Famous German Asparagus

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9117799645/" title="Gottingen2 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="Gottingen2" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/9117799645_c7313d4256_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />We arrived in Gottingen, Germany, early this afternoon after a night on a plane from Detroit to Frankfort and a morning on a train. It's the end of asparagus season, which is taken very seriously in Germany, as I had always heard. This white asparagus special dinner included the fresh asparagus, Hollandaise sauce, boiled potatoes, and a breaded pork cutlet. And local draft beer. Lovely! I enjoyed my asparagus, while Len tried a particular type of herring, also in season, which also was on the special menu.<br /><br />The town is really lovely, and was especially appealing as we walked around before and after dinner in the long rays of midsummer sunlight. Small placards on many buildings commemorate the numerous famous people who have worked and studied here. I recognized the names of at least two Romantic poets, Tieck and Brentano, who lived or visited here for at least a little while. The physicists recognized scientists and mathematicians -- we walked by a statue of Gauss talking to his younger colleague Wilhelm Weber and another statue of the chemist Friedrich Wöhler who described the molecular structure of urea in 1828. The chemical formula is inscribed in the cobblestones at the foot of the statue.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9120030160/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Gottingen3 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="Gottingen3" height="640" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2860/9120030160_87ba860e24_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Lisel the Goosegirl: tradition requires every new PhD student <br />to climb up on the fountain and kiss her.<br />She's holding some flowers left from the most recent such event.</td></tr></tbody></table>

Famous German Asparagus

We arrived in Gottingen, Germany, early this afternoon after a night on a plane from Detroit to Frankfort and a morning on a train. It's the end of asparagus season, which is taken very seriously in Germany, as I had always heard. This white asparagus special dinner included the fresh asparagus, Hol…

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Wednesday Night Farmers Market

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9097523228/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="farmers-mkt 7 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="farmers-mkt 7" height="494" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3736/9097523228_6bbd8e60c5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garlic Scapes from <a href="http://www.dyerfamilyorganicfarm.com/">Dyer Farm</a>;<br />Early green vegetables at the market stall behind the garlic table.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9097522198/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="farmers-mkt 4 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="farmers-mkt 4" height="480" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/9097522198_56902530a7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dyers grow dozens of varieties of garlic, and sell garlic scapes for around 2 weeks each spring.<br />The garlic bulbs are available later in the growing season; each variety is carefully labeled and described.<br />Unfortunately, at the moment I was not able to try out this delicacy -- maybe next year.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9095289707/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="farmers-mkt 1 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="farmers-mkt 1" height="494" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5542/9095289707_672e9257f4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's so early in the season that the market wasn't very busy last night.<br />I bought some potatoes and lettuce.<br />Quite a few mobile food trucks were also at the market, with tables available for those who wanted dinner.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />

Wednesday Night Farmers Market

Garlic Scapes from Dyer Farm;Early green vegetables at the market stall behind the garlic table.The Dyers grow dozens of varieties of garlic, and sell garlic scapes for around 2 weeks each spring.The garlic bulbs are available later in the growing season; each variety is carefully labeled and descri…

