Sloppy blending or sign of quality Mr Pease?

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glpease

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 17, 2010
239
96
California
Having been at this for more than a couple years, I can tell you that Latakia is notoriously difficult to cut properly. The leaf has to be carefully conditioned, separated into individual strips, laid out flat, and pressed gently before being run through the cutter. It takes more time and care because of the structure of the lamina (the part of the leaf that's not the midrib), which is thick and somewhat leathery, and requires longer to hydrate than thinner VA or oriental leaf.
The "chunks" you see in the photo above, known as "flags," result when the leaf strips remain accordion pleated before being cut. You can actually see the folds in some of the pieces. (I promise I'm not making excuses, just explaining… ;) ) I've discussed this with the folks at C&D, and am confident that things will be much more consistent going forward.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,068
Carmel Valley, CA
Slight bend to the topic: If uniformly dry, don't chunks of a reasonable size burn slower and longer? That's been my experience with a caked tobacco; I don't break it any finer than I have to. Chunks between the size of a beebee and a beebee and a half.
Is this the experience of others?

 

lestrout

Lifer
Jan 28, 2010
1,758
283
Chester County, PA
yo jp - As you said "Slight bend to the topic: If uniformly dry, don't chunks of a reasonable size burn slower and longer? That's been my experience with a caked tobacco; I don't break it any finer than I have to. Chunks between the size of a beebee and a beebee and a half." - yup, another thing I like about those unruly chunks.
hp

les

 

georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
Having been at this for more than a couple years, I can tell you that Latakia is notoriously difficult to cut properly. The leaf has to be carefully conditioned, separated into individual strips, laid out flat, and pressed gently before being run through the cutter. It takes more time and care because of the structure of the lamina (the part of the leaf that's not the midrib), which is thick and somewhat leathery, and requires longer to hydrate than thinner VA or oriental leaf.
The "chunks" you see in the photo above, known as "flags," result when the leaf strips remain accordion pleated before being cut. You can actually see the folds in some of the pieces. (I promise I'm not making excuses, just explaining… ;) ) I've discussed this with the folks at C&D, and am confident that things will be much more consistent going forward.
Nice dodge there, Pease.
If you had said you were sleeping a few minutes longer than the maximum-allowed two hours a night alongside C&D's mixing table, personally gathering the accordioned Latakia bits, ironing them flat, and cutting them with tiny scissors, we might have cut you some slack. But you side-stepped explaining the minimum-time-on-duty thing completely---like two hours of sleep every 24 isn't enough---and we're just not having it.
I suppose you're going to whine about the mandatory stomach tube and IV nutrition and hydration system next, right? Hey, not having to stop work in order to eat and drink is a blessing, not a curse.
Especially since being a so-called "tobacco blender"---a.k.a. stirrer of shredded leaves---has made you a multi-millionaire. (Yes, we all know you live in a mansion, drive a Ferrari, and drink Krug Clos d’Ambonnay at every meal.)
So, get with it, stop trying to shift blame, and do your "job", OK?
Hm... maybe electric cattle prods are the answer.

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
I don't smoke Latakia, so I don't deal with those "flags". But I like the flavor burst when the center of PS/LBF joins the party in the bowl.

 

glpease

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 17, 2010
239
96
California
George, it's the 1961 Charles and Diana Dom Perignon that you're not remembering correctly. Perhaps we opened too many that night. The Krug is for the house staff.

 

drunkblowhard

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 30, 2015
112
0
I would like to officially submit my application to be a member of the house staff, Mr. Pease. I will accept payment ENTIRELY in Krug!

 
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