Michelle Krell Kydd — Perfume Bloggers

Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle: Dans Tes Bras

October 1st, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

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

Sechuan Buttons: The Taste of Electricity

September 21st, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

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

Fragrant Explorations: The Scent of Gardenia

September 5th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

The 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

In Memory of Juergen W. Ausborn: Foodie and Friend

August 24th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

On 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

Ambrosial Delights of Varietal Honey

August 17th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

At 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

Perfume Memories: Seeing with Scent

June 27th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

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

Rhodia: A Pencil for the Senses

June 15th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

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

Jams: Capturing Taste and Time

June 8th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Jam 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.

I Smell Therefore I Blog

June 2nd, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Today, 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

Avant Eau: Scratch, Sniff & Read

May 26th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

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

Perfume 101: Stealing Mojo

May 20th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

There 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

Alkermes: The Scarlet Elixir

May 13th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

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

Alkermes: The Scarlet Elixir

May 13th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Simple Pleasures in Artisanal Food

April 19th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

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

Cooking Magic: The Perfume of Sofrito

April 9th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

As children we grow accustomed to the aromas and flavors of the kitchen as they are presented to us. They form a palette that we draw upon, coloring future experiences of taste. I recall the smell of my mother’s broiled chicken—the distinct mingling of garlic salt, sweet paprika, fatted chicken skin and fire. The scent would waft out of the kitchen, sneaking into hallway of our fourth floor

Eau de Headache

March 31st, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Body sprays containing an ingredient dubbed “Molecule X” have triggered spontaneous human combustion in high school gyms across the country. Though it is not clear why this phenomenon does not affect young women, the problem is causing major headaches for manufacturers as well as victims.

A sixteen-year-old girl watched helplessly as one of her friends was reduced to ashes. “He kept holding his

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Eau de Headache

March 31st, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

A sixteen-year-old girl watched helplessly as one of her friends was reduced to ashes. “He kept holding his

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A Return to Signature in Fine Fragrance

March 20th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

The term “signature” applies to the memorable characteristics of a fragrance that reflect its unique personality. As the number of fragrances released on the market grows, fewer and fewer creations bear a distinct olfactive mark. Has the etymology of the word “signature” really changed or has the industry forgotten what the word “signature” really means?

We are living in the digital age and

The Aromatic Allure of Tahitian Vanilla

March 12th, 2008 — from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Tahitian vanilla’s unique floral aroma has made it a favorite choice among chefs who use it to flavor pastry cream, crème brûlée and ice cream. It’s taste differs in subtle ways from the more commonly used Bourbon vanilla. Tahitian vanilla (Vanilla tahitensis) is floral and fruity, its plump cured pods exuding notes of cherry, raisin, musk, lactones and anisic aldehydes. In contrast, Bourbon

Medlar: The Fruit of Misunderstanding

February 24th, 2008 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

This month confectioner Pierre Marcolini added medlar to his stable of fruit rich jams at his New York boutique. The concentrated reduction is speckled with Madagascar vanilla, which naturally highlights the fruit’s rich autumnal flavors. The medlar is no ordinary fruit; it has inspired reverence and revulsion because of its unusual ripening process.

The center of a medlar flower invites

Perfume Memories: Mitsouko

February 18th, 2008 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Adolescence is a strange and awkward time, yet it is in period of life that we encounter sensory experiences that stay with us forever. When I look back on my adolescent days I recall feeling like no one could see who I was, only what I was becoming. I remember the nostalgic and admiring looks given to me by my parents’ friends, many of whom foisted their own experience and expectations on my “

Violet Pleasures in Food and Drink

February 10th, 2008 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Fragrant flowers that arouse the senses enter the vocabulary as words for color, inspiring expressions of love and beauty. This weekend the city of Toulouse celebrated La Fête des Violets, a yearly festival which pays homage to the diminutive bloom cultivated in greenhouses and used in confectionary and scented products. The Parma violet was allegedly introduced to the region in the 19th century

Cruel Gardénia by Guerlain

February 6th, 2008 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Sylvaine Delacourte graciously introduced Cruel Gardénia to editors at Guerlain’s New York offices this week, at the close of an informative presentation entitled “The Language of Perfumery.” Delacourte—a beautiful, intelligent and passionate advocate of the art of perfumery—collaborated with Symrise perfumer Randa Hammami to create an evocative gardenia fragrance which honors the softer facets

Sweet Plantain and Lentil Soup

February 2nd, 2008 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

The comforting perfume of warm sweet plantain is hard to resist. Traditionally used in Latin and Caribbean kitchens, these starchy fruits are treated like potatoes and served boiled, baked or fried. Sweet plantain is by definition an overripe green plantain. Sweet and musky, the cooked fruit has an aroma that is sap-like and syrupy, with a banana note that reveals a hint of tart lemon. Tostones,