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Food in Aspen

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9044791910/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="food-wine 2 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="food-wine 2" height="309" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7428/9044791910_abde8ecc39.jpg" width="400" /></a>All the most famous food TV and journalism writers and sellers of chi-chi products are in Aspen right now for the Aspen Food and Wine Classic, which starts today or tomorrow. Huge white tents full of chairs, demo booths, or tables have been under construction all week in every open, level space in town. At the foot of the Gondola, in the main parks, in front of the Art Museum, and in little spaces all over busy worker-bees are setting up things for the arrival of all the stars of the foodie world.<br /><br />The nice quiet atmosphere that we enjoyed for our first two weeks here is shattered. There's no place to park. Even the bike racks are pretty full!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9042568591/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="bike-parking1559 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="bike-parking1559" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7432/9042568591_36cb75351e.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Bike Friday had to be on the wrong side of the bike rack.<br />Though most of the bikes probably don't belong to Foodies.</td></tr></tbody></table>We're leaving tomorrow, luckily, so we don't have to deal with the Food and Wine Classic very much. Both the admission price (e.g. hundreds of dollars just to taste a few desserts, plus registration fees) and the philosophy (sell sell sell) of the event fail to attract me; despite being very interested in food and wine, I would not want to go -- I felt the same way 2 years ago when we were here during the same event.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5344/9042569093_926fcd8ef4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="food-wine 3" border="0" height="154" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5344/9042569093_926fcd8ef4.jpg" width="200" /> </a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9044791828/" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="food-wine 1 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="food-wine 1" height="154" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5469/9044791828_7fd2200e78.jpg" width="200" /> </a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9042687665/" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="food-wine 4 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="food-wine 4" height="150" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7449/9042687665_5352c731c4_m.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Tents Everywhere!</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As for ourselves, we have been eating rather simple food while here, going on picnics and to the weekly Tuesday BBQ at the Physics Center, and joined the other workshop participants for a meal out once. Also, we enjoyed several restaurants in Aspen, though we have not eaten out a great deal. I've posted on one or two meals out, and here are a few photos to wrap up what we ate:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGly8SwMyRNisdIMunNXEvTY8YMj4DW0P09b6VXtDgotbeR2XZ6c2N94iKCqTlUO-PuK_qyKcooeqrE32zx6KKsDpXxwVm9LaAFMc5T22aXkdmTaCsn0sviZ8HJmLWzmfGEYoE_SiRrTuj/s1600/LittleNellFood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGly8SwMyRNisdIMunNXEvTY8YMj4DW0P09b6VXtDgotbeR2XZ6c2N94iKCqTlUO-PuK_qyKcooeqrE32zx6KKsDpXxwVm9LaAFMc5T22aXkdmTaCsn0sviZ8HJmLWzmfGEYoE_SiRrTuj/s640/LittleNellFood.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food at the Little Nell Restaurant "Element 47"<br />L to R, top to bottom --Fois gras with lots of decorations;<br />mixed vegetable salad; salmon; ravioli with various mushrooms; <br />cheesecake with lots of decorations.<br />All the food was over-presented though not bad. Service was very disappointing.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8cwGnSBvhZYg7xG76sQUDkNsGr4hHu6P4gACudcEukTuWi1sVv2O2fQd87QMhCE_XeUTpL1aqJTswVwM0e5B3Ulj2ZebvtqZ8Fb2a6sTAtHXqdhG9Z-hOkxrhzqUBsjzjQTHeuVRx_Jn/s1600/cafe1500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8cwGnSBvhZYg7xG76sQUDkNsGr4hHu6P4gACudcEukTuWi1sVv2O2fQd87QMhCE_XeUTpL1aqJTswVwM0e5B3Ulj2ZebvtqZ8Fb2a6sTAtHXqdhG9Z-hOkxrhzqUBsjzjQTHeuVRx_Jn/s640/cafe1500.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast at a cafe near our apartment yesterday: <br />crowding was a result of people getting ready to set up the Food & Wine Classic!</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_i0quzKI4qRKMXxJQIHTI9tDbl2ZZC5KTJ0mJ1V9ALrmEwMKmTFBmqs3bd5EUFIcKDoc0WXc7CWraOPhBepy2dk_wRPwWoxhrpgNgSaX3HGKQ-js2U2aFRUOYJAPAxU4WkpUxfaH2PKAE/s1600/red-onion+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_i0quzKI4qRKMXxJQIHTI9tDbl2ZZC5KTJ0mJ1V9ALrmEwMKmTFBmqs3bd5EUFIcKDoc0WXc7CWraOPhBepy2dk_wRPwWoxhrpgNgSaX3HGKQ-js2U2aFRUOYJAPAxU4WkpUxfaH2PKAE/s320/red-onion+2.jpg" width="320" /></a>   <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqmPY29bUd3laGirUt2hZXkaJfiL59Bu7P-2igWoGeOHwLq8maR-No7qeAvarCLM58ulujQN2CAH4he7RfM-Oe41xeTDAqH6nYXV6HFCBwXKLb0MzmcmhVkvm5baeFZEAQX76TuR2Ius6/s1600/red-onion+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"> <img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqmPY29bUd3laGirUt2hZXkaJfiL59Bu7P-2igWoGeOHwLq8maR-No7qeAvarCLM58ulujQN2CAH4he7RfM-Oe41xeTDAqH6nYXV6HFCBwXKLb0MzmcmhVkvm5baeFZEAQX76TuR2Ius6/s200/red-onion+1.jpg" width="150" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Red Onion Restaurant for Lunch</span></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9013441272/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="maria-lunch 2 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="maria-lunch 2" height="320" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5463/9013441272_2d67396bcc_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maria at Red Onion</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9000463374/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="gondola 11 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="gondola 11" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7323/9000463374_9159134036.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandwiches at the restaurant at the top of the gondola:<br />Tuna melt and turkey with bacon, aioli, cheese, and more</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/8942857332/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="iphone-fish4 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="iphone-fish4" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7437/8942857332_6f813046f9.jpg" width="375" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whole fish at the Wild Fig restaurant.<br />A truly delicious dish<br />Background: my veal dish!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/8941406188/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="lunch-at-pacifica 4 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="lunch-at-pacifica 4" height="320" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/8941406188_8e2a4b7c6d.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pacifica Restaurant Lunch:<br />Very expensive tuna salad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/8969242530/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="asie-restaurant 1 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="asie-restaurant 1" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8549/8969242530_09bc5463cc.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our shared sashimi at Asie: followed by a seafood dish and moo-shu duck:<br />a very nice meal at a quite good Asian fusion restaurant.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/8969242792/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="asie-restaurant 4 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="asie-restaurant 4" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7303/8969242792_befb520624.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three workshop participants at Asie for group dinner</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9044791696/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="annette-bakery1558 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="annette-bakery1558" height="386" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3742/9044791696_cf91c2a0bc.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annette's Bakery: a good French-style macaron<br />She said it took her months to figure out how to make the recipe work at high altitude.</td></tr></tbody></table>I took lots of photos in Aspen restaurants last time we were here, too. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/sets/72157627031585246/">See this Flickr set</a>.</div>

