Must Read: All My Perfumes are Sixty Years Old

"The great problem of commercial perfumery is that people keep buying it!"
- From Serge Lutens' interview for Victoria Forlova of Bois de Jasmin.

Ginger-Tangerine Icebox Cookies

Candied Ginger, originally uploaded by Live♥Laugh♥Love.

As promised - finally, my candied ginger cookie recipe, which I've invented this holiday season (blame it on the 2 weeks of snow and very low temperatures - the perfect time to perfect one's skills in the kitchen). These turned out so well that I didn’t have a chance to photograph them before they were gone! I will do my best to take a picture next time I bake them before my in-house cookie monster claims them.

In this recipe, I tried to recreate the pleasure I've encountered in Squamish last spring with this decadent take on ginger that almost tasted like mastic and ginger. Of course, a cookie cannot taste like an ice cream but I wanted it to be special and very not gingerbread-like. Something more light and bright.

For the dough you will need:

7oz unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1/4lb. butter, softened at room temperature

1 Tbs. tangerine zest (preferably Murcott) - or orange zest if you can't find tangerines

1 Tbs freshly grated ginger

4 Tbs. chopped candied ginger

1/2 tsp. dry ginger powder

1 Tbs. fresh tangerine (or orange) juice

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the glazing you will need:

1/2 cup icing sugar

Lime juice from 1/2 lime

1 drop organic ginger CO2 extract

Instructions:

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt

2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugar. Add the egg and keep beating until evenly smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients - spices, citrus zest, juice and vanilla extract

3. Add the candied ginger and stir well.

4. Add the flour gradually until fully blended and start kneading the dough with your hands. Add more flour if required. Dough should be soft but not too sticky.

5. Split the dough into two portions and roll them into two logs. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze for at least 2 hours.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

7. Remove from freezer, and slice the logs into 1/4" thick cookies. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.

8. While the cookies are baking, prepare the glazing (if desired) by mixing all the ingredients together with a small whisk or a fork.

9. Cool on the cooling rack for 2 minutes.

10. Using a pastry brush, apply the glazing to the cookies (optional).

Enjoy!

Magnolia Lily & The Chinese Apothecary

Some Chinese herbs, originally uploaded by egle_k..

Just before the year ended, some packages with supplies that got stuck in the holiday mail arrived. One of them had a sample of CO2 extraction of Magnolia Lily (Magnolia fargesii) - a type of magnolia that smells nothing like white magnolia or champaca. It has none of the fruitiness or sweetn floralcy of either. Rather, it is camphoreous and medicinal and leaves the palette bewildered as for whether it is hot or cold. It reminds me a bit of ginger lily (only woodier and less reminiscent of ginger and roots) and I immediately knew I would have to try it out in my 5th mod of the Amber & Ginger perfume (by the way, this is only the working name for this perfume) - a perfume I started working on last winter when I caught a bad flu and needed something to warm me up. All the more appropriate to add to it an essence that smells like a Chinese Apothecary!

Incidentally, my spring cleaning also revealed some treasures. Literally. I found my lost formula for the 5-spice accord I was hoping to use in some upcoming revolutionary floral (I don't know what would be revolutionary about it but I can feel it). I also found 7 pendants, probably in the same drawer. Which a good thing because otherwise I would have needed to order more!

So, the 5th mod of Ginger & Amber features the abovementioned Magnolia Lily, as well as a hint of Egyptian jasmine grandiflorum absolute (a stellar jasmine if you ask me). I also created a 6th mod, in which there is even more magnolia lily and jasmine, as well as some ginger lily (the root, not the flower). It is still just as juicy and cozy as the 4th mod that I loved, but thanks to the floral heart notes it has less of the hollowness that typifies perfumes based on a top-note & base-note marriage.

Previous posts about Amber & Ginger's development:

March 3rd, 2008: Amber & Ginger

April 2nd, 2008: Amber & Ginger, Part 2

May 6th, 2008: Amber & Ginger: The Third Party

And Now What?

Un anno fa, originally uploaded by fotomassimo.

Now that 2008 is gone, it's time to plan ahead for 2009 while it's still fresh and new. My friend Velcrow has made a point of accepting who we are at this point in time rather than beating outselves up about all the things we haven't accomplished last year, replacing the New Year's "Resolution" with "Evolution" or "Revolution", and I'm quoting:

"my first New Years Evolution is to stop feeling bad about myself for any of my shortcomings - just let that go. But first I have to do a very un-male thing and accept that I actually have a shortcoming or two. Let me have a peek….yikes! I do. I gots some. Damn. So much for that mask of rigid perfection I thought I had to wear".

