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This issue is largely about nurturing ourselves as women as Mother's Day approaches, and what that really means. We will address the needs of men more toward Father's Day, as men are equally important. Some advice in this news issue can be addressed to either sex. I found Leane's most recent article, "From Sand to Pearls: Nurturing Yourself," most moving and true to even myself. Regardless of my income brackets, I never felt I could afford to pay attention to myself, or if I did, I must be ignoring important duties for other people who depend on me. I rarely felt I could afford a vacation, or a trip to a spa. Many high end professionals and peers always made it clear I could NOT afford to continually work 108 hours a week with no time out. Most of my best ideas did come from what few vacations I took. I realized it is hard to be objective when you are always in the frying pan. So, in this issue, lets get ready to be a little selfish! The additions of essential oils expert Leane Ketcherside and Chef Greg Engelhardt to our family has had a profound impact on my own care, and the way I make better use of my own skin care laboratory as well as my kitchen. With the kids in college, eating for one these days is just such a bummer. I began to eat "door food," which is whatever is in the fridge door and that often is quite gross. Thanks to Greg's inspiration, I just cannot do that anymore and am re-learning respect for food. I am now growing greens and things I have always wanted to do--but lacked that extra motivation. I am coming to appreciate all areas of my life, not just parts, and it is rewarding. I am taking Greg's invitation up to fly to Las Vegas and see him in action, as well as meet his hardest critiques, his parents. While there, I will also be checking out the soap and candle makers, to be sure. I may also be attending a wedding with him in June in Naples, Italy, near where the Balsamico is made that Greg just adores so much. Check out our clearance section, as we are selling items such as sour cherry flavor and sour apple flavor oil. We decided to just sell sour alone and allow people to mix their flavor. The same goes with apricots and cream. Vanilla and apricot can be mixed to achieve this. Click here for clearance. We have also set up a serious wholesale site for those customers who prefer to buy in larger volume. The minimum order is $100 in that section of our site. Click here to see our wholesale pricing. Our next issue is wonderful and will address many important up and coming summer issues. Insect repellent, for example, is selling like mad here, and we have not really discussed it this year. I guess the public is very worried about the up and coming mosquito season. Citronella is really selling. But we do have other classy and more effective ways and formulas to handle these insects, above and beyond the normal Citronella formula. Leane found Catnip Essential oil is much more effective that DEET, and she will be offering formulas and combinations we can enjoy, as well as an article I will be writing again about making the out door SoyWax™ repellent candles in galvanized buckets. There is an item you can make for $5 that would cost $30 or more in the stores! Greg says his Microgreens grew in one week and we will start selling the Microgreen kit soon. He wanted everything perfect, as usual.
Enter
our new Designer fragrance oil line.
Alfred Sung, one of
my favorites, smells just like the $400+ perfume,
Chef
Gregory Engelhardt April
21, 2004 Where
do I begin? The story
of Traditional Balsamico is one that gets better every day.
It all starts in It
begins with grape juice, just like wine.
Grape vines are grown in the back yard of the home
producing the balsamico. During
the summer months, the local Trebbiano
and Lambrusco grapes
spend warm days ripening, getting ready to lend their juices.
Like all harvests for wine making, the grapes are picked
from the vine and juiced in the fall.
Unlike the wine making process, the juice for the vinegar
is cooked in a huge pot until it has reached half of its original
volume. After it
cools, this grape juice reduction is stored in wooden barrels for
a few months where it begins to make alcohol.
Then, like magic from the special After
the wine has turned to vinegar, it is taken from its original
barrel and placed into what is known as the The
uninsulated attics of the village houses work best for climate
control needed to cultivate the special vinegar, and is where the battery
of barrels is kept. This
is how Mother Nature adds her magic: The
hot summer months offer the perfect temperature to initiate high
fermentation levels, and with all the heat and activity, the
vinegar begins to reduce. It
will loose half its volume throughout the summer. As
winter arrives, bringing with it the cold temperatures, the
fermentation process stops and the vinegar begins to rest and
becomes still. During
the winter (while the vinegar is “sleeping”), the vinegar now
reduced in volume, is scooped out and moved into the next barrel
in line. Meanwhile,
the grapes of this year’s growing season have been picked,
pressed, and cooked all over again, and will be filled in the now
vacant giant barrel. Now
we have 2 barrels filled with vinegar.