Food in Aspen

All the most famous food TV and journalism writers and sellers of chi-chi products are in Aspen right now for the Aspen Food and Wine Classic, which starts today or tomorrow. Huge white tents full of chairs, demo booths, or tables have been under construction all week in every open, level space in t…

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The Trail to Woody Creek Tavern

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9029183034/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="woody-creek-ride 2 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="woody-creek-ride 2" height="375" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5350/9029183034_4ab25b6d51.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beside the trail snowmelt drips from the rocks</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9026954945/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="woody-creek-ride 5 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="woody-creek-ride 5" height="375" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3762/9026954945_0f9639b670.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much to look at (but the trail on the other side drops precipitously so one tries to skip the distractions)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9029183390/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="woody-creek-ride 7 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="woody-creek-ride 7" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7422/9029183390_d47b73d27e.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maria, my riding companion</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/9026955093/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="woody-creek-ride 8 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="woody-creek-ride 8" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7442/9026955093_afa45fe91f.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lemonade stand beside the trail</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Not very far past the lemonade stand is the hamlet of Woody Creek, and our goal the Woody Creek Tavern. My menu choice: house-made tortilla chips with guac and salsa followed by green chili with posole. Maria and I arrived by bike; her husband Mark and Len met us after attending a talk, and we all had a fun lunch. Maria cycled back up the trail. My bike and I came back in the car.<br /><br /> Note: I posted a lot of photos of food and decor of the Woody Creek Tavern before. Here's one food photo from our visit a couple years ago (click on photo to see more on Flickr):<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/5864081671/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="aspenrestaurants 9 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="aspenrestaurants 9" height="375" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3062/5864081671_8bc9d4e8b9.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In June 2011, Len had the pulled pork -- Maria had it today<br />ALL good!</td></tr></tbody></table>