Indeed, the term "resolution" implies that we are at some kind of discord or dissonance with ourselves that requires being resolved. Instead, why not look at who we are and where we are at, and accept it for once! Acceptance is the only way to true happiness. In my not so long life I've had enough ups and downs, turmoils and moments of bliss to understand that having this or that is not what will make me happy. Being happy with what I have is the single most challenging thing really. I'm not saying my life is perfect or that what I create is perfect. But I feel I am now at the point where I always dreamed of being: I can support my family doing what I love with passion and integrity; and both me and my family are healthy and have all that we need to live. What more is there to ask for? World peace of course!

And now to more perfumey issues: this year holds many new adventures for me - including traveling and teaching more than I've ever done before. And while I am happy with where I'm at in both my personal and professional life, this does not mean it's time to rest on the laurels so to speak. I still have many dreams and goals and plans for the new year, which I hope will make a positive difference in the olfactory universe - even if very small.

1) Thorough study of notes

Always a work in progress and one that requires patience and perseverance as well as organization. There are alwasy new materials to explore and observing their behaviour on their own as well as with other notes is the only way to get "intimate" with them so to speak - to the point of being able to predict their behaviour almost scientifically and be able to use them creatively.

2) Expand my library of perfume-related books

These are not easy to find, and hardly ever a bargain. Something that can always be worked on.

3) Organize my perfume sample collection

In alphabetical order, of course. Just like how I did it for the raw materials. I've already got started on that and it's not as easy as the previous project because the samples come in various sizes, shapes and widths...

4) More blogging!

I didn't blog nearly as much as I would have liked to this year. I'm glad I managed to keep the blog alive, but I really would like to spend more time researching and writing for the blog. This commitment and virtual dialogue between myself and my readers has always been a source of inspiration and intellectual challenge. I especially enjoy the occasional common-theme blogging done alongside other bloggers (such as the 2008 in Retrospective that Perfume Shrine has initiated).

5) More photography!

While I was able to restore all of my lost data after my computer crashed, I was not able to restore my photographs. These digital images are lost forever - except for the ones that I have posted online (i.e.: on my blog or on Flickr). This was a huge let down for me and I nearly stopped taking pictures as a result. I want to change that and also come up with a better system for sorting out and storing my photos, as well as bring some to print.

6) Write the second edition of the Foundation of Natural Perfumery course handbook

Oftentimes, it's only after I see and use the finished product that I understand what was missing from it...

7) Learn more about the science of baking.

It's not exactly perfume related, but certainly one of my favourite past times and something I always enjoy writing about on SmellyBlog is aromatic cooking and baking.

Aside from all of that, I wish for myself to be able to continue making perfumes for a living and that I will still be able to spend time with my family far away and keep getting better all the time.

What are your wishes for the new year? And what are your hopes or expectations from SmellyBlog? I'm curious and interested to hear your views.

2008 in Retrospective

[ Happy New Year ], originally uploaded by Đя εℓ7σв ♥ ~.

Instead of the usual “best of the year” lists that are the customary thing to do, I like to also have a little bit of retrospective about the past year. Besides, who am I to judge what was best or worst, especially not having the capacity (or even the interest) in covering every possible scent launched this year (click here if you really want to know) ? And so Helg’s invitation from Perfume Shrine to participate in a pan-blog theme of 2008 in retrospective was most welcome.

For me personally, this year was a bit different in terms of blogging. My life out of SmellyBlog has been so drastically busier than ever that I simply wasn’t able to dedicate enough time to blogging as I would have liked to. The result was, quite clearly, less blogging about perfumes (aka “perfume reviews”) and more blogging about my own work, which has consumed my time this year beyond belief. While I intend to do more blogging this year and study more of the many wonderful perfumes that I haven’t tried yet, I think it’s only fair to share with you here what was it that kept me so busy.

Writing
In spring 2008 I have begun a whole new journey when I opened my doors to students eager to learn the art of natural perfumery. Leading to that, I spent the best part of the first quarter of the year writing the course’s handbook - what I thought at the time to be summarizing and condensing all of my knowledge in a simple and comprehensive 88 pages of words. I now realize that there was much more in my head that didn’t make it to this first edition, so a second edition is in the making and will hopefully see the light of day in 2009.

Another equally interesting project has been writing the ad copy for the pure natural essences offered by Eden Botanicals. This is a work in progress and I am yet to complete the task. This has been a very interesting learning experience for me nevertheless, and often times required comparison between very similar essences (i.e.: oils of the same kind of plant generally speaking - just from slightly different species or that were grown in different parts of the world, or were extracted in a different method. This requires very fine observation skills and has been a fascinating source of learning for me. The fruit of my labour is yet to be posted on their website, but I will be sure to notify you when that happens.

