Tag: food

Nuts about perfume? Join us in adoring THESE nutty scents!

Nuts about perfume? Well, so are we – and the world’s most adventurous noses, it seems. There’s something irresistibly comforting, decadent, and dare we say, downright addictive about nutty notes in fragrance. From the smooth and creamy to the lavishly roasted, perfumers are increasingly drawn to the evocative warmth nuts can bring, spinning them through bouquets of florals, glimmering citrus, or velvety gourmands for truly unforgettable blends.

So, prepare to be seduced by scents that wrap you in plush pistachio, gloriously golden hazelnut, toasted sesame, delectable almond and smoky, velvet-draped walnut. Whether you fancy a spritz of nostalgia or crave something wickedly moreish for autumn’s chill, these bottles promise pure pleasure with every spray. Let’s crack on and explore the nutty wonders making us swoon right now…

 

 

 

 

[Pistachio]: Ataratma Chakra Champaca

 Caroline Dumur channels the energy of the sacral chakra, crafting a nutty white floriental with a vibrant twist. Orange flower absolute, neroli and ylang ylang create an utterly intoxicating heart, crowned by an irresistible pistachio accord that adds a subtle green nuttiness and uplifting texture. Fruity florals and sparkling citrus oils swirl alongside champaka, playing on purity and joy while pistachio lends plushness and intrigue, as dazzling as spiritual energy itself.

£215 for 50ml extrait de parfum ataratma.com

 

 

 

 

 

[Sesame]: Experimental Perfume Club Tonka Sesame

Okay, look…neither sesame OR tonka are, technically, nuts (seeds, y’see?) but they happen to be two of the most intensely nutty notes in perfumery (and people allergic to nuts can also be triggered by them); so, we’re including this in our nutty guide, notwithstanding. Whirling nutty green hazelnut and creamy almond around sesame, sweetened slightly by velvety tonka; heliotrope lends a floral, marzipan-like lift, while earthy patchouli and cedarwood add just the right grounding touch. The scent is golden, toasted, and utterly moreish. Addictively nutty in the best way. ‘Nuff said.

From £35 for 10ml eau de parfum experimentalperfumeclub.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hazelnut]: Devotion EDP Intense

Well golly, Olivier Cresp didn’t have to do anything to convince us that he is the ultimate master of the gourmand – but here’s yet more evidence, as he confects a more powerful version of Devotion, dusting the original orange blossom and mouthwatering vanilla notes with gloriously roasted hazelnut. And as before, the bottle is the very embodiment of glamour, emblazoned with D&G’s signature Sacred Heart symbol. Nothing ‘demure and mindful’ about this, we’re pleased to note!

From £77 for 30ml eau de parfum escentual.com

 

 

 

 

[Almond]: Thursday Marzi

A joyfully nutty homage to marzipan, you cannot help but picture a traditional Battenberg cake, with its pretty pastel squares and squidgy almond layer. Starting off with an almost photorealistic hit of bitter almond, it’s soon softened by clouds of vanilla and brown sugar. Carnation adds a subtle, spicy warmth, while musk lends a gentle, comforting finish. Marzi is a scent that wraps the wearer in the happy memories of tea times past, so perfect for grey, chilly days ahead, bringing a nostalgic smile with every spritz.

£75 for 50ml eau de parfum thursdayfragrance.co.uk

(PSST! Why not try a sample as part of the Thursday Fragrance Discovery Set: 3 x 2ml for £20 in our Shop?)

 

 

 

 

 

THAMEEN Bravi

What if the diva lost her voice and needed this nut-powered power perfume to regain her bravado? This was the starting point for the third of Thameen’s ‘Britologne’ series, overseen by Christopher Chong’s infectiously passionate creativity, and realised by Bruno Jovanovic’s brilliance. Adding aphrodisiac ginger’s tingle to decadent tuberose, seducing with wild honey, and weaving the wonderfully smoky toasty-ness of walnut throughout, this packs a punch like a splintered crystal goblet smothered in velvet. Encore!

£250 for 100ml Cologne elixir harrods.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

An apple (fragrance) a day…

In the gentle shifting of the seasons, as the air is laced with autumn’s orchard offerings – the ground scattered with gold – apple fragrances ripen anew. They evoke not only the fruit’s celebrated crispness but also ancient harvests, folklore of comfort and communion, and that exhilarating tang of orchard-fresh fruity skin against the cool, misty air.

In fragrance, this fruit can bring a fresh, mouthwatering quality – conjuring the sensation of biting into an apple at its ripest. Or it may meld with more gourmand deliciousness – offering a simmeringly-spiced or addictively caramel-swirled sensory experience. Each scent pays homage to the apple’s poetic versatility – framing it as a sun-warmed memory, a bite into brightness, an emblem plucked from centuries of scented dreams. But did you know that the apple belongs to the rose family?! Although to be fair, it boasts thousands of members, for there are countless varieties of Malus domestica, a tree whose origins trace back to Asia.

