My Introduction to Thai Cuisine: Brie

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

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Post by Brie

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For the first thirty years of my life I resided in New York City. My first apartment as a young adult was within walking distance of a miniscule ten table restaurant called “Simply Thai”. It was owned and run by a fearsome threesome team :siblings from Thailand.  The brother was the chef while one sister served as hostess and the other as waitress. This restaurant quickly became my weekly haunt. For $8.95 the early bird special offered up a glass of wine, an appetizer, main entrée and dessert. Every Friday evening my friends and I would devour chicken sate, pad thai and black bean ice cream.

Perfume & Tea Musings: My Introduction to Thai Cuisine

Prescriptives: Calyx
Harney & Sons: Bangkok Green Thai Tea

Calyx Prescriptives FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

 

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Apricot, passionfruit, mint, mandarin orange, cassia, peach, mango, bergamot, grapefruit, papaya, guava
Heart: Cyclamen, lily, melon, freesia, orris root, jasmine, neroli, marigold, lily-of-the-valley, rose
Base: Musk, oakmoss, cedar, sandalwood, vetiver

The fragrance I always wore on those special nights was Prescriptive’s Calyx. The perfume’s overripe, fruity/tartness, with a green tropical vibe perfectly suited the atmosphere and food in Simply Thai.     Harney and Sons Bangkok Green Thai, a green tea with notes of ginger, lemongrass, coconut and vanilla might appear to be an oddity: a schism between the green/spicy lemongrass and ginger combo and the creaminess of the coconut/vanilla mix. Nonetheless, the notes manage to come together to make this an unusually, yet delectable tea. It is the perfect accompaniment to the Thai food and Calyx perfume.

Brie Tea BrittanyPhoto taken by Brittany

My introduction to Thai food in this quaint little restaurant whetted my appetite and desire to explore other cultural and ethnically diverse cuisines which developed into a lifelong endeavor. When I drink Bangkok Green Thai tea and wear my Calyx perfume, I reflect back to that time and place. It serves as a powerful reminder of how truly blessed I was to be surrounded by the very best of friends, great food and an unusual, yet fabulous, fragrance!

(Sadly, Calyx has been reformulated. I own a small vial of the current version. Although it bears the skeletal remains of the original, the overripe fruit, extremely tart concoction has been replaced with a milder, more floral, fresher scent).

Harney and Sons site has Bangkok starts at as little as $2 for samples.
FragranceNet starts at $22/15ml for Calyx
Surrender To Chance starts at $5/2ml

Brie XX

ED: Yes, this a not a new post, I was drinking some Harney & Sons White Mutan tea and thinking of Brie so I have reused one of her posts, the next one will be her last. I am sad. Brie wrote this post ahead of time and will not be responding to comments. I (Portia) will pick up the slack though so please leave a message in the comments if you’d like to continue the conversation. I don’t know why Brie needed to leave us but there is a Brie sized hole in my life without her. Brie, if you are reading, we miss you and hope you are happy and well. Drop in if you are around, we’d love to chat. XXX

15 thoughts on “My Introduction to Thai Cuisine: Brie”

  1. Oh, Portia, it’s a sad fact of life that people’s journeys take them in different directions and they leave others behind, sometimes even without a goodbye. As you get older, you realise that you just have to accept this, but it does cause the heart to hurt.

    Back to Calyx, which I loved from the moment it appeared; it divides opinion in the perfume world, but the original, as Brie says, was wonderful and very innovative. I still hoard some of the pre-reform juice, but as it has a habit of turning, I must use it or lose it. This post is a reminder to do so, and also of the fact that nothing lasts forever, so enjoy while you can ….

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    • So wise Jillie,
      Yes, I know about Lost & Found with people. I still wish they were around. There have only been a very few friends in my life that I have had to make a decision to walk from but even those I still miss.
      Portia xx

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    • As one who knows Brie very well I will vouch for the fact that she did not leave Portia without a good-bye. Brie let Portia know ahead of time that she would no longer be guest writing, but gave Portia at least 9 posts ahead of time. As Portia already knows sometimes we need to get our professional and personal life in order and leave behind hobbies and friends in order to do so. I will attest to the fact that Brie is doing well and very much appreciates Portia’s good wishes. Portia is indeed one of the few of Brie’s online friends who truly expressed concern and friendship. Brie is quite grateful for this and the opportunity to write for such a wonderful blog as APJ.

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      • Veritas,
        Thank you.
        I am glad to know Brie is happy and well. If you talk to her please thank Brie for introducing me to Tulsi and Harney & Sons, they are now constants in my cupboards.
        Yes, we have the final Brie installment next month and I am sad about that, her cheerful and interesting posts are a part of APJ as are the fun photos taken by her daughters.
        So happy to have news,
        Portia xx

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  2. As a relative latecomer to APJ, I’m sorry I didn’t get to “know” Brie before she moved on to the next adventure. Her perfume and tea posts are right up my ally as we Brits say. Harney and Sons do make some great teas and this is no exception – just the right balance of sharp and smooth. I haven’t tried Calyx and now am intrigued to remedy this suggested match.

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    • Hey SallyM,
      We are glad to have you as part of the family, early or late. There’s never a bad time. Should you wish to read the rest of Brie’s lovely posts there is a category list on the right where you can find them.
      Harney & Sons, love them. I am making my way through a mini set and a box of Mutan White. What is your favourite?
      Calyx sadly was reformulated before I got to it and I found it a little meh. It must have been amazing though because so many perfumistas RAVE about it.
      Portia xx

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      • Thank you Portia. My fav is called Love Life – it’s a green tea with strawberry, coconut, vanilla and puffed rice (like Genmaicha which gives it a nutty taste). As well as tasting great 50% of the sales go back to GMHC which invests in AIDS research.
        Yes Calyx does seem very popular – one of the other blogs is also featuring it on today’s post (I can’t recall which one of the 10000 I read every day ;-))

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  3. Just to say that Sally’s right – Gaia is featuring Calyx on her Non Blonde blog. It’s another one of those spooky coincidences that happens in the perfume world (a bit like scent wafting on a wind that carries it around the globe).

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  4. lovely article and I am also a huge fan of Harney and Sons! I am embarrassed to admit that I have gone through 40 of their tea varieties (and am still counting!). I do have some of my favorites and knowing that this is really a perfume blog I have taken the liberty to pair them with my newly discovered love of the Jo Malone fragrances as follows:
    JM Nectarine and Honey Blossom- H & sons Midsommer Peach Tea
    JM Pomegranate Noire-Pomegranate OOlong Tea
    JM Earle Grey Cucumber- Winter White Earle Grey Tea(drinkable “perfume” I kid you not! very heavy on the bergamot)
    JM Blackberry & Bay- Tower of London Tea
    JM Jasmine Mint- Pearl Jasmine tea(delicious and beautiful)
    JM Grapefruit- White Grapefruit tea

    on a final note, my partner, who was always a drinker of coffee exclusively, has now switched his evening beverage to Tulsi tea- he read about the health benenfits of holy basil and it made him a convert!

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    • Soumy Nona,
      What a great comment. I have tried a couple of these and now I will try more.
      LOVE the Tulsi teas, licorice is my fave. They are so robust and delicious.
      Portia xx

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