June 9, 2024
Hygge is an updated barbershop, a new take on something old. As always, Ben provides his memories he has for each scent, so I think it is fitting that I reflect on this scent. My barbershop smelled of burnt hair and perm, from whatever (insert preferred generic word like Super, Master, or Expert)-Cuts mall place I went to for years. Come late college, I ended up at my first barber; open windowed where everyone watches the barbers who were rehabilitated convicted folks. They were incredibly good albeit slow. New city – had to get a new barber. Not as good but they did something new. After the neckline shavette, they splashed me with aftershave. A barbershop scent, probably Pinaud. Onto today, I smell the citrus and oakmoss and the masculine musk off the tub in Hygge. It definitely has the similarities to the “classic” barbershop that I smelled years ago. But more. It is sophisticated and updated, new and improved, representative of growth of both the barbershop scent and Ben as a perfumer. It has a more citrusy piney note that I detect, and more depth of which I cannot specifically pick out but lingers on my face. Hygge is a new modern take. Barbershops, for me, evoke a sense of self finding – even though my barbershop journey seems pretty inconspicuous as far as growth. It really was a defining time period for me as I was discovering myself. Cleaning myself up to look respectable, switching into a career, moving city to city, developing relationships with new people and friends. But I am still me throughout it, just a more updated version.
Today is my passion hobby day, the freshly roasted chicken in the back represents several interlinked hobbies which all revolve around our food system and my obsession with it. I lurk in r/backyardchickens, r/chefit, r/cooking, r/composting, r/fermentation, r/foraging, r/organicgardening, r/permaculture, r/sousvide, r/grilling to name a few. This chicken represents me. Its a local, fully pasture raised, organic freedom ranger, prized for flavor and not breed for consumerism and monoculture money gains. Seasoned with only salt – allowing the chicken to shine and be valued for its flavor merits. I am a very technical cook so hopefully this shows it. I value the organic farming techniques this chicken was raised with; including crop and livestock rotation, open pastured animals, and building soil (ie, compost, compost tea, recycling of a diverse farm like using chicken manure to feed plants). This chicken was sliced onto a salad with Gem lettuce, French radish, strawberries, and scallions; all grown a stones throw from my house and seasonal fruits and vegetables. Its bones will be used for stock to complete the cycle.
Photocontest
Challenge: 38% with 12/32. Embarrassed to say I missed a very cheesy answer.
FOF