The Trail to Woody Creek Tavern

Beside the trail snowmelt drips from the rocksSo much to look at (but the trail on the other side drops precipitously so one tries to skip the distractions)Maria, my riding companionA lemonade stand beside the trailNot very far past the lemonade stand is the hamlet of Woody Creek, and our goal the W…

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The Physics of Cooking

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNgvRSK7vmD6eECExj0lt-ln1WfP9o3s345PHub7lo2l49Ay2W0qavAsiGJN1DBwrxyYESKmi_RceuejNOmVZnsUP5IcJj-dkfsiys-RWEEX-G0qfkPyIq_6CqwZm-c88ON3YTj56naOY/s1600/physics-of-cooking+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNgvRSK7vmD6eECExj0lt-ln1WfP9o3s345PHub7lo2l49Ay2W0qavAsiGJN1DBwrxyYESKmi_RceuejNOmVZnsUP5IcJj-dkfsiys-RWEEX-G0qfkPyIq_6CqwZm-c88ON3YTj56naOY/s400/physics-of-cooking+1.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Len introducing Dave Weitz</td></tr></tbody></table>Yesterday we attended a public lecture on The Physics of Cooking sponsored by the Aspen Center for Physics, held at one of the veneus of the Aspen Institute. Speaker Dave Weitz began with  a detailed description of the course he teaches at Harvard on science and cooking, and on the various collaborators he has worked with, beginning with very famous chef Ferran Adria of Barcelona.<br /><br />Weitz then discussed and demonstrated several topics in the physics of cooking, including brief summaries of egg-cooking; using a pressure cooker (which was invented, he said, by the British Royal Society); distilling and super-cooling a liquid to make a sort of tower of ice; measuring the elasticity of boiled eggs or broiled steaks; using gels in post-modern cooking processes; understanding foams; and finally, a bit of the physics of mixing a drink.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnfbsGSyP25wrzviZQVwo-ioQ_2o6PM0iz4hvSpXAD-abEUkkscaBxPYp7U4pFHA9q52ppx7it3ZbsJJehoy7OweUtOZUaK5uKj2-pRElDsUqKF0aKmrfTpZMXCc9HzYHKYAJGfF0UoRy/s1600/physics-of-cooking+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnfbsGSyP25wrzviZQVwo-ioQ_2o6PM0iz4hvSpXAD-abEUkkscaBxPYp7U4pFHA9q52ppx7it3ZbsJJehoy7OweUtOZUaK5uKj2-pRElDsUqKF0aKmrfTpZMXCc9HzYHKYAJGfF0UoRy/s400/physics-of-cooking+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freezing an egg in liquid nitrogen: Carolyn Boyd, student helper with Dave Weitz</td></tr></tbody></table>Using three sous-vide cookers Dave demonstrated the difference between eggs cooked precisely to three very close temperatures -- 61, 63, and 65 degrees Celsius, and how the protein in the egg reacted to the different temperatures. Results: a watery egg, an semi-watery egg, and an egg that looked like a regular poached egg with a soft but solid white and oozy yolk. Caroline Boyd walked two of the eggs around the audience in the fairly large hall so that we could see the difference.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwps8nCRrIxwE2LxGYwTi_Rma5idTOzpgblqLJFCBwEK7oEeMYGVpoANmWukh6_eDx4XBZrbcbBYro8tvUGRjVVsApjQX7WAmRxQ462KO8objg_PTLg3gnGalbXE4yK9f8QbXP8U1bn1p/s1600/physics-of-cooking+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwps8nCRrIxwE2LxGYwTi_Rma5idTOzpgblqLJFCBwEK7oEeMYGVpoANmWukh6_eDx4XBZrbcbBYro8tvUGRjVVsApjQX7WAmRxQ462KO8objg_PTLg3gnGalbXE4yK9f8QbXP8U1bn1p/s400/physics-of-cooking+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aspen Chef Robert McCormick demonstrates how to encapsulate cucumber juice in<br />a thin membrane using agar and Ca2. Result "cucumber caviar."</td></tr></tbody></table>After McCormick's demo of cucumber caviar, a gel, Dave briefly discussed foams like beer foam, whipped cream, and ice cream, pointing out that whipping cream with a whisk made a more stable foam than the faster method of injecting gas, using a device that appears in the photo above (in front of McCormick's apron).<br /><br />Local bartender Jimmy Yaeger gave the final demonstration of how to mix a Negroni and how to make a perfectly clear and spherical ice cube (using very elaborate though low-tech equipment).  Yaeger uses a water-circulating ice freezer to make giant blocks of perfectly clear ice -- the circulating device removes the air bubbles that make ordinary ice cubes cloudy. He saws up the big ice block into various-sized ice cubes to provide a distinctive touch for the drinks in his bar. I was very interested in the copper pressure device used for processing a 3 inch cube of ice into a spherical ice cube. The heat-conducting property of copper causes the corners of the cube to just melt away!<br /><br />After the end of the talk was an outdoor demo of making ice cream in sealed plastic bags surrounded by another baggie of ice and salt.

