The Soap Life

January 12, 2019

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Saturday Cocktails

The older you get, the more the "little" stuff means to you. I have always loved food. I have always loved the experience of food. I like the feeling you get when you bite into or drink something that can transport you somewhere else in your mind. It can make you remember something.. a time, place, or person that you got to share that time with. I use food as one of my "stop and smell the flowers" mediums for life.

The Whiskey Sour is my favorite cocktail in the world. I love a classic cocktail. I love the simplicity, I love the feeling you get when you sip through the foam to have a perfectly balanced drink.   

This is my recipe, that I have taken the honey from a "Beez Kneez", the bitters from an "old fashioned", and used them with the traditional ingredients of the "Whiskey Sour" to make my version of a perfect cocktail. 

Gather your ingredients.

Pictured here is 

1.  Bourbon of choice.  I really like Bulleit for my go to for cocktails. If I am drinking a Bourbon neat or on the rocks, Angels Envy is my choice, hands down.

2.  Lemon juice or lemons, or both.  I really like the Santa Cruz lemon juice.

3.  A jigger 2 oz large head and 1 oz small head.

4.  Honey

5.  Bitters

6.  Boston shaker, rocks glasses, and pint glass.

Lets now make the garnish. The lemon peel is very important for this ingredient.  It is not only for a nice finishing touch to contrast the drink, the bright lemon fragrance contrasts the sweet drink the zing the tastebuds.

Cut the ends off the ends like so.

Next take a bar spoon and push the spoon halfway into the lemon like this and push down to separate the lemon from the peel.

Rotate it around separating it around completely. After you are done with the first side, flip it around and do the same to the other side.

Slice just the peel.

Now, you have the peel.

Roll it up like this.

 Cut like so.

Now, the garnishes are done until you use them.

Let's get to the drink.   

Take approx. 1/2 cup of honey and put in a dish.   Add a smidge of hot water to it and stir.  This creates a solution which makes it shakeable in the drink. If you don't do this part, you will add it and it will be rock candy floating around.

Add your ingredients to the pint glass.  This recipe is for 2 drinks.  

Recipe:

5 oz Bourbon

2 oz Lemon Juice

2 oz + 1 kiss more honey solution

5 dashes Bitters.

Next get your Boston Shaker

Put it on your pint glass at an angle and give it a whack on top.

You should be able to lift it up by the shaker and have the glass lift up as well.

Flip the glass so it is on top.  Notice, I there is no ice in the glass.   We are dry shaking this drink.  The reason I dry shake this is, I am pouring over ice.  If you want to serve it "Straight Up" you would add ice at the last second before you put the shaker on the glass.

Next, you shake the begeezus out of it. I shake vigorously for at least 10 seconds. You have to shake more when you dry shake vs when you have ice in the shaker because the ice helps to aerate the drink. And the agitation is the reason for the shaking.

Now, get your cubes.  I use large cubes because they make the drink cold, and they don't melt and bruise your drink. I like a round cube for a women and square cube for a man.

Pour your beautifully shaken drink over the cube.

Admire that foam..this is my wife's drink.  It is this point where I get most excited. I become nostalgic (I told you I love the food/drink experience) , this is literally where I look at the drink and it makes me think of who is going to drink it. I share this experience with them and they don't even know it.  It zings this emotional feeling for me as I get to share a little piece of life with them. 

Next, take one of your little rolls of lemon peels, hold it directly over your glass and stretch it out and give it a little twist. This releases the oils and gives that lemon brightness to the top of your drink.

Cheers,

Justin

2019 FCS of The Month Changes

First of all, I’d like to say THANK YOU from both Justin & Shannon and everyone here at Fortune Cookie Soap. We always say we have the BEST customers and can’t do what we love with out you. We truly appreciate each and every one of you. <3 

We have been listening carefully to your feedback, and are making some changes to our monthly box for the coming year ahead, which we are very excited to share with you.

