlet Elixir Elixirs pander to the belief that vexations of body and mind can be cured with a restorative potion that prolongs life. Like perfume, the more complex and exotic the formula, the richer the folklore and purported power associated with it. Alkermes is a scarlet elixir of Arabic origin that was popularized by the monks of Santa Maria Novella in 17th century Italy. The carefully guarded recipe was Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7150356758405597400.post-7341475473042209702008-04-19T22:07:00.056-04:002008-04-20T14:37:21.447-04:00Simple Pleasures in Artisanal Food Simple pleasures offer authentic experiences free of embellishment and trappings. These encounters form our earliest sensory impressions and continue to shape our memories as we grow older. Appetite is instinctually drawn to artisanal food, permitting contemplation of utility, heritage and function in flavor. The following products nourish and heighten the senses, and serve as a balm in a Michelle Krell Kyddhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06159413353565564951noreply@blogger.com