The Physics of Cooking

Len introducing Dave WeitzYesterday we attended a public lecture on The Physics of Cooking sponsored by the Aspen Center for Physics, held at one of the veneus of the Aspen Institute. Speaker Dave Weitz began with  a detailed description of the course he teaches at Harvard on science and cooking, an…

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Aspen Physics Center Picnic

The physics center has several gas grills and lots of picnic tables, which are all in use at the Tuesday night picnic. All the current workshop participants and their families are invited; I think most show up. Steak, chicken, vegetables, veggie patties, and lots of other grilled things are all cooked at once; people bring dinner for themselves or occasionally to share in small groups. The center offers paper and tableware, nice grilling tools, beverages (for purchase), potato chips, and watermelon. If they ever serve anything except potato chips and watermelon, I'm not aware of it.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/8961368311/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="phys-picnic0931 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="phys-picnic0931" height="375" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5447/8961368311_06b4419074.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aspen Physics Center Tuesday Night Picnic</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12003515@N05/8961368109/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="phys-picnic0936 by mesander2000, on Flickr"><img alt="phys-picnic0936" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8534/8961368109_8a9a2c1ac4.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After dinner conversations</td></tr></tbody></table><br />

Aspen Physics Center Picnic

The physics center has several gas grills and lots of picnic tables, which are all in use at the Tuesday night picnic. All the current workshop participants and their families are invited; I think most show up. Steak, chicken, vegetables, veggie patties, and lots of other grilled things are all cook…

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Aromas and Flavors from Jeanie

