hay fever

Few scents remind me of the Midwest more than hay. CB I Hate Perfume's Hay accord is one of my most-treasured fragrances. I don't wear it often, but I sniff it a lot, and I remember clearly the feeling I had when I first smelled it, at the amazing CB I Hate Perfume Gallery in Brooklyn. It was hot and muggy and I'd probably already stuck my nose in thirty bottles, but when I smelled this one the day's frenetic energy disappeared. I was back in the car on a country road, nothing but time and possibility ahead of me.

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According to an article in New York magazine, the farm to table trend has led to a resurgence in cooking with hay. The chefs interviewed acknowledge that the technique is neither particularly new, nor necessarily innovative ("Hay comes from where the chickens lay the eggs," says one. "To cook chicken in hay is a natural thing."), but hay-infused yogurt and hay ice cream are all new to me. What could be more Wisconsin than hay and ice cream together?* Next time I visit New York, I'll give it a try and report back on its transportive powers.

*Fried beer cheese cone.