One (the largest one) with the newest and youngest vinegar
now added, and the next one in line with the season’s reduced
vinegar that has just been moved. The
next summer brings more plump grapes in the back yard and more
fermentation and natural reduction within both
barrels. Fall brings
yet another grape harvest and more young vinegar is produced.
Again, cold winter months slow down the activity
(fermentation and reduction) within the battery
of barrels and the vinegar begins to rest and become still.
While it is sleeping, the producer transfers the vinegar
down the line leaving the largest barrel emptied yet again.
The young vinegar from that fall fills the large barrel and
waits for the summer to start things all over again. After
12 years, we have vinegar in each of the 12 barrels…the last
being the pot of gold of course.
This last special barrel is called the “mother”.
We don’t stop there though!
The mother barrel works just like the other 11 in the
system but with one major difference.
As winter approaches, and the vinegar within the mother
settles, there is no next barrel for the vinegar to go.
Where does it go? Once
the balsamico has developed within the mother barrel for the year
(12 years in the battery), it is ready to be judged by what is
known as the Consorzio of
Producers of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.
The consortium controls the tasting and bottling of the
vinegar, and guarantees that the balsamico meets all
qualifications set forth by law.
It is only with the approval from the consortium that the
family may fill their time-honored tradition into the small 100ml
glass bottle. The
bottles are works of art in their own right.
Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, a renowned Italian car
designer, they are labeled on one side by the consortium and on
the other side by the producer.
They contain a seal with the words Aceto
Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena D.O.C. Now,
maybe you have heard about 25 year traditional balsamico, or even
40 years (like the one in my kitchen).
What does this imply?
You guessed it! The
balsamico spends 25 years in the battery (12 years to reach the
mother, and the remaining 13 developing within it) before it is
taken to the consortium for approval.
And yes…40 year balsamico waited patiently 4 decades to
get the chance to show its stuff to the panel of tasters. Traditional
Balsamico is very dark in color and made most unique from the
exposure to the many woods it aged in over the years (oak,
juniper, chestnut, cherry, ash, and mulberry).
It is pleasantly sweet while slightly acidic. It can be
used with almost any ingredient as an enhancement, but finds a
magical place with onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, fruits,
cheese, berries; mainly strawberries; and even vanilla ice cream.
It pours like honey when it’s 25 years old.
The bottle is amazing enough to make it worthy of
presidential dessert conversation!
True
balsamico- a true gift to the arts!
This Italian gem is most definitely the most prized and
cherished ingredient in my kitchen.
Few families are left making the true Balsamico.
The hard work and dedication is felt in every drop.
Generations of love and passion can be passed down the
barrels and eventually corked up in a small glass bottle.
True balsamico is a special addition to any kitchen.
I
want to thank my Italian Family ( Catzorolla
Gorgonzola!! Ciaooooo…
Glorious Melt and Pour Soaps
The only patience they seem to take is just the very thin layer over them and allowing them to cool for an hour before you do another thin layer. You do not want the flower to float up or to be too covered with the base. It needs to stick out a little like a 3D deal, and be used within a few weeks unless you are using silk. This is because we use no preservatives and a real bloom may turn brown. The only way to do a long term embed is to do a thin coat of paraffin over a silk embed and that is just way too tricky to work with, but can be done.