My blogger friend Jeanie recently wrote about her visit to <a href="http://grandoakherbfarm.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #1c9d7b; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Grand Oak Herb Farm</a> in mid-Michigan to enjoy a flavorful tea and learn some new aromatherapy ideas. Her blog post about the farm had lots of thoughts on delightful aromas and flavors that contrast with the reading I've been doing, and especially because she included a number of ideas for crafting sachets and other aromatic items. I'm not much into crafting, but I thought it was a wonderful way to think more about the world of fragrance and flavor.<br /><br />Jeanie kindly gave me permission to make a long excerpt from her blog post, "<a href="http://themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com/2013/06/taking-tea-at-grand-oak-herb-farm.html">Taking Tea at Grand Oak Herb Farm</a>." She wrote:<br /><br /><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpfW8dhWQQLXOqG5kT1U55P-r6MZUdL4FmTPDVXdD-TQo3uB2LC2sEeVkhzSdmc09eO-2wMvKwsGWbjPKdoR-t-1fEg2rIxKAwY5EQ2w4d4Cls63NsjonvpaLfG3t5lqlevzttRjKOsg/s1600/IMG_8571.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpfW8dhWQQLXOqG5kT1U55P-r6MZUdL4FmTPDVXdD-TQo3uB2LC2sEeVkhzSdmc09eO-2wMvKwsGWbjPKdoR-t-1fEg2rIxKAwY5EQ2w4d4Cls63NsjonvpaLfG3t5lqlevzttRjKOsg/s400/IMG_8571.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">We arrived a little early -- with a bit of time to walk around the grounds and check out the greenhouse, where fairy gardens were plentiful!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMCKckPbhkvzrw9wYjjnmHdFMwfLMMqIKWfmNWWkvcAfXG0ARJCSfsBSe10cN3Ast-H1SoTsAmrnYoz73iwdxMkFrU3ym5CQhGw-3AZMd8ty7Y0hJoB6frG4FVk-B6OlduXVVYAnyJJI/s1600/IMG_8575.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMCKckPbhkvzrw9wYjjnmHdFMwfLMMqIKWfmNWWkvcAfXG0ARJCSfsBSe10cN3Ast-H1SoTsAmrnYoz73iwdxMkFrU3ym5CQhGw-3AZMd8ty7Y0hJoB6frG4FVk-B6OlduXVVYAnyJJI/s400/IMG_8575.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Numerous flights of fancy passed through our minds as we enjoyed the wee gardens and the soon-to-be larger plants within.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Then on to tea, ...and entering the tea room.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54qu2Ob15Sz_gbiMVyoiOFRYjE30ynBIwpFipI9DDLAbHEUTDL2P1RcCIQs6yeshEXZ0TkJUl1HTI6bWpfnmDIKlGGosOX_TYCnss_f7BnnVkU0TFSOAv6IxL12R9P8TIbbj-fJ4pVmM/s1600/IMG_8577.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54qu2Ob15Sz_gbiMVyoiOFRYjE30ynBIwpFipI9DDLAbHEUTDL2P1RcCIQs6yeshEXZ0TkJUl1HTI6bWpfnmDIKlGGosOX_TYCnss_f7BnnVkU0TFSOAv6IxL12R9P8TIbbj-fJ4pVmM/s400/IMG_8577.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">The table was lovely with easy-to-make tiered sandwich/dessert trays, ...</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">They were packed with sandwiches and sweets. We learned that the savory flavors were at the bottom, the saltier bits might be on the next level and at the top, the sweets! And, that you eat from the bottom up!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWWM7-Hr_0VxE1LEreuzZwOf5btz-04OMKWfy1_RSpfa-vjhQGwiUJWnah94hiYrnJ68M21qwpEDUrx86NFUI_tiVlsVy3v1N7JsfU3mRVG7kmQsmxmw1Qng0PWAXhSz3JhLq5dhumc8/s1600/IMG_8587.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWWM7-Hr_0VxE1LEreuzZwOf5btz-04OMKWfy1_RSpfa-vjhQGwiUJWnah94hiYrnJ68M21qwpEDUrx86NFUI_tiVlsVy3v1N7JsfU3mRVG7kmQsmxmw1Qng0PWAXhSz3JhLq5dhumc8/s400/IMG_8587.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">My plate included Beulah's wonderful basil-curry chicken salad, ham with orange marmelade and dill on pumpernickel, a potato quesadilla and the most divine crostini with an herb butter that included herbs and parmesan cheese. (I could have eaten the whole plate of that!) Other sandwiches included an open face corned beef with horshradish and mint and wee cucumber sandwich rounds.