Breath Perfumes

January 25th, 2008 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

In the late1800’s, T.B. Dunn and Company introduced a “breath perfume” called Sen Sen®. Patchouli, geranium, ionones, orris extracts, nitromusks, anise and clove were some of the ingredients that comprised the oriental flavor of the candy, which was marketed to mask the smell of tobacco. According to F&F Foods, the current manufacturer of Sen Sen®, the candy straddled olfactive and gustative

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Coffee: The Fragrant Cup Revealed

January 21st, 2008 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

My introduction to coffee began in a modest 1960’s family kitchen. These were the days of percolators, Nescafé and ads for Mr. Coffee™ featuring baseball great Joe DiMaggio. My mother drank two or three cups of coffee a day, a pack of cigarettes always within arm’s reach. She took her coffee light with Sweet’N Low™ and in the afternoon added one or two Dutch-style pretzels, which she would dip

Chinese Smoked Tea Eggs

January 8th, 2008 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Chinese smoked tea eggs possess aesthetic and gastronomic qualities which soothe the jagged and brutal aspects of winter. In a season where everything in nature is stripped down and bare, this simple yet exotic preparation of eggs inspires the eyes and the appetite with mesmerizing patterns and voluptuous, earthy flavor.

Lapsang Souchong is a bit of an oddity to the western teetotaler, whose

Pandanus Flower: Flavor for the New Year

December 30th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Floral flavors have a tendency to jar unfamiliar palates, but for those who adore the voluptuous freshness that floral ingredients add to food, pandanus flower may prove a most enticing find.

Pandanus flower, also known as kewra, is the male flower of the pandanus plant (Pandanus odoratissimus). The distillate made from kewra petals offers an intriguing level of complexity not found in rose or

Diane Haska: The Caron Boutique’s Christmas Cupid

December 17th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

It’s a cold Friday afternoon in New York City, remnants of the previous day’s snowfall moistening sidewalks and streets. The neighborhood is bustling with determined shoppers scurrying along a stretch of Lexington Avenue between 56th and 60th Streets. Wisconsin natives Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Hollander step out of the crowd and enter the Caron Boutique. The air between them is perfumed with a touch

Holiday Exquisitries: A Sensualist’s Gift Guide

December 10th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

There is a unique exchange that takes place between sensory object and self. In a single moment the ordinary becomes transcendent and deep connections are made. Time disappears as boundaries melt away and essences merge; a quality one finds in physical or spiritual love. Sensualists live vicariously through their senses and their ability to connect with beauty in such a passionate manner requires

In Search of a Cookie (Part Two): Cuccidati Revealed

December 1st, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

A week after John and I discover pastry bliss at Bruno’s, I find myself thinking about his cemetery visit and the direction it is taking the both of us. Determined, bleary-eyed and under-caffeinated, I enter Antoinette’s Patisserie in search of a drink dubbed the Euro; a magnificent beverage based upon cappuccino served in Italy. The Euro is smaller than its American cousin and the milk is

In Search of a Cookie (Part One): Ma’amoul

November 24th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

John is thinking about his childhood. He removes a cigarette from a burgundy box of Dunhill’s® and holds it between his lips. His callused thumb runs against the starter, the metallic snap narrating a spark as it turns into a flame. The end of the cigarette glows and momentarily fades to black, flecked with gray and white ashes that quietly drop off. He takes a long and thoughtful

Saffron: Spice of Ecstasy and Sensory Seduction (with Recipe)

November 17th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Saffron is a spice that needs no introduction. It infuses whatever it touches with a distinct golden hue, adding an aroma that resembles the commingling of hay, honeyed musk, leather and almonds. To taste saffron is to know how unnecessary words are in the vocabulary of pure joy. From discovery to repeated exposure, the flavor and fragrance of saffron is continuously revelatory, like a great

Dessert Haiku: Lychee Pear Gelatin

November 12th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Next to ice, gelatin is the simplest and most easily understood form of suspension in the world of flavor. Elements in suspension bend the notion of time and gelatin preserves food in its earthly state while foreshadowing its inevitable consumption. In truth, gelatin is dessert haiku; it is a visual medium for the experience of taste which has been spared from complicated presentation.

Gelée is

Perfume Memories: CHANEL N°5

November 6th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

CHANEL N°5 —three words that weave a fragrant aura around the world, inspiring all who inhale the carefully arranged bouquet of this timeless, best-selling classic. The finest art in the world is ageless, resonating with dreams and desires that etch themselves into waking life. The perfume of olfactive memory is no different. It paints the canvas of our shared humanity, highlighting fundamental

Curry Leaf: An Herb to Savor (with Recipe)

October 31st, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Daylight saving time will begin on Sunday, November 4th, accentuating shortened days that mark the coming winter. Though there are limits to enjoyment of outdoor activities in colder months, there are numerous opportunities for delight at the stove. Colder weather stimulates the appetite, which in turn yields more easily to new ingredients. Curry leaves cast a bewitching spell in the kitchen,