As of right now, we are having a custom page built for the new box that will reflect all the upcoming changes. We don’t have an exact ETA for it but hope that it will be up and running soon. You will get an email once it’s ready, so keep an eye out for that!

Below is an outline of those changes. Scroll down for more FAQ's

FCS of The Month for 2019

Monthly Option

  1. $16.95 month
  2. One full-size product ($12+ value)
  3. Three deluxe size samples
  4. $40+ value
  5. $10 discount code off $25 purchase exp 30 days
  6. Free US shipping
  7. Scent description Postcard
  8. Small-ish launch at the end of the month

Four Season’s Option

  1. $67.80/ year (billed annually)
  2. The fortune cookie soap returns!
  3. plus 4-5 deluxe size samples
  4. Free US shipping
  5. $40+ value
  6. $10 discount code off $25 purchase exp 30 days
  7. Scent Description Postcard
  8. Larger end-of-month Launch party at 6pm
  9. Quarterly boxes ship out Feb 12th, May 12th, August 12th, and Nov 12th.
  10. Gift option available (does not automatically renew)

Annual Option

Annually $186.45/ year - that’s 1 month free! (Auto billed annually)

  1. Gift option available (does not automatically renew)

 

FAQ’s

  1. Do I need more than one subscription? No, there are only 12 boxes a year, just different ways to purchase them.
  2. Can I still skip? Yes, but only with the monthly option. You still have complete control of your subscription and can choose when to skip or cancel. The yearly and the Four Season’s are prepaid.
  3. I want to keep my subscription, do I need to do anything on my end? Nope! We got it, we'll change the pricing on our end. 
  4. Are there going to be scents available in the launch at the end of the month that aren’t in the box? No, all the scents in the box will be available at the end of the month launch. (no extended scents)
  5. What about fandom? I’m really going to miss the fandom themes. Good news! (We LOVE it too and will still be doing plenty of fandom, probably about one collection a month or so. 

We appreciate that this is a very big change, and know that this won’t be a perfect fit for everyone. I do hope that you give it a chance and know that we we intend to do all we can to make FCS better and better for you. Bring on the new year!

Sincerely,

Justin & Shannon

October 03, 2018

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Lazy Day Sushi

If you are like me,  you love some soosh!  If you go out for sushi, it is definitely a treat! 

If you have 4 kids that like sushi, it is a rarity. 

In order to get my fix, and not spend too much time or money on it, I started making "Lazy Sushi".  Here are the steps it takes to create a couple of salmon rolls.   I used riced cauliflower for this as I have been trying to do fewer carbs.  

First Step- (using riced Cauliflower)  Get frozen riced cauliflower (super cheap at Trader Joe's or Costco).  Lightly cook in pan over med/low heat with a little sesame oil.  Be careful not to use more than you want as it is strong stuff and can overpower.  I start out with 1/8 tsp, and go from there.  As soon as it is cooked throughly and moisture has evaporated, sprinkle with a little salt, put in a little rice wine vinegar, then remove it from heat and put on plate.

Allow to come to room temperature for approx 30 minutes.

 Next-  Gather your tools.  I used Costco smoked salmon, nori sheets (target, or walmart), chili sauce, cucumbers, cream cheese, match stick carrots, avocado, and bell pepper.  This is just what I had on hand in the fridge.

If you go out to sushi, they will be using fresh sushi grade salmon.   I like the ease of this, and I use only about half the package for 3 rolls which makes it reasonably priced.  

OK, now get a sushi mat.  This pictured below is a charger that we had in the china cabinet.  I've had a lot of sushi mats, but for some reason the kids seem to use them as swords and break them.  So this is a "make the most of what you have" situation.

Now, get out a piece of nori and lay it on top of a piece of parchment paper.  If you are using a real sushi mat and rice combo, you typically wrap the mat in Saran wrap to prevent sticking.   I like using parchment paper as it maintains its structure, and doesn't stick. Saran wrap sticks all over itself, and you end up waving your arms around like a cat with a sticker stuck to its paw.

Put a little rice/cauliflower on the nori sheet.  Leave room up top.

