News from the Nose
Autumn Aromas & Fall Fragrances
Dear Fragrant Friends,
Last year we brought to you an extensive newsletter with recipes and aromatic ideas for fall. This year's edition will help you choose creatively what scents to surround yourself with this season, and again give you some ideas for fragrant recipes for festive meals this fall and winter.
In this newsletter:
- Autumn Aromas Collection
- Osmanthus & Olives
- Mushrooming
- Moss & Lichen
- Agrumes Automnal - Citrusy Blessings
- Burning Leaves
- Sage & Garigue
- Licorice
- Photos & Flavours from Fall Harvest Tea Party October 17th
- Upcoming Events & Trade Shows
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1. Introducing: Autumn Aromas Collection
Autumn Aromas Coffret
is a new collection of 8 minis especially curated for fall - to ease
you into the cooler months with some cozy, fuzzy autumnal scents that
evoke harvest, Halloween and the fallen leaves in mossy forests.
Naturally, this coffret has most of our chypre perfumes, whose mossy and
undergrowth base notes are most befitting for fall.
The Autumn Aromas Coffret
includes the following perfumes: Megumi for a contemplative stroll in a mossy zen garden; Rainforest for a brisk walk in the woods; Ayalitta for it's timeless chic; Black Licorice for Halloween trick-or-treating; Schizm and Vetiver Racinettes for the mushroom-scouting season with their notes of Cèpes; For reminiscence of burnt leaves and reading old books by the fireplace - a smoky puff of Espionage and a peek into leather-bound Rebellius. And last but not least - Autumn perfume is a fruity-chypre that celebrates the harvest season with notes of ripe orchard fruit.
This
collection is 25% the regular price and is a great way to experience a
versatile collection of scents that are perfect for every occasion in
the season. They are perfect for travel - together in their elegant box
set, or separately in any pocket, purse or bag.
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2.Osmanthus & Olives
Fragrance: Kinmokusei, an Osmanthus soliflore that highlights the apricot-leathery nuances of
this unique flower from China & Japan with green tea notes, aged
patchouli, wild orange and non other than hand-picked and tinctured
olive resin from my home village.
Flavour: Olives.
Aroma: Osmanthus teas, or Osmanthus Infused White Chocolate Truffles
The Story:
Harvest season has different flavours, textures, aromas and colours from
place to place depending on what crops can be grown there. While
in North America fall harvest is all about corn and pumpkins and yams -
in the Mediterranean region, fall surrounds the central event of olive
harvest, similarly to how late spring is all about the wheat harvest. So for me, growing up in the Western Galilee, fall harvest is identified
with the scent of olives. And this is not the olives you are familiar
with from the jars or cans or on top of your pizza. These are fresh
olives before they get pickled in brine or salt. Their aroma is not as
pungent as some other fruit could be; and it only will release itself if
the fruit is bruised. But you can rest assured that by the end of a day
spent picking olives, your hands will smell like olives - green, oily,
waxy - and will taste awfully bitter!
The aromatic bitterness of pickled olives is unmatched to any
other. If you never tried them, look for the smaller varieties, which
tend to be less watery and more flavourful. The good ones are so amazing on their own you don't need any extra recipe to enhance them!
Another interesting olive-related plant that has more to do with perfumery than olives is osmanthus, also known as "sweet olive" or "tea olive". It is from the same family as olive, lilac and jasmine! Osmanthus fragrans, the variety shown in the picture above and used in perfumery, blooms in Japan in October. I love brewing osmanthus teas - either the dried flowrs on their own, or blended with fine green tea. And if you are fortunate - you may be able to fine Osmanthus Oolong!
And finally - Kinmokusei, my osmanthus soliflore that incorporates olive resin that my brothers collected in my village and that I tinctured myself - makes a perfect harvest season scent, combining the scent of tea, apricot and leather with a tad of precious olive resin as a fixative.
And now - the Recipe for Osmanthus Infused White Chocolate Truffles:
Ingredients:
600gr high quality (I recommend Green & Black) White Chocolate
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 Tbs. dried osmanthus flowers
Place the osmanthus flowers and cream into a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil. Let steep for 5 mintues, and strain.
Chop the chocolate into very small pieces, and place in a Bain Marie or double boiler until almost completely melted.