Essential Oils 101:Vol V-Say I Love You with Lavender By Leane Ketcherside
Most
of us have a box of treasures safely tucked away under the bed
filled with tangible, homemade memories Mothers never outgrow the love for their children, nor do they lose the sentimental tug-on-the-heartstrings when presented with gifts made from the hands of their children—even if their children are in their forties. This Mother’s Day, remind Mom why she kept you around and say “I Love You” with Lavender! While you’re at it, make an extra set of gifts to keep, for those days when you really need to say “I Love You” to yourself. Lavender Light Mabel’s Cotton Wicks (for 3” diameter) Melt wax in the microwave to 150 degrees. While allowing the wax to cool, place the wicks in the candle tins. If you wish to add any color, stir it in now, and then stir in the Lavender and mix very well. Pour into the prepared tins and let set over night. Lavender Bath Oil Salts 3 teaspoons Bulgarian Lavender EO 1 cup carrier oil (Sweet Almond, Apricot Kernel, etc,) Add the ROE to the oil and mix well. Add the Lavender to the Dendritic Salt and mix well, then stir this into the oil until well mixed. Add the oil mixture to the Spa salts and mix very well. Package in a pretty antique canister or in a Mason jar tied with ribbon. Don’t forget to add the scoop! Use 3 or 4 scoops per bath. * Please Note: If this is intended for someone who is elderly or prone to slipping and falls, you may want to omit the oil from the recipe. Lavender Agave Facial 2 oz Kaolin or French Pink Clay 8-10 drops Bulgarian Lavender EO Two Mabel’s Boomerang Spatulas In a bowl, mix the clay and Agave, starting with 4 ounces and adding more Agave until you get the desired consistency. (I usually go with 6 ounces). Stir in the Lavender and mix very well. Divide into the candle tins, lay the Boomerang spatula on top and tie with ribbon or raffia. Use the Boomerang to scoop out enough mixture for a facial and spread all over the face and throat. Leave it on 10 to 15 minutes, and then rinse with warm water and follow with a moisturizer. You’ll be amazed with the results! Makes several facials per tin. Use at least once a week. Lavender Satin One of the absolute best ways to pamper and care for your skin. 8 ounces of Mabel’s Shea Butter ¾ teaspoon Bulgarian Lavender EO Zap the Shea Butter in the microwave until melted. Add the ROE. Mix the Lavender with the Dendritic Salt and add to the warm oil. Mix very well. Pour into the candle tins and allow to set up. You will need to stir it in the tins once in a while to keep the Lavender mixed and to help it set up smoothly. Lay the Boomerang spatula on top of the tin and tie with ribbon or raffia. Use the Boomerang to scoop up the butter and apply everywhere your skin needs a little help! Lavender Silk 8 oz Arrowroot Powder 1/2 tsp Dendritic Salt 1/2 tsp Bulgarian Lavender EO Blend the Lavender with the Dendritic salt and then mix into the Arrowroot powder. Blend this very well and let it sit for a day to absorb the fragrance. You now have a Talc-free body powder keep you dry and cool in the hot months ahead, as well as to lift your spirits with its beautiful, calming scent. Package in a pretty tin with a powder puff from Wal Mart. Lavender Calm A bottle of Bulgarian Lavender EO 2 ounce bottle of any of Mabel’s wonderful Carrier Oils A set of beautiful cotton Handkerchiefs Plastic Pipettes tied with ribbon One candle tin of Lavender Satin A Container of Lavender silk A print out of 30 Things to do with Lavender in this issue, pasted inside a beautiful Mother’s day card.
Agave Nectar for Everything! Agave Nectar is a sweet sap that comes from the Agave Cacti family. I am sure the vegans will approve of this great product. It looks and tastes as sweet as honey, or maple syrup, but is no where nearly as sticky. Every department here was shipped huge samples of Agave Nectar and every department just loves it. It comes in light and amber, as well as sticks for Chai and such. Color of Agave Nectar being the main variation. Cooking: Greg says it is 25% cheaper for Chefs to use and pours much more quickly than honey when having to prepare gourmet dishes quickly. He will be building many recipes around this sweet fluid as well as coupling it with the Balsamico Vinegar in some recipes for a real mouth orgasm. Other times it will be used to swirl around a finished plate for artistic design. I love the Agave Nectar original version sticks to stir in my Chai. I think our mango flavor oil mixed with Agave would be great for decorating high end gourmet dishes as well as kiwi.
Skin Care: Our Essential Oils expert has already whipped up many facial mask recipes with the Agave Nectar and finds it is a wonderful humectant, and agreed with me, it is not as sticky as honey. Look forward to some neat articles from Leane on the use of Agave for skin care. Click here to buy Agave Nectar in 11.7 ounce bottles. The nectar is just that good, you have to try it.
Signature Recipes by Chef Gregory Engelhardt: Fresh Garden Strawberries and Vanilla Powder
Although the Deep-Fried Garden-Fresh Strawberries with powdered vanilla is the highest in difficulty level, it is one of the most decadent deserts I have ever designed. I call this recipe the "Let's Rock and Roll" of them all and dedicate this particular recipe to Deborah Dolen, our wonderful Editor in Chief who loves strawberries!