Bloom Magazine (Issue 16): Foliage

October 24th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

There isn’t a fragrance lover or gourmand who hasn’t experienced an intense, unearthly connection to a raw material or specific combination of ingredients. These precious moments serve as a catalyst for the merging of self with the collective unconscious. Describing such instants is often difficult, especially at inception. We run the risk of losing the moment by immediately analyzing it, thereby

Perfume Memories: The Magic of Miss Dior

October 17th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

When a mother applies makeup in the presence of her daughter, she generates an air of womanliness that evokes awe and wonder, but with a single spray of perfume her femininity is exalted. As the scent diffuses, her beauty radiates beyond the maternal and flirts with a provocative gentleness that every young girl desires to emulate. Primary fragrance experiences leave more than enduring

Turkey Baharat: An Otherworldly Recipe

October 9th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

In autumn we arrive at the fulcrum of change, from flower to fruit, from seed to vegetable, all of nature’s bounty lies before us. Pleasure is a guest at every table and in the fall, it guides the hand of the cook who has patiently waited for cooler days and the bounties of the season. The essence of cooking is transformation and it is this quality, along with our ancestral links, that permits

Rose Pleasures in Food, Drink & Beauty

October 3rd, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

The nature of sensory pleasures is fleeting, but the essence of something, its individual “spirit” if you will, moves beyond the ephemeral and is fixed in eternity. Outstanding applications of florals exist in artisan foods and luxury beauty products, but access to them is limited based on cost, availability and knowledge. If one desires to dally with a variety of fragrant temptations, there is

Sweet Earth Perfume Compact Returns

September 26th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

There is a certain emptiness that takes hold when a beloved perfume is discontinued, a feeling not dissimilar to the loss of a familiar companion. A quality of sadness laced with regret and the fear of extinguished memories painfully filters through consciousness. Perfume is witness to our innermost thoughts and as such privy to more than our earthly companions. When The Vermont Country Store

L’annine® Mango Hand and Body Cream

September 19th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

When gourmand notes are used in functional products, two possible outcomes exist. The first is a balanced result, where the edible material’s aroma resonates with the function of the product and adds character to the base. The second and less desirable outcome is a product that is overly jammy or vegetal, with aromas that overpower the base or its perceived function. L’annine® manufactures a

Orange Blossom Candy Dots

September 12th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

In August 2007, gourmet candy purveyor Artisan Sweets became the only American distributor of Orange Blossom Candy Dots. The candy, known as pastiglie fior arancio in Italian, is manufactured by Pietro Romanengo fu Stefano, an historical confectionery with roots in the second half of the18th century. There is an interesting effect that transpires if the candy is eaten after applying an orange

Letter from a Perfumer

September 5th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Sometimes life opens up like the precious petals of a flower; we never see the unfolding, but feel it intuitively as random patterns in our lives form realities that foreshadow the future. At this time our senses are highly attuned to the present and no subtlety escapes unnoticed. So it was when Gwenael Goulet, then four-star chef at Buffet de la Gare, stopped me in the street to unravel the

Ciao Bella Lebanese Yogurt Sherbet

August 29th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Composition and effect are critical elements in the art of flavor and fragrance creation. When fantasy and tradition are perfectly balanced, an alchemical result is certain. In creating Lebanese Yogurt Sherbet, Chef Danillo Zechin of Ciao Bella Gelato …

Badam Halwa: Saffron Almond Seduction

August 22nd, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

The long “a” in the name of this Indian dessert escapes the lips of anyone who has ever tasted badam halwa—the vowel inextricably wed to a sigh tinged with yearning. Served warm this softened paste of ground almonds, sugar and ghee is generously…

On the Horizon: Honeysuckle Berries

August 15th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

The sound of the word “honeysuckle” conveys sweet comfort, an experience well-known to backyard flower foragers of the fragrant vine. Lovers of Gewürztraminer and Muscat de Beaumes de Venise know that these wines are renown for their honeysuckle …

Floral Wines for Perfume & Dessert Lovers

August 8th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Some wines possess outstanding floralcy, causing one to pause and reflect on beauty which anoints the taste buds. There are stunning bouquets in wines that seem to transform the soul as they are drank. Perhaps the archetypal power of beauty lies in its…

Rose Geranium Unmasked

August 1st, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

Rose geranium is an ingredient common to perfumery, but it is unrelated to the common geranium. Derived from the leaves of pelargonium graveolens, the essential oil has a soft rose-like scent with an inkling of citrus. There are over 250 varieties of pelargonium, each with its own scent profile. Though the perfume arts may play favorites with a single cultivar, a creative gourmand may take

Keshmesh: Persian Green Raisins

July 25th, 2007 — Perfume Bloggers from Michelle Krell Kydd @ Glass Petal Smoke

In the United States, most consumers are familiar with store-bought
raisins. Thompson, Flame and Golden varieties line supermarket shelves, each bearing little flavor semblance to fresh fruit of the vine. This is not characteristic of the delicate savor of Iranian green raisins, known as keshmesh in Farsi. In fact, keshmesh have a taste that is quite unique in the raisin world…

At first glance,

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