Add the osmanthus-infused creamand blend very well together, until very smooth (it will look and act like a pliable non-sticky dough)
Press into a pan lined with parchament paper and cover with plastic wrap.
Chill in the refrigirator for 2-3 hours, until firm.
Cut into small squares for serving.
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3. Mushrooming
Fragrances: Schizm and Vetiver Racinettes
Flavours: Mushroooms galore!
The Story:
Fall is mushroom-picking season in British Columbia
and although this is something I'm yet to learn how to do, I find the
scents of mushrooms, with its crisp, earthy strangeness and mysterious
spore reproduction to be a characteristic scent of fall. The idea of
roaming the forest picking rare mushrooms is both romantic and
intriguing.
You may be surprised to discover that mushrooms are actually used in perfumery. Not just any mushroom - Cèpes absolute, to be exact. Cèpes absolute is non other than the solvent extraction of Porcini mushrooms. These wild mushrooms can be harvested in the wild
in Italy and also some places in North America; or found dried quite
widely in grocery stores. They have a meaty texture and a robust flavour
which complements beautifully dishes such as risotto con funghi, stewed, sauces, or grilled with other vegetables, roast potatoes, and of course in my all-time favourite: mushroom quiche! (Recipe to follow).
The
absolute extract is dark both in colour and aroma: it has a sharpness
at first, reminiscent of the yeasty English Marmite spread, with an
underlining rich, dark chocolate-like scent and a surprising dry down of
buttery pecan nuts! But the most important aspect of it is that it has a
cruelty-free animalic and carnal personality that is definitely a love
it or hate it, the kind of reaction that civet and castoreum often
garner.
I don't use it in perfume too often, but when I do, a little goes a long way.
Schizm is an Animalic Chypre with all the powerhouse white florals: tuberose, jasmine and orange blossom. The wild mushrooms here are used as part of the vegetal
musk accord - and a very dark musk at that, and along with the
undergrowth note of oakmoss and the dry Virginia cedar, it is very
autumnal.
Vetiver Racinettes,
on the other hand, has no flowers whatsoever - nary a suggestion of
floralness either - it's a thick concoction of vetiver roots from around
the world with some tarragon and kaffir lime leaves to lift it up form
the ground. Here, the mushrooms add depth and richness to the vetiver,
something that would normally happen by adding floral notes and that I
decidedly avoided in this perfume. And it also comes in a new format you can enjoy in a warm bath: Vetiver ritual bath salts.
Mushroom Quiche Recipe
For the crust:
100 gram butter
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp ice-cold water
- Cut cold butter into flour and mix weel until crumbs form.
- Add ice cold water and knead the dough as little as possible, just until it forms a ball.
- Press against the bottom and sides of a pie pan.
- Prick with a fork.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes – while you prepare the filling.
For the filling:
1 Tbs. butter
1 leeks (or one medium Spanish onion)
½ lb of your favourite mushrooms – Crimini, King Oyster, Portobello or Porcini – alone or mixed together
1 egg
½ cup grated mozzarella or white cheddar cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Slice the leeks or onions and sauté in butter until they become transparent.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and continue sautéing until all mushrooms are evenly cooked.
- Remove from the pan and cool for a bit.
- Remove the crust fro the refrigirator.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
- Add the egg to the filling and stir with the grated cheeses (leave some extra cheese for topping).
- Spoon filling onto the crust and spread evenly.
- Top off with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese on top starts to turn a little brown.
- Remove from oven and wait 5-10 mintues before serving, or else it will be difficult to cut and serve the quiche without it falling apart!
4. Moss & Lichen
The Story:
Before we discuss the inevitable topic of oakmoss and Chypre - a little word about edible lichens. They have a fun chewy texture not unlike unyielding mushrooms and I really enjoyed them in a handful of vegetarian dim-sum dishes. Some of them can be even harvested from the wild in North America.
And now to oakmoss: Botanically speaking, this indespensible perfumery raw material is actually a lichen! There are several types of the so-called "mosses" used in perfumery,
and they vary slightly (for example: cedarmoss, pine moss and tree moss). But without any doubt, the most famous one is oakmoss, which has the
richest and most versatile fragrance. Oakmoss has a scent reminiscent of
the forest floor in Autumn, which is why Chypres are always considered
so suitable for the season. It is somewhat musky at first but develops
into a sweeter, almost ambery scent. Oakmoss can also be reminiscent of
the seashore and seaweed with a hint of saltiness that is more apparent
in the contemporary (aka EU regulated) absolutes that undergoe a mandatory process
to remove the atranol from it.