Click here for the Mabel Signature Strawberry Recipes in HTML Powdered Vanilla Click Here
From Sand to Pearls: Nurturing Your Self by Leane Ketcherside I have
been working with Essential Oils and herbs nearly every day for more
than fifteen years. The ways in which the daily practice of Aromatherapy
and herbal use have enhanced my life and the lives of those I love are
endless. With my first fleeting whiff of Lavender I knew I’d found
Peace in a bottle, and that I had also found my passion. Throughout
these years of research, trial and error and a thirst for knowledge that
often borders on obsession, this passion of mine has led me down a path
of such profound self-discovery, spirituality, gratitude and respect for
Nature that it still leaves me awe-struck and humbled. My
business was designing soft sculpture dolls, and it was thriving. I
designed actual patterns for distribution in the An
accident left me with a broken hand which required four surgeries and
months of Physical Therapy. Suddenly the ridiculous deadlines and
business demands were out of my control. For months, there was just
nothing I could do about any of it, except worry, and I did plenty of
that for a while. When I finally came to accept what
was, as opposed to
what I wanted,
my life changed so quickly and dramatically that I literally caught
myself walking in a state of wonder with my mouth hanging open. What I
thought was my undoing was actually my salvation. Lesson #2: If you take the
time to pay attention, the hints just keep on coming’! I
suddenly had time.
I was surrounded by quiet. I am a voracious reader with a deep love of learning, and
had always wanted to delve into the world of Aromatherapy and Essential
Oils. I headed to my local Health food store and bought every book I
could find on the subject—six in total. Then I wandered down the EO
aisle and asked a lady to help me get the lid off a Lavender
tester—that first whiff. With the help of this kind stranger, I
sniffed, wafted and tested every EO on the shelves and felt calmed and
excited at the same time—a completely new experience for me. Up until
that moment—still so clear in my mind that I can remember the feeling
of being cradled in serenity—I thought peace was an illusion; more an
ideal than something one could actually experience. I left
the store with my books and a bottle each of Lavender, Chamomile Roman,
Eucalyptus, Tea Tree and Clary Sage. It felt exactly like what it
was—my life was about to change. Lesson #3: Tear down the old
belief systems. Oh,
the erroneous beliefs and ideas we women hold sacred! Shall I run down a
partial list?
Lesson
# 4: Self care is the beginning of all things wonderful. When
I returned home with my treasures from the market, several things
happened at once. I added a few drops of Lavender & Clary Sage to a
pan of water and simmered it slowly on the stove. The atmosphere in my
home became serene and I felt comforted. I read all six books,
simultaneously flipping back & forth from one to another until I was
so filled with ideas I thought I could burst. After experiencing the
powerful calming effects of Aromatherapy for the first time, I felt what
I can only describe as a fundamental “shift” in my thinking. In
bursts of clarity, I began to see how some of the ways I had been living
my life were negatively affecting not only me, but those I loved as
well. My frantic, harried and stressful attitudes spread like a virus to
those around me, and chaos ruled. I suddenly understood that I set the
tone for how life would be for all of us because I was Wife and Mom. If
I was unhappy, stressed out and snappish, the entire household followed
suit. If I was humming, smiling and peaceful, I saw that my family
responded in kind. It
was then I realized what an awesome power and responsibility I had, and
it shook me. I understood that for the sake of my sanity and my health,
I had to find ways to take care of myself. With the realization of the
direct impact my state of being had on my family, came the
“permission” I could grant myself to “be selfish” and do what I
needed to do. After this, the dam burst and all our lives
changed for the better. I
began to listen to my body, and to pay close attention to what it was
telling me. When I found myself so filled with worry and anxiety that my
shoulders were up around my ears and my teeth were clenched, I asked
myself questions. What’s bothering me? Why am I so tense? What do I
fear? I followed these wispy question-threads and usually ended up
soaking in a warm, Lavender-scented bath and letting it float out of my
mind for a while, sometimes never to return. Most often, I emerged from
my bath with a sense of well-being and clarity. I usually found that,
although there were real issues, worrying about them could never solve
them. By backing off the problem and allowing my mind and body to rest a
while, things were more clear and I usually discovered that the problem
that plagued me an hour ago wasn’t really so big. My
greatest challenge was learning how to let things just be as they were
without trying to force them to be something else. Not everything needs
fixing, and very often, problems are lessons in disguise. I
grew my Essential Oil collection and began making soaps, Soy
Aromatherapy candles, crèmes,
bath luxuries and home remedies. I created a daily routine of
Aromatherapy bathing, quiet meditation, playing soft music, burning my
Aromatherapy candles and developed the practice of keeping journals. As
I grew more peaceful, I also became kinder and more loving. I did things
for my family from a sense of love and a desire to show it, rather than
from a sense of meaningless obligation. From this grew a genuine desire
to share and grow and learn as much as I could, and I came to live in
gratitude, which sustains me to this day. Nurturing
ourselves is not selfish, it is necessary. As women, we are the keepers
of home, kin and sanity. We set the tone and keep the peace. What we
teach our children, we teach the world. In order to create balance in
our world, we must first create balance within ourselves. I passionately
believe that, when necessary, it is better to feed a meal of BP&J
(Sorry, Since
that first whiff of Lavender, my skills and knowledge continue to grow,
and my passion is even stronger to continue learning, creating and
growing as a person. Although I have suffered tragedies, tremendous loss
and illness throughout these years, as most of us do, my attitudes,
beliefs and daily practices have sustained me, even when I wanted to
give up. I have learned to let go of so many of the fears and
self-defeating beliefs that once held me back, and my journals have
evolved into a book titled, From Sand to Pearls: One Woman’s Journey from Despair to Peace.
