Vetiver Roots 02, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

This afternoon I blended some vetiver bath salts... You may remember from a short while back this summer, I mentioned how unpopular were the Lavender bath salts, and how I was going to replace them with a vetiver scent... The lavender is probably not the problem, but rather - the accompanying notes (or their names... go figure): licorice and vanilla. Vanilla is popular alright, but licorice tends to divide people: most either love it or hate it. Very few feel lukewarm, on the fence or just pleasantly ok about it. And for the most part, it is an acquired taste... There are some cultural preferences around licorice. I knew for quite sometime that most Asian cultures do not enjoy licorice candy or licorice flavour (though they seem quite fond of star anise! Go figure…). And just recently, I learned from my Swiss intern Olivier, that in Europe there is something that is called “the licorice border” that runs along the Elbe river: everyone north of that line loves licorice, and to the south of it – they cannot tolerate it… The border runs along a river.

Back to vetiver: the bath salts I’ve created are a simplified version of Vetiver Racinettes. It has a hint of coffee, spices, wild mushroom and tarragon (can’t escape the licorice, can I?) but really, just a hint. It’s all about vetiver, and a lot of Australian sandalwood to boot – which gives it this smooth woody scent which I find to work beautifully in body products. I used some special salts in this which I’m very excited about: Ancient Canadian bath salts from Saskatchewan, Dead Sea salts from Israel. So you can understand why I’m feeling really at home with this bath…

While my stuffed grapevine leaves were cooking on the stove*, I immersed myself in a Vetiver Ritual Bath this evening and the scent lingered for a long, relaxing hot bath even though I haven’t used that much salt; and my skin still smells delicately of vetiver and sandalwood as I write this.

* You won't believe it! I found some freshly picked leaves in the farmers' market last Saturday and I'm making them for my brother's birthday feast tomorrow... So excited: it's been 2 years since I had these last, probably 3 since I last made them from fresh leaves!!!

Eggplant and Polenta Appies, originally uploaded by So Misguided.

Here's a closer look at the assortment of savoury canapes and tea sandwiches we served at the party. At the bottom: curried egg salad sandwiches (with a bit of raisins - that was Lucy's idea!) on fluffy brioche; Smoked salmon tea sandwiches with capers, dill and chives (a classic!) - made with Russian rye bread; and behind them (you can't see them) - smoked cheddar & gala apple sandwiches, on multigrain bread.

2nd tier featured roasted eggplant rolls filled with chevre and fig pesto (recipe to follow); and wheat & dairy free "bruchetta" - polenta slices with tomato, basil and black olives drizzled with the lightest sprinkle of balsamic vinegar. The olives makes a good substitute for cheese (this would more typically be served on bread with a sliced of bocconcinni - fresh mozzarella cheese).

FIG & WALNUT PESTO
8 dried figs
1/2 cup red wine
12 dry black olives (pickled in coarse salt, rather than brine), pits removed
1 cup walnuts
2 Tbs. fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. walnut oil
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak figs overnight in red wine. Strain, remove stems and chop figs up. Blend with other ingredients in a blender until a chunky pesto-like consistency is achieved.
This pesto can be used on breads, cheeses and appetizers as well as pasta sauces.