Megumi perfume evokes the serenity of a walk in a mossy zen garden. The prominent woody notes - sandalwood, agarwood and vetiver - give it a peaceful, meditative air. The oakmoss is very subtle and silent, like the moss-covered rocks in a Japanese garden. Megumi anointing body oil is another way to experience this scent all over the skin, and has the nourishing, emollient benefits of rice bran oil.
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5. Agrumes Automnal - Citrusy Blessings
Fragrance: Tamya
Aroma: Etrog (Citron) shortbread cookies
The Story:
Citrus is not widely associated with autumn. Except for the Etrog
fruit, being a symbolic fruit during Sukkot, a Jewish fall harvest
holiday. For me personally, growing in the land of citrus groves, autumn
is the season of the return of citrus: the first tangerines, usually
unripe, or at least green from the outside even if already juicy and
sweet on the interior, are packed for the 10 o'clock snack during at the beginning fo the school year, and the fine mist of the essential oil
exploding out of the peel fills the classrooms with a refreshing aroma. Come to think of it, it blends quite well with the cedar pencil shaving and new books' smell...
And of course, Etrog has a really special
scent, and at times, the fruit will be brought to school for students to
study and explore in the early fall. The citrus scents somehow become
part of the smells of excitement: new beginnings, transition, new
schools, new friends, new teachers, new backpacks (which quickly become
contaminated with the stale odour of citrus fruit that was forgotten there for the entire week). And for me personally - another
scent-memory was added to fall: the birth of my daughter (who will turn
14 years old this week!). When creating her namesake Tamya perfume,
which commemorated a magic moment after her arrival home. It was just before sunset in the fall, and everything had that
golden glow of a soft autumn sun, shining through olive groves, new
wild wheat-grass after the first rain. I used yuzu,
a rare Japanese citron essential oil, to give the perfume its
uber-citrusy and fruity pizazz, reminiscent of the first autumn fruit
that I'm so fond of.
And last but not least - Tamya
Tropical Body Oil with Ylang Ylang & Yuzu, which contains coconut
oil and shea oil, and is the lightest – in fact I like spraying it on
like a dry oil!
For fragrant, melt-in-your-mouth citrus scented shortbread cookies - play around with this tried and true recipe for icebox shortbread cookis to create your own unique citrus flavoured shortbread cookies!
For example: substitute the lemon zest suggested with zest of fresh Etrog (citron) fruit, or with 2 tsp of dried Yuzu peel. Any other citrus that you love will do - as long as they are fresh and fragrant!
6. Burning Leaves
Fragrance: Espionage
Aroma: Smoked salt
The Story:
October's arrival hasn't diminished my desire to immerse my body in
the cold Pacific ocean. On the contrary. Swimming in those salty
glacier waters seems to be my connection to both the inner and outer
world. The chill of the water is felt in every inch of my skin, each
one of them sending a screeching signal to my brain that I’m alive and
breathing. I admit, that under 15 degrees Celsius it becomes very
painful, but not any less worth it. And the sensation of coming out of
the ocean, after struggling for some 10-15 minutes to maintain a
healthy body temperature, is like a lesson in the laws of relativity –
the air always feels so much warmer… But still not warm enough to not
warrant a very hot bath as soon as possible.
October 1st was so warm and dry (relatively speaking, of course) I nearly got a sunstroke… And of course, I had to
go to the beach. I went swimming as usual, pretending I’m on the white
sandy beaches of Tel Aviv, and that nothing could be more natural than
going for a swim. It felt quite normal. Sunsent Beach café was open as
usual, serving their usual array of British Columbian beach food. Some
people on beach blankets and lawn chairs chatting and reading a
magazine. Even the water was pretty normal summer temperature (16
Celsius, that is…). So in I go and breathe in the
coldish air floating just above the water, smelling of salt, seaweed,
fish, perhaps a little boat engine oil too. I’m almost convinced this
Indian Summer is a real summer when it hits me: a smoldering, thick and
sweet smoke of burning leaves. A little like Choya Loban, come to think
of it. I’m swimming and marveling at this strange scent combination:
ocean and burning leaves. Cold air and warm smoke. Wow.