Someday I may even publish it. Lesson
#5: We owe it to each other to encourage Nurturing & Self-care From
time to time, I will pass along some of my rituals, recipes and plenty
of encouragement
to remind us all how important it is that we take good care of
ourselves, and I ask you to do the same for the women in your lives. A
better world begins with each individual, and balance is the key to an
authentic life.
SoyWax™ and Wicks
Somehow, somewhere, everyone was raving about using cotton and/or hemp wicks and NOT to use zinc core. So, I did switch this year to just a cotton braided/and or hemp wick. Then, all of the sudden, my candles burned down the middle and not the sides! At first I thought it was the wax. I took all eight brands of soybean oil based waxes that are offered on the market and made a candle with each one--using a zinc core wick in each one, and another with cotton. I had 16 candles burning all night and I am sure my neighbors thought I was having a séance in my home. It was quite a sight! But
I really had to get to the bottom of the issue, because some
customers also were experiencing similar Cargill's brand of container wax and votive wax was still the absolute best, even though some samples I was sent were considerably cheaper. I wished they had worked out--but they could not compare. The bottom line is, you buy cheap--cheap stuff is what you get. I did make a commitment to sell only Cargill and I did add their votive blend back in our store. I did learn, after that experience, of who actually makes the best cotton and primed wicks and that diameter does matter. So, I also adjusted our wick selection of cotton wicks I do believe in, in three common diameters. Click here for our new wicks. Having this knowledge and the fact frosted apothecary glass is still the best for soy candles in general, I am ready to make a bunch!
Essential Oils 101: Volume IV: 30 Things to do with Lavender by Leane Ketcherside
A bottle of
Lavender, a beautiful
hanky, water, your favorite carrier oil, a bath tub or shower
and a
|
battery
of wooden barrels.
In
a pinch for mothers day gifts? I would do up some gourmet
coffee we discussed how to make in archives (below,) or these lovely and
simple to make flower embedded soaps. I prepared these soaps
using just a clear melt and pour base along with some silk and
some real buds. Depending on what you have handy. 
Edible
love nectar:
My department. I find it is so great I just drink it!
I am a sweet freak and sweet things have been my all around
panacea for years. Agave nectar is like vegetable
glycerin in texture, more affordable, as well as a better
taste. It comes in bottles and sticks. I would
buy the Amber light to mix food color and flavor oils. The
amber dark is more for Skin Care and Chef's. I do like
four sticks offered as a great way to market edible love lotion
in a discreet manner. Original, Agave Sour Strawberry,
Agave Sour Raspberry, and Agave Sour Watermelon sticks.
For any women already selling edible love lotion and buying
vegetable glycerin from me, I have a ton of free samples sticks
I do want to send that group--please e-mail me at
This is a Mabel White Signature Recipe inspired by the magic
vanilla and strawberries create together.
Garden-Fresh
Strawberries
When
I got into making soy candles three or four years ago, I had no
clue the concept was just coming out. People were previously
using the more volatile paraffin. Call it beginners luck,
but my first soy container candles came out great for the first
few years. Back then, I was not paying attention to how hot
I poured or anything else for that matter and I was using zinc
core wicks. I just made sure I did not do a fragrance over
load and mixed any fragrance very well before I poured. I do
like to add 5% beeswax for a rich texture. 
stove. That’s all you need to create calm and help many of
the things that ail you. I’ll show you just how simple and
powerful this humble EO is to use.