Teaching
My students are few but a very inspiring bunch of passionate learners and each is posing me with a challenge of leading them to the way of finding new knowledge and unveiling their hidden abilities in the olfactory art. Teaching them makes me grow and become a better person, a better teacher and a better perfumer too.

Refinement
I have been for long on the path of refining my art and making my perfumes more elegant and simple - yet without losing any of their interest or complexity (I know this is contradictory, but this is the truth). I want each of my perfumes to be a liquid capsule of olfactory storytelling, while following universal principles of aesthetics. My work process have become more tedious and elaborate as a result. In some ways more scientific, i.e.: making many modifications that are only slightly different from one another, so that I can truly see the difference a change in the ratio makes; or an addition of this note or the other. While this has proven to be a far more efficient (i.e.: less materials are wasted) way to work - I feel it is a little less adventurous than methods I’ve used in the past. Maybe next year will be about being more adventurous again...

Playful Experiments
I have been working on plenty of accords this year. Accords are either complex or simple combinations of notes (usually at least 3-5) that can be used as a note within a more complex perfume. I’m particularly proud of my frangipanni accord, which is in my opinion far more true to the real living flower than frangipanni absolute; and than there are the more playful Thai curry accords, pumpkin pie and five spice, among others. It all begun pretty much with the Perfume Inside a Poem project, where I created a cherry blossom accord for my contributed perfume “Petals on Wet, Black Bough”. Since than I’ve been on a roll and creating new floral accords for future perfumes.

Working Together
I’ve just mentioned the Perfume Inside a Poem project, which was an incredible initiative of blogger Heather Ettlinger, and turned out to be an awesome experience. This was an interesting opportunity for connecting with the work of other perfumers, even if just virtually, and find inspiration in a poem.
The other more tangible collaborations have been working with local businesses (Belmondo and Beyond Pilates), and last but not least - the new line of scented candles that I’ve worked on with Nikki Sherritt of Gabriel’s Aunt. Fine-tuning the formulas when “translating” them into the candle version has been a fascinating learning experience for both of us (albeit frustrating at times!). The result is 3 beautiful candles, and one more on the way for 2009.

Lastly, I want to thank you all for reading my blog all these years and especially in the past year. I wish you all a very happy new year to come, and may it bring exciting fragrances.

Read retrospective of other participating perfume bloggers:

1000 fragrances
Ars Aromatica,
A Rose Beyond the Thames
Bittergrace Notes,
Grain de Musc,
I Smell therefore I Am,
Legerdenez,
Notes from the Ledge,
Olfactarama,

Perfume Shrine,
Savvy Thinker,
The Non Blonde
and Tuilleries.

Favourite Fragrances in 2008

What else is there to say about 2008?
 For me, this was a year spent in a cocoon in comparison to previous years in the sense that I didn’t try much to get a hold of new fragrances. I’ve been carrying on the fatigue from the oversaturated market from 2007 to an even greater extent, as it only got worse this year. I didn’t even bother looking for newly launched perfumes, unless they’ve practically landed on my lap.

However, some of the newly launched perfumes that I have tried were refreshing, interesting, even fascinating. There sure is hope for a positive change in the world of perfumery. At least we seemed to have gotten out of the sticky goo of pink bubblegum fragrances and celebrity copies of each other’s perfumes that marked the majority of the beginning of the millenia. We are definitely seeing more woody (vetiver, anyone?) scents, more green and refreshing ones that are not exactly aquatic in the 90’s-rave-sense, and overall, there are interesnting ideas floating in the air. Unfortunately, I have just been too busy to notice them or give them enough time beyond a scent strip.

And to summarize, here is a very sweet and short (perhaps my shortest ever?) list of lists, including favourite perfumes that came out in 2008.

Favourite New Perfume:
Un Jardin Apres la Mousson

Funnest packaging:
Harajuku Lovers

Best Sequel of the Year:
KenzoAmour Le Parfum

The Classic Discovery of the Year:
Sous le Vent
As I feared, this is beautiful. Ever since I smelled it at the Guerlain boutique in Montreal I'm haunted.

Favourite New Niche Perfume of the Year:
Sycomore
Considering that Les Exclusifs were my disappointment of 2007, this was a beautiful surprise!
Therefore, I am also considering Sycomore to be the surprise of the year. But to make it less boring for you I've chosen another nominee...

Note of the year:
Vetiver.
Not only because of the many fragrances based on it this year, but also because of my personal interest. Followed closely by ginger, which was a new interest of mine.

