Everyone always asks, “Why The Yolk? What does it mean?” I loved the food nerd classes in culinary school, and one of my favorite bits of trivia was that the number of pleats in a chef’s toque were said to represent the 100 ways you can cook an egg. This concept blew my mind. The endless versatility of what could be created with one thing. Also, yolks are very symbolic in so many cultures, representing abundance and good fortune. And who doesn’t love a runny yolk all over whatever they’re eating?

The mixes and potions are two very different animals and processes. But both are designed to be creative tools to play with in your kitchen.

The Flavor Accelerators were designed to make things very easy and versatile while cooking — and not with a dash or a pinch. They’re in wide-mouth jars to encourage the cook to really flavor and experiment with food. I created what I needed for my own cooking needs, but both home and professional chefs have introduced me to fantastic ideas on how to utilize them in ways that I’d never think of.

The Modern Potions were a very elaborate process, as I formulated them based on how perfumes are layered. Each set of potions shares a nut-flavored base note, two flavors as the heart note, and all have herbal top notes. I was able to source some gorgeous ingredients like Hawaiian nutmeg, Korean plum, Turkish rosewater, and the best chocolate extract in the business. These layered bouquets have endless drink and dessert options, as I also worked with the flavor wheels of coffee, chocolate, and whiskey.