Put a little row of your ingredients on top of the cauliflower.

Now, this is the hardest part, but once you do it a couple of times.. you're good.  Grab the mat/parchment that is closest to you, and fold the nori over itself.  Once the nori is over itself and all the ingredients are in the middle, give it a squeeze really so all the ingredients go together.  Move your hands around and give it a little squeeze on the entire roll so it forms a tight log.

There should be a little extra little tab of nori.  Take your finger and place a bead of water on it, then finish the roll and it will stick to itself.

You are free to stop there, or take it up a step.  I added more of the salmon on top of the nori.  You could also put avocado on top too.

Cut in half

Put halves together and make 3 slices through both lengths.  This will give you 8 pieces.  Be sure to use a sharp knife.  A dull knife will rip apart your rolls, and make you realize that you need to work on your patience and cussing.

Mix together some mayo, sriracha, and a couple drops of sesame oil.  No real measurements here, just start with a little sriracha, then add mayo until its the consistency you like.

Put rolls on plates and top with a little of your sauce.  Hit it with a drop of Sriracha, and sprinkle some sesame seeds on it.

Boom! Lazy Day Sushi. (aka recovering from a minor medical procedure and taking it easy :p)

September 21, 2018

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Think Small

Do you ever feel overwhelmed, out of control, unable to make simple decisions, grasping to control anything because everything is out of spinning out of control in your life?  Unfortunately, this feeling is not new to me.  Being a husband, dad, business owner etc.. takes a ton of thought and energy.  I sometimes feel like I suck equally at everything because I'm not good at anything.  This is mainly because I lose my priorities.  If you don't learn how to balance life or thoughts especially.. they can make you feel like they are smothering you.   I wanted to share my thoughts on this as I think some of you may be able to relate.

When I feel like am trying to control everything and I'm overwhelmed its time for me to think small.   I moved to Oklahoma 15 years ago from southern CA.  I missed In-n-out, and "The Hat" pastrami sandwiches,  the LA lifestyle, and that's about it.. or so I thought.   I really missed surfing, and honestly, I didn't know why because I am a horrible surfer, in the surfing world anyways.  After I received a hambord classic skateboard for my birthday I realized what it was.   

Surfing made me feel small. 

Not necessarily in stature, but in the priority in the world.  And this is a wonderful thing.   Imagine sitting on a little floating board and looking out in the vast ocean and you see nothing but horizon and water.  All of a sudden this dolphin swims by you, and you pray it's not a shark.  You realize that you're really insignificant to your surroundings as you spring your legs on top of your styrofoam board giving you a false sense of safety.  As you look back towards the horizon, a rising mound of water comes creeping towards you from the abyss. 

You turn and face the land and begin to paddle your little arms as fast as you can.  The mound quickly lifts you up to the top so you are looking down on what seems like a two-story fall.  You slowly try and stand up and... smash!  You crash headfirst into the concrete feeling water and begin flipping and twisting underwater for what seems like minutes. 

When you finally stop, you begin frantically swimming to the surface only to realize that you're now hitting the bottom with your hand.   Well, "crap" (there's a good chance my mind says something else here) you say to yourself and begin swimming towards the surface.  You finally break through the water a take a huge gasping breath and smash... The next wave breaks right on top of your head feeling like someone dropped a Volkswagen bug directly on you.  That cycle can happen a few times if you happen to time it wonderfully like I seem to do. 

Finally, you are close enough into shore to realize that it's time to stand up, slowly walk your exhausted body in the sand and eat a bologna and miracle whip sandwich (don't judge).

This was the defeated feeling I had towards surfing for around a year, until that day.. That wonderful day where I looked down on that water below, I quickly grabbed the sides of my board, sprung to my feet and raced down the face of that wave.   As I was being pushed on top of that water, I saw the wall of that wave right next to me.  I touched it slowly with my fingertips and I could just feel the beautiful massive power in it.  At this time, I felt an indescribable deep joy, not only with the sense of accomplishment that I had; but just a contentment and happiness in life.  I felt... "this is what it's for".  Nothing else mattered, nor will ever matter.  That moment was all that ever mattered. It is the feeling that I have always chased in life after that day.  

