bits

"It was a few years ago when my son was still in school. I was looking for bits of uniform that I didn't really want to buy new," Ms Allen said.

As a younger cook, I was still learning not to flinch when food darkened in the pan — to trust that the caramelized bits clinging to the bottom weren’t mistakes, but flavor waiting to happen.

“There’s an empowerment that comes from that, and a learning of not just the narrow research skill, but the broader bits,” Roy said.

That includes reviving not just old songs but also old bits.

“Basically, I take very small, sharp instruments and cut away bits of metal, usually on the sides of rings, into a particular design,” she said.