The Surprise of the Year:
Velvet Gardenia
I really did not expect to meet Tom Ford at Holt Renrew. Nor did I expect to fall for the mysterious charms of this dusky beauty. But I did. Now this is the kind of surprise that makes me look forward to 2009.

The Re-Discovery of the Year:
Cuir de Russie
Best worn when it’s unusually cold in Vancouver, preferably in addition and not as a substitue to your vintage Canadian beaver fur coat, as the perfume cannot keep you warm enough when it hits (-)30 degrees celsius.

This Year's Change-of-Heart:
Davidoff Cool Water for men. Used to hate that stuff until I met a man who smells wonderful in it.

Celebrity Fragrance Release:
Deseo for women from JLo

Favourite New Natural Perfume:
Musc Botanique

Favourite New Perfume for Men:
Aveda Men Pure-Formance

The Ugly Duckling of the Year:
Narciso Rodriguez for Him
It's smells awful and wonderful all at once, and certainly once you get your head wrapped around it its beauty is striking, even if distrubing.

The Disappointment(s) of the Year:
Unfortunately, both come from my all-time favourite perfume house. Cruel Gardenia, which to me was neither cruel nor gardenia; and Iris Ganache, which was overly sweet and plasticy smelling, where I was expecting white chocolate or cocoa butter.

Favourite Scented Body Product:
Un Jardin Apres la Mousson body lotion and dry oil, or anything really.

Favourite Scented Candle:
In the absence of the Noel candles, and with all my new line coming in I'm proud to admit that my own Bois d'Hiver is my favourite scented candle, ever. I've been spoiled and can hardly look back to using anything that has synthetics as candles now. They now smell too strong for me, even the more delicate ones.

Most worn this year:
The perfumes I have been wearing the most this year are also more simple, and tend to be more dry than sweet. The one I’ve worn the most:
Le Parfum de Therese
Un Jardin Apres la Mousson
Narciso Rodriguez
Sycomore
No. 19
L de Lolita Lempicka
"Petals on Wet, Black Bough" - aka the working name for my "Perfume Inside a Poem" contribution
Bon Zai
Gigi
Immortelle l'Amour

Would love to hear what scents made this year for you - and wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Adoption Corner

On my Etsy shop, you can now find a new section titled One of a Kind featuring unreleased perfumes. These one-of-a-kind creations are not planned to be included in my collection, and are fascinating experiments in the art of perfumery. In reality, they are a custom scent that you can adopt off-the-shelf.

They are all presented in my signature frosted tear drop shape flacon, unless stated otherwise.

I am really excited about this opportunity to share with the world some of my latest creations, some of which are really innovative. And at the same time, I can keep my existing collection as uncluttered as possible while letting my creativity loose... This way everybody wins!

Currently up for adoption are Sacred Oud and Frangipanni Gloves (I've blogged about it here before).

Mandarin Oranges & Sandalwood Incense

Tangerines & Sandalwood, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

These two cute tangerines were given to me by Monique at my holiday soiree (they were fresher and brighter a week ago, I can assure you, but I procrastinated on this photoshoot) and they got me thinking again about the sandalwood-mandarin duo. As a result, I’m inspired to build something around this accord, or more likely - re-visit my ginger & amber perfume and add a sandalwood element to it.

I haven’t started working on this mod yet (scheduled to be mod #6). This week I was too busy baking cookies and entertaining as a way to cope with the snow and the extremely low temperatures (-8 during the day at times, which is very unusual for Vancouver at any given time). I still have to work on mod #5 with magnolia lily and jasmine to flesh out the heart and give the perfume more body. It sure is interesting to see how this perfume develops in teeny-tiny steps every time.

In the meantime, I’m using a shortcut and wearing some Obsession eau de toilette and resisting the temptation of taking advantage of the Boxing day specials and finally get myself the parfum extrait.

The large tangerines, by the way, were the best ones I’ve ever found in Vancouver in my 10+ years of living here. They turned out so great that I used them in a new ginger wafers recipe and it made it quite amazing really. I will post my recipe here soon, promise.

Macaroni

The band's name is the one and only contentual connection to this blog: Perfume is the name of a Japanese techno-pop trio of women from Hiroshima founded in 2001. I also happen to like this song. I also like this remix/meshup with the Beastie Boys' Rhyme the Ryme Well - it does work surprisingly:

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays!, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

Merry Christmas to all of SmellyBlog readers celebrating. And a continuous Happy Hanuka too - still 4 more candles to light!

P.s. The photo was taken at the Art Gallery Square (Georgia & Howe) in Vancouver, just before the holiday started. I really should take another photo when it's dark on the last day when all the lights are up...