Fall to me is the time to cuddle up by the fireplace with a nice old-leather bound book (or journal, they don't bind books in leather anymore, do they?). If there is pipe smoke nearby all the better! Scents like Espionage and Rebellius, with their tobacco, leather and smoky notes provide that mood without killing a single creature in the process, and with no damage to your lungs.
And or those of you who haven't experienced my Espioange chocolate truffles, you will be pleasantly surprised when we launch the Espionage chocolate bar!
So, until the chocolate bars are launched t satisfy your smoky chocolate cravings - a simple recipe for using smoked salt: Add as a finishing touch to roast potatos & mushrooms (I just toss them with sea salt and olive oil and bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes). Add the smoked salt in the end to make the most of its aroma. It rocks!
7. Garrigue
Aroma: Garrigue red wines
Flavour: Sage & Butternut Squash
The Story:
Climbing up the mountain called "Abaya" fills your lungs with clean, dry air that is redolent of oak leaves, arbutus berries, and the stronger and more prominent presence of sage, labdanum and hyssop bushes that rub against your legs with every step.
In the summertime, the weeds and grasses dry into a muted-coloured straw, and the sun becomes so strong it overheats the ground and the grass, releasing a scent that you would have never expected... Even the rocks have a scent and it rises up to the air and radiates heat and a spicy warmth. This aroma lingers till fall time, when it is still positively sunny - the sun is just a tad more gentle and graceful. The aroma of sun-baked flint and sediment rocks, some covered in dead moss, and of wild herbs (hyssop, sage, thyme and white mint) that set roots in the rocks cavities or grow with less restraint in the small meadows of the mountaintops - they steep into the air like tea...
Garrigue is resinous, warm, earthy, herbaceous and spicy in part, but greatly
impacted by the presence of cistus or rockrose on the mountains. Garrigue wines are grown in the drier, hotter climates of the Mediterranean basin, for example - Midsummer's Eve 2007 from Abaya Winery.
Garrigue inspired perfumes are those who have a prominent cistus and herbal presence - making them both ambery and herbaceous or earthy in character, such as Song of Songs, Ayalitta and Autumn. The latter two are Chypres and both with sage. The first one is an oriental, but with so much labdanum that once applied to the skin, and especially the anointing body oil - makes my entire being smell of sunbaked mountains, rocks and roses.
Simple recipe for brining the sun-lit aromas of garrigue into your life: Add dried sage leaves to sautéed onions, mushrooms and butternut squash. Use this as a topping for polenta (I served it at my Fall Harvest Tea Party and it was a hit!), added to the batter of corn bread or as a filling for aromatic quiche (substitute for the mushroom only filling in the quiche recipe provided earlier).
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8. Licorice
Fragrance: Black Licorice perfume
Flavour: Fennel & Tarragon
The Story:
What could possibly be more spooky and appropriate for Halloween than licorice?
Both the candy, aroma and, of course - our Black Licorice perfume, which incorporates sweet notes of rockrose, honey and
rose with licorice-drenched star anise, coconutty tarragon absolute and a
hint of patchouli.
However, Licorice flavour is not limited to the candy and root alone. The aroma acutally exists in aniseed, licorice root, star anise, fennel seeds, leaves and bulb, and herbs such as tarragon and some varieties of basil. These can all be incorporated in festive meals during the fall for a warming, savoury-sweet effect.
My ever so popular Tarragon-Fennel tea sandwiches have become somewhat of a classic in my fall tea parties. To make them you will need:
1 Loaf of sliced, dense white or whole wheat bread (such as: brioche or the square breads found in Asian markets - i.e.: T & T and K-Mart)
200gr cream cheese (I prefer the organic cream cheeses, as they are easier to spread and don't have all the extra stabilizers)
2 Tbs. fresh organic tarragon leaves, chopped quite thinly
Grated zest from one (preferably organically-grown) orange
1/4 or 1/2 bulb fennel (depending on size), quartered and sliced thinly
Mixed together the cream cheese, grated orange zest and chopped tarragon leaves.
Spread on both slices.
Sprinkle with one even and thin layer of fennel slices.
Close two slices together and trim away the crusts.
