Join Context and Chandler Burr, the New York Times perfume critic, for an evening of scents and gastronomy at the historic Casa Bleve enoteca housed above the ancient baths of Marcus Agrippa in central Rome. Burr, author of The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris & New York (Henry Holt and Co., 2008), has worked with the head chef of Casa Bleve to craft an exquisite dialogue between some of the world's greatest culinary perfumes and the foods they are derived from.
The evening will begin with an introduction to a category of scents universal in France yet virtually unknown in the world beyond: "les parfums gourmands" or culinary perfumes. These perfumes—by houses from Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana to Dior and Hermès—contain perfumery raw materials made from such edible sources as spices, herbs, fruit, chocolates and teas. In this case, Burr has chosen a selection of perfumes that evoke the Italian landscape and use materials either indigenous or related to Italy.
As Burr unfolds the layers of complexity surrounding these scents and their architecture, participants will get a chance to smell both the perfumes and their molecular components--literally breaking apart the perfumes and reconstructing them in their noses. Each scent is then paired with a dish prepared by Casa Bleve. The result is a gastronomic and olfactory feast, keyed to Italy and Italian culture. For people who love Italy, this is an amazing opportunity to see it through a new lens.
Participants are advised that this is a highly interactive experience, involving five courses paired with a fantastic variety of perfumes. Since we will be smelling perfumes and raw scent materials in between culinary courses, guests are asked not to wear perfume and to avoid scented hair and skin products as these interfere with the experience.
This event will be taking place on Wednesday, June 10th at 7:00pm in the historic Casa Bleve enoteca.
For more information on Chandler Burr, please refer to the link: www.chandlerburr.com
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