Posts Tagged ‘recipe’

Posted on December 8, 2009 - by Leslie Billera

Holiday Gift Giving: 2 DIY Perfume Recipes

I saw a White Diamonds perfume commercial on TV the other day – featuring a 1992 air-brushed Liz Taylor – and I thought I’d been sucked into a time travel vortex.

In addition to the post-collegiate flashback (in which ‘I’m Too Sexy for My Shirt’ topped the charts), the dated perfume commercial reflects the sea change I’ve undergone when it comes to the simple term ‘fragrance.’

A typical perfume contains a mixture of between 50 and 100 fragrance chemicals including, but not limited to:

• Coal tar distillates
• Petroleum distillates
• Benzene derivatives
• Aldehydes
• Phenols
• Phthalates (banned in cosmetics in the European Union since 2003 – see more in the ‘jargon alert,’ below )

Today, science makes it possible to dissect any natural scent and recreate it using synthetic fragrances.  Smelling machines, or ‘electronic noses’ use chemical sensors to produce a fingerprint of any scent. ¹

Doesn’t your special someone deserve something a bit more personal this holiday?

Try your hand at either one of these all-natural elixirs, and let us know how they turn out!

DIY Perfume

by Heidi Hill via www.MNN.com

Basic supplies for making perfume:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped flowers (we recommend lavender of course!)
• Cheesecloth
• Medium-size bowl with lid
• 2 cups distilled water
• Small saucepan
• Washed and sterilized vanilla extract bottle, or another small colored bottle with a lid or an airtight stopper

Instructions for making perfume:

1. Wash the flower petals. Gently clean off any dirt and sediment with water.

2. Soak the flowers. Put cheesecloth inside a bowl with edges overlapping the bowl. Put the flowers into the cheesecloth-lined bowl and pour the water over them, covering the flowers. Cover the bowl with the lid and let the flowers soak overnight.

3. Heat the flower-scented water. The next day, remove the lid from the bowl and gently bring the four corners of the cheesecloth together, lifting the flower pouch out of the water. Squeeze the pouch over a small saucepan, extracting the flower-scented water. Simmer over low heat until you have about a teaspoon of liquid.

4. Bottle the perfume. Pour the cooled water into the bottle and cap it. The perfume will last for up to a month if stored in a cool, dark place.

Green Eau de Toilette

by Julie Gabriel, The Green Beauty Guide

Basic Eau de Toilette Supplies

• 1 ounce vodka
• 4-10 drops essential oil of your choice
• 2 tablespoons distilled water

Instructions for making Eau de Toilette:

1. Pour the vodka into a small glass measuring cup (that has a spout) and add the essential oil, stirring slowly until the oil is fully mixed in. Pour mixture into a small, dark, lidded bottle and leave in a dark place (such as a closet) for two days so that the oil can fully blend with the vodka.

2. Slowly add the distilled water, shaking well. Again, let the mixture sit for two days (or more I you want a more potent mix). Now the perfume is ready. If you like, you can transfer it into a pretty spray bottle.

Homemade scents educate the gift recipient on why we can’t always trust what’s in our bath and beauty products. Plus, they earn serious brownie points for being hand-crafted. And most importantly, homemade scents are the healthiest way to smell great – naturally!

Top either DIY scent with a coupon for a relaxing Lavender Oil Massage, and you’ll win the award for best holiday gift, hands-down.

¹ The Green Beauty Guide, Julie Gabriel

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Jargon Alert: Phthalates

Phthalates (pronounced ˈtha-ˌlāt) are found in perfume, soap, shampoo, nail polish, hair spray, mascara and more.  Listed in ingredient labels as dibutylphthalate, DPB, DEHP, DHP. Phthalates are not listed when used in fragrance. May cause developmental and reproductive problems. It is used to make materials more pliable, prevent cracking, and retain scents by ‘fixing’ perfumes to reduce evaporation

Posted on March 19, 2009 - by napavalleybath

Zuppa di Farro — Farro Soup

Another popular soup of Tuscany…. To serve 4 you’ll need:

* 6-8 ounces farro
* 3/4 pound ripe plum tomatoes (or canned tomatoes), chopped and seeded
* 2-3 ounces pancetta
* Grated pecorino toscano cheese, or Parmigiano (romano will be too sharp)
* 2 cloves garlic
* 1 onion, finely sliced
* A small bunch parsley
* Some fresh basil
* A few sprigs thyme
* Epstein Napa Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* Organic Grey Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
* 1 quart hot broth

Prepare the farro: Wash and pick out the impurities. Soak in water for 8 hours.

When the farro is ready, mince the pancetta and sauté it together with the thyme, onion, and garlic cloves…in the olive oil.

When this begins to brown, discard the garlic, and add the chopped tomatoes, parsley and basil. Cook for a few minutes and then stir in the hot broth.

Once this comes to a boil then add the farro. Cook over a low flame for 2 hours or until done…..taste it toward the end. Make sure you stir it often and check it throughout for the need for more seasoning. Let the zuppa sit for about an hour and serve it warm…..drizzle it with the Epstein Napa Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then cover with the cheese.

Posted on March 19, 2009 - by napavalleybath

FARRO WITH MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA

Prepare the farro: wash it well and pick out any impurities. Soak it in water for at least 8 hours.

Boil the farro in salted water for 15 – 20 minutes and drain.

Put the farro in a bowl and cover with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes

Drizzle with the Epstein Extra Virgin Olive Oil….add a splash of our 6 year old Balsamic Vinegar….and finish with a pinch of our Grey Sea Salt.