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo6ie8NCL9aGMjvZ4PP3B2d-Y7kRgdXaUWAoG6aQ6SUk8R_kYj66efAltw3-cb4CKtR1jk4nb96z-77SnDTd9QCBKe1A3mHQap7grZ8zYWEAnQiMCizZHndz4Zz-Bb_zpnZzqlRQnHTE/s1600/IMG_8579.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo6ie8NCL9aGMjvZ4PP3B2d-Y7kRgdXaUWAoG6aQ6SUk8R_kYj66efAltw3-cb4CKtR1jk4nb96z-77SnDTd9QCBKe1A3mHQap7grZ8zYWEAnQiMCizZHndz4Zz-Bb_zpnZzqlRQnHTE/s400/IMG_8579.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">We were most captivated by her candles. Here's how to do it: In jars, put lemon verbena and orange wedges at the bottom, add a few more fragrant greens if you like. Add water and add a floating candle. What sweet fragrance! </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNz7A6vD-O_TCiIzl1gy00brMa01htg4Gx4DX3btO38gQ4kU-yT6tN9oY-pHwH6AuKmbVsDhsOR3lX0kffn5c3rGF2-n8lDw9Z34WpyeJ2I7rlhRYiepA8DjmSP-YSrliYffxbtXHEXbI/s1600/IMG_8585.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNz7A6vD-O_TCiIzl1gy00brMa01htg4Gx4DX3btO38gQ4kU-yT6tN9oY-pHwH6AuKmbVsDhsOR3lX0kffn5c3rGF2-n8lDw9Z34WpyeJ2I7rlhRYiepA8DjmSP-YSrliYffxbtXHEXbI/s400/IMG_8585.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">We had an iced and hot tea. Beulah makes her own teas and both were delicious!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSy76iQANEraIbVCGLZr-ZiebFomUnhtuQ-tkClxh4rjXVbnb1F28T8_jcT8Z3C7VGpgijrSF5i5Xo4ad8_FoEx3iUZKntohr_QkZ6QAXhR1-Uci4eb_-in8_39SYL8UA1V288eVmONVs/s1600/IMG_8584.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSy76iQANEraIbVCGLZr-ZiebFomUnhtuQ-tkClxh4rjXVbnb1F28T8_jcT8Z3C7VGpgijrSF5i5Xo4ad8_FoEx3iUZKntohr_QkZ6QAXhR1-Uci4eb_-in8_39SYL8UA1V288eVmONVs/s400/IMG_8584.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">After we worked our way up the tray, Beulah and Peg offered a variety of demonstrations and sharing of products they make and sell at the shop -- and were generous in sharing their. Because I don't sew, </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLmBZK9qbXwMSrp2w7-_LWjJYE1DUzOCvrEhAtIe_2Rx1CnZ-w320xRuBOJIpN2GVgPgjIUbmq-mcxq5-fliCqbz4uJZepvFHjzisQYvUnmHwCT_9F8IkYfmfLxJEFa5bUtqbOYs6l8c/s1600/IMG_8589.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLmBZK9qbXwMSrp2w7-_LWjJYE1DUzOCvrEhAtIe_2Rx1CnZ-w320xRuBOJIpN2GVgPgjIUbmq-mcxq5-fliCqbz4uJZepvFHjzisQYvUnmHwCT_9F8IkYfmfLxJEFa5bUtqbOYs6l8c/s400/IMG_8589.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">I bought one of the micro-or-freezer sinus pillows, made from lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary and mint. Lavender brings with it healing properties -- and of course it smells wonderful!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">My favorite was the firestarters and I will be collecting pine cones to do this. </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOl1qjzTL-WabI7Q0ANHBDEJgMvvEwHWttkywRzvTNPiUJmuU2bMbdRR7W2gEnRuQ47fwfbPmln0f-ZFKQ-PoJ_6Cx1Fu-0PD2IsfOoNltDLfEOzs4Uwg0JE-15_CKiI7AIdRBxePj9Q/s1600/IMG_8593.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOl1qjzTL-WabI7Q0ANHBDEJgMvvEwHWttkywRzvTNPiUJmuU2bMbdRR7W2gEnRuQ47fwfbPmln0f-ZFKQ-PoJ_6Cx1Fu-0PD2IsfOoNltDLfEOzs4Uwg0JE-15_CKiI7AIdRBxePj9Q/s400/IMG_8593.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Start with a dried pine cone and tie a long wick around the middle and knot it, so it has two ends. With twine or curling ribbon, tie dried lavender stems and if need be, a drop of lavender oil. Then melt wax -- soy wax is recommended over paraffin, but I suppose both would work. drip that on the knot. Then using a piece of pretty fabric, tie a knot. (The one I bought as a sample at the shop also had a blob of the wax on the bottom of the firestarter, too.) Light both ends of the wicks and off you go! (I suppose you could use wheat or raffia in place of the fabric for a different look.) </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofW8oyUPMdah7hv7LKOn57D5_FChcWLcjqUKxtvYmoghG7poPulhHKNgT5rXN0MpZOcM5okwzTlN6XSoF_3E6H01k1g0GTp7_LPRhrjmnsLHC4653qzQOYSHeysuYvsXRhYmA4L5VB3g/s1600/IMG_8594.