Cut into smaller pieces (i.e.: lengthwise into 3 "finger sandwiches", diagonally into 4 small triangles)
9.Photos & Flavours from Fall Harvest Tea Party October 17th
October 17th was my Fall Harvest Tea Party, where we celebrated the
delicious fresh local food and aromas with an abundant menu made from
market-fresh ingredients. The tea party was so successful, it was even
featured in Taste & Sip Magazine!
This time, I hosted Pedro Villalon of Dao Tea,
and together we will did a presentation about how scents and aromas in
tea and perfume change our mood, the way our body feels, as well as how
we feel about ourselves.
Fall Harvest Tea Party Menue:
Teas:
Tea Tasting with Dao Tea’s Freshly Harvested Teas:
wild suk (artemisia) - an herbal tea from Korea, from shade-grown and very youngn leaves
Sejak green tea from China
Tier 1: Savoury Appetizers & CanapésRoasted Beets ****
Polenta with Butternut Squash, Sage & Portobello Mushrooom
Red & Green Tortilla rolls w/ Guacamole or Black Beans (Vegan)
Tier 2: Tea Sandwiches:Brie & Pear Tea Sandwiches
Carrot & Ginger Tea Sandwiches
Fennel & Tarragon Tea Sandwiches
Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
Tier 3: SconesConcord Grape + Blue Cheese Scones
served w/ Devonshire Cream & assorted wine jellies
Tier 4: DessertsCarrot-cake Sandwich Cookies
Hazelnut Brownies **
Seed Cake Madeleines
Zaletti (Italian cornmeal cookies)
Tier 5: Truffles & PetitfoursMilky Oolong Truffles**
Espionage Truffles
White Saffron Truffles**
Marzipan & Apricot Pettitfours ****
* Dairy Free (contains eggs)
** Gluten Free
*** Dairy & Gluten Free
**** Vegan & Gluten Free
Tier 2: Tea Sandwiches:
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10. Upcoming Events & Trade Shows
We have lots of exciting news to share with you this season, including special events, trade shows and product launches!
In chronological order:
Portobello West Art + Fashion Market
happens once a month year-around. The market is open 12-6pm on the last
Sunday of every month, at the Rocky Mountaineer Station (1755 Cottrell
Street @ Terminal Avenue), Vancouver, BC.
I will be there with entire perfume collections, candles and teas as usual, but this market is going to be different not only because my attempted costume and 2 Halloween-inspired truffle flavours, but - PAY ATTENTION: a very special treasure cauldron, full of odd magical finds you won't normally see on my display table, or even at my studio - and all at very attractive prices. These items are all one-offs, and this Halloween offering is only going to be featured that day. Don't miss this market!
-
November 4th, 6pm-9pm: Gastown Shop Hop - Ayala Moriel will be present in person with the entire perfume collection @ Gentille Alouette, 227 Carrall Street (between Cordova & Water street)
-
November 16th, 7-9pm: Perfumed Chocolat Bars Lauching Event!
CocoNymph & Ayala Moriel will launch the 3 perfumed chocolate bars
we've been working on all summer. Stop by to sip, nibble and sniff some
of the best all-natural gourmand perfumes available on the planet!
-
Fab Fair - November 21st @ Heritage Hall 11am-5pm: This unique jewelry show runs Novmeber 20-21st, 11am-5pm. I will be there on Sunday the 21st only.
-
Nov 27th & 28th Portobello West Art + Fashion Market
This awesome fashion + art market happens once a month year-around. The market is open 12-6pm on the last
Sunday of every month, at the Rocky Mountaineer Station (1755 Cottrell
Street @ Terminal Avenue), Vancouver, BC. In March, November and December, this is a full-weekend show.
This is the last Portobello West Market for 2010. The market is open 12-6pm on the last
Sunday of every month, at the Rocky Mountaineer Station (1755 Cottrell
Street @ Terminal Avenue), Vancouver, BC. In March, November and December, this is a full-weekend show. Market special: gift with purchase - spend over $200 and receive a free scented chocolate bar + ticket to the One of a Kind Show!
Hope to see you soon :-)
Happy Halloween!
Ayala
AyalaMoriel.com
My SmellyBlog: SmellyBlog.com
Tel.: (778) 863-0806
Address: 1230 Haro Street, Buzz #295,Vancouver, BC, V6E 4J9
Hours: Mon-Thu 8:00am-3:00pm; Fri: 8am-12pm; Closed Saturdays; Sundays & evenings by appointment only
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