A wave is this massive force that is uncontrollable to you as the surfer.  It's just going to do what it does and you have no say in it.  With a lot of practice, you finally get to a place where you can use its power for something useful to you.  Surfing now is like a metaphor for life for me.  The only way you get good at it is by going through it.  You start out surfing in the whitewater (which is the wave after it has crashed and is going into the shore).  Next, you attempt to paddle through the white water only to realize that you can't even make it passed the waves crashing against you. After you learn timing, navigating and technique there, you can start to begin to learn to surf.  Then there's that ball game described above.   You never get that day until you have gone through it all.  You've gained strength, wisdom, failures, successes and a high ability to hold your breath.   

 Ever since that season in my life.  That is my high that I will always chase.  I realize that anything worth pursuing is going to be tough.  I want to quit, I want to cuss, I am pissed half the time, but I realize that it's only a wave that I can't control, I just need to learn to ride it.  I realize that the world is bigger than me, and my impact makes a significant difference to only a very few.  However, those few will stick with me through everything and not get mad when I drop the ball.  When I get overwhelmed, I make myself feel small.  Now, I'll go ride my bike, or ride my skateboard "surfboard" because it reminds me that I can't control things, I just want to ride them out.

 

 

October 17, 2017

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OG Soap Box...the end of an era. Your questions answered!

You may have heard by now that the Winter soap box will be our last quarterly soap box. We started the Soap Box a little more than 5 years ago and have had a blast with it, but now that we have a monthly box as well, the time has come for us to focus on just one box and do it better than ever!! Plus, this will give us more time to do other fun things!

Why are we getting rid of the quarterly box?

In an effort to focus all our energy on providing the best possible box, we are merging the quarterly box concept into the FCS of the Month Box. For example, we’ll still have a seasonal box four times a year (spring, summer, fall, winter) but it will be part of the FCS of The Month Box. 


Are there still going to be Launch parties?

Good question! We haven’t quite figured what that looks like yet. We’ll more than likely do a combination of the VIP party and a launch party.


What’s going to happen to the big seasonal collections? (spring, summer, winter, fall) Those will continue, but the products will be tied to the Monthly Box products as opposed to the Quarterly boxes.


Can I still sign up for the last quarterly box?

Yes, the last day to sign up is Oct. 31st.


What if I only want the seasonal boxes?  

Good news! This box is totally customizable. Unlike our other system, you have complete control over your account, and which boxes you want. Once you sign up, you have the ability to pre-select which boxes you want for the entire year.  (For example, if you’re not a fan of pumpkins, you can skip the fall box, whereas you didn’t have that option before with the quarterly box)


Do I need to cancel my quarterly subscription?

No, we’ll take care of it on our end.


What does $28 (+shipping) get you?

$60 worth of products.  Each box will be a variety of full and deluxe sample size products. We have a lot more creative freedom with this box and are looking forward to doing lots of fun things with it this next year!


Does this box come with a discount code?  

It does not come with a discount code in it, however, with The Monthly Box, you will receive loyalty points that can be redeemed for discount codes.


If I don’t want a box, do I have to cancel?

Nope, you simply have to skip it when you log into your account.


If you want to try the FCS of The Month, make sure to use discount code FIRSTFCSBOX, and your first box will ship free. (in the US)
November 22, 2015

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Enter to Win a 12 Days of Christmas Box!!!

One box, 12 individually wrapped surprises inside (7 of which are full sized). $120+ value

Enter Below!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Fortune Cookie Soap Cross Country Toy Drive

Day 1! (Nov. 26th) 

We finally have a rough sketch of our trip!! Yay! Are we coming to your neck of the woods? If so COME SAY HI!!!!! We want to meet you!

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zDuzVKamLjiI.kk6BFTUdmTo4&usp=sharing

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