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofW8oyUPMdah7hv7LKOn57D5_FChcWLcjqUKxtvYmoghG7poPulhHKNgT5rXN0MpZOcM5okwzTlN6XSoF_3E6H01k1g0GTp7_LPRhrjmnsLHC4653qzQOYSHeysuYvsXRhYmA4L5VB3g/s400/IMG_8594.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Another easy idea -- buy or make muslin tie bags, fill them with dried lavender buds and use in the dryer.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1ZYh47TP0xpT1yeRYMqrba5ci1p_l9kaLNxxLSEWVgI66Q4nhsSvXCtgto_wHXhcLC_nr8I2APFxywxb8Z4V8b1qBzsRbHtGTswj2dWtqAjoCSxVBbHsCuaEWOrl9yyRFjMKJbL2yF4/s1600/IMG_8599.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1ZYh47TP0xpT1yeRYMqrba5ci1p_l9kaLNxxLSEWVgI66Q4nhsSvXCtgto_wHXhcLC_nr8I2APFxywxb8Z4V8b1qBzsRbHtGTswj2dWtqAjoCSxVBbHsCuaEWOrl9yyRFjMKJbL2yF4/s400/IMG_8599.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Peg showed us how to make bath bags -- use epsom salts, lavender, ice cream salts, baking soda and a few drops of lavender and bergemot essential oils. Put into a bag to hand over the shower nozzle or  hang over the faucet/float in the tub.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">(With all items, using a cellophane bag is better than a poly one or baggie because the fragrance will leak.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">Another idea -- a hankie pillow. Instead of tossing Grandma's tatted hankie, fold in half, stitch along two sides, fill with fragrance (they used lavender, lemon verbena, bergemot and mint) and stitch the top. Place between your pillows for a healing sleep!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">...</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYsOpp5a8_BbLJcA2s-HNIsqoBbhMnbJapYBVhnA-8l-_b3MU2ix5OpaM6UEihVhOTMLeYCHPODKSW5ISQeT2a9tQyQX8wZWGMwkNHpQoEQRMQ_QXPzyVk67d8wt7yscrBC5458aq5DY/s1600/IMG_8560.JPG" style="color: #1c9d7b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYsOpp5a8_BbLJcA2s-HNIsqoBbhMnbJapYBVhnA-8l-_b3MU2ix5OpaM6UEihVhOTMLeYCHPODKSW5ISQeT2a9tQyQX8wZWGMwkNHpQoEQRMQ_QXPzyVk67d8wt7yscrBC5458aq5DY/s400/IMG_8560.JPG" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 18, 70); padding: 4px;" width="300" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">They also discussed tinctures -- the importance of essential oils which are pure and so much more! They make their own moth repellent with cedar shavings, dried cedar, rosemary, lavender, cloves and bay along with eucalyptus oil. No chemicals. No moths, either!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">...</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">I think our tea with Peg and Beulah was over too soon -- so much to learn, to savor, to sniff, to see! We wrapped up our visit exploring the grounds a bit more...</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.390625px; text-align: center;">For those who live in the mid-Michigan area, Grand Oak Herb Farm is well worth the drive to Bancroft, a small town easily accessible by I-69. To give you an idea how popular this spot is, we had guests at our table from as far as Detroit! Please check out the website <a href="http://www.grandoakherbfarm.com/" style="color: #1c9d7b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> for additional teas and workshops this summer and return for ones this fall.</div><br /><b><span style="color: magenta;">Again, I thank Jeanie for allowing me to excerpt this from her blog, <a href="http://themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com/">The Marmelade Gypsy</a>. </span></b>

Aromas and Flavors from Jeanie

My blogger friend Jeanie recently wrote about her visit to Grand Oak Herb Farm in mid-Michigan to enjoy a flavorful tea and learn some new aromatherapy ideas. Her blog post about the farm had lots of thoughts on delightful aromas and flavors that contrast with the reading I've been doing, and especi…

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