Description
PART ONE—WORKING WITH WATER
Saturday 20th July 2024 10am–4pm
Workshop Schedule:
Covers working with water as a solvent and how to use it as a vehicle for flavour. Understanding solubility and how water interacts with different ingredients—using infusions and the techniques of hydro and steam distillations. Includes tastings and discussions of different types of water, in particular, what they can contribute to both processes and to flavour. Learn how to super-charge flavour by layering and end the day by creating our own zero-ABV drink.
- Introduction to the energetics of water and solubility.
- Make an infusion with seasonal aromatics (spanning the flavour spectrum of citrus, leafy, flower, root) served with a herbal honey elixir—to kick start our day.
- Infusions: What is in our water—solubility and polarity.
- Hydro distillation in the 10L copper cask hood still—using seasonal aromatics to create a layered and complex hydrosol (the base for our zero ABV botanical martini). Making a complex blend of roots, spices, fruits and aromatic plants to create a complex layered water spirit.
- Water tasting—wild water, distilled water, reverse osmosis, commercial bottled and tap water. A tasting and organoleptic evaluation of different types of water.
- BREAK FOR LUNCH.
- Steam distillation in the 10L copper alembic column still—how to distil essential oil—using the principles of blending and perfumery to create ‘a perfume in the still’ using a variety of aromatic materials.
- Herbal honeys—while our essential oil is distilling, Jill walks us through how to make herbal-infused honeys, and discusses their properties and uses.
- Our essential oil: separating out—what’s NOT in the water? Discussion of separation and low-polarity VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds).
- Make a botanical martini—we’ll end the day with this complex and delicious zero ABV cocktail made with the products from our day’s work—including our hydrosol, and herbal honey.
- Participants will get a small sample of our perfume oil to take home.
**On purchasing this workshop, you will receive complimentary foundation courses on Distilling Hydrosol and Distilling Essential Oil to introduce you to the techniques we use (valued at $175 each). All our online courses come with lifetime access, so you can refer back to them whenever you need, making them a great learning resource. Feel free to explore your online course before or after your workshop with us.
Getting here: Ferry’s depart from downtown Auckland, and take approximately 45 minutes. If you are not staying on the island Friday night, we recommend the 8am ferry to arrive in plenty of time. You can bus to the venue—public buses depart from the ferry terminal at Matiatia. The Onetangi bus (50A or 50B) will go past the venue, ask your friendly driver where to get off if you are unsure.
Lunch: There is a French café and lunch bar in the nearby Surfdale shops (a 5 min walk) or bring your own picnic to enjoy in the garden or at the nearby beach.