 

 

 

 

Indeed, apples have woven their way into the world of perfume since the medieval era of Arab perfumery. But it isn’t solely the fruit that’s cherished – apple blossom lends a soft, floral air, while a recent trend sees perfumers blending in ‘apple tree’ notes. These are, in fact, synthetic, fantasy ingredients – artfully crafted to infuse compositions with a nuanced fruity-woodiness.

As fruit notes can very rarely be distilled or otherwise extracted to use in fragrance, how are apple notes created in a fragrance? Some noses might opt for a ‘headspace’ recreation of the entire tree, others may use a combination or ‘accord’ of some of the following, depending on the effect they want to achieve. Perfumers, ever inspired by the apple’s evocative qualities, employ a blend of artistry and science to bring its scent to life:

 

 

 

 

Synthetic fruity esters – such as hexyl acetate and ethyl-2-methyl butyrate – capture apple’s juicy freshness and green tartness, conjuring both orchard-bright and honeyed skin facets.

Apple blossom accords are woven in for delicacy – layering a soft floral air like mist threaded through boughs at dawn.

Woody nuances or “apple tree” notes – evoke the entire tree in autumn, adding fruit-laden branches and sun-warmed wood to the composition.

Gourmand and spiced apples arise when perfumers marry apple notes with caramel, vanilla, cinnamon or clove – echoing the warmth of baked apples and festive tables.

 

 

 

 

Each creation is an aromatic echo of orchard walks and harvest gatherings, delicately crafted to evoke both freshness and nostalgia. And we have a wealth of apple-centric scents to tempt you with this season. The only question is, which will you pick first…?

 

 

 

 

 

DKNY Be Delicious original

Time to re-visit this original scent (and discover it’s still a stunner). Mouthwatering bites of green apple conjures the atmosphere of orchards on an autumn morning – dew still clinging to the grass. Its sheer juiciness forms the core – crisp, fresh but never cloying – wrapped in cucumber’s coolness and a glint of grapefruit, magnolia petal, and violet. As rose and tuberose unfurl, the apple’s tart brightness glistens through until dusk: awakening the senses and uttering the promise of harvest in every perfumed pulse.

£47 for 30ml eau de parfum theperfumeshop.com

 

 

 

 

 

Kajal Lamar Noir

The apple here is bathed in a dusky glow – glinting amid a tapestry of tropical fruits and velvet violets. In the opening, it feels like a secret just picked at sunset – sharp and lively, shimmering above caramel’s deep warmth and vanilla’s comfort. Rose and geranium lend their opulence – rendering the apple not as innocence but as allure. The finish, swathed in smoky woods and soft leather, whispers of autumn’s late nights – the languor of orchard shadows.

£198 for 100ml extrait de parfum kajalperfumes.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Penhaligon’s Artemisa

Nestled alongside plump nectarines, violet, and the silken touch of lily of the valley, the green apple is tender yet vibrant . Like orchard mist caught in moonlight, the apple note glimmers – illuminated by the brightness of the opening notes, then swiftly swirled with wisps of jasmine tea and vanilla. The fruit’s facet is gentle and luminous – a subtle nod to the season’s mellow drift and the comfort of gathering indoors as oakmoss and sandalwood blanket the senses.

£175 for 100ml eau de parfum sephora.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

Parfums de Marly Greenley

Here, green apple shines with the exhilarating clarity of autumnal sunlight – coursing through Sicilian bergamot and mandarin, a burst of crispness that’s almost effervescent. The heart pulses with cedar and violet – evoking the snap of twigs and foliage, while petitgrain and pomarose add layers of green and fruit. With oakmoss and amberwood grounding the trail, the apple is the soul of autumn – life’s vividness, distilled.

£220 for 75ml eau de parfum harveynichols.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marc-Antoine Barrois B683 Extrait

In this extrait, apple is rendered acidic and seductive – harmonising with spice-laced pepper berries and cumin. The note’s tart freshness slices through leathery depth and smoky oud – both daring and intimately carnal. Violet leaf enhances the green bite, while sandalwood and patchouli soften its edge – revealing an apple that’s more than a fruit: it’s memory, skin, and velvet, ripened in autumn’s waning shadow.

£270 for 50ml extrait de parfum selfridges.com

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Indulgent chocolate scents for EVERY taste

As Easter approaches and chocolate eggs beckon from every corner, there’s another way to indulge in the world’s favourite treat – one that lingers far longer than a fleeting bite. Chocolate fragrances have become something of gourmand perfume phenomenon in themselves, offering everything from creamy comfort to enigmatic allure. While the idea of wearing chocolate might once have raised eyebrows, today’s perfumers are deftly weaving this note into scents that are as complex and captivating as the finest truffles.

But how do we get the note of chocolate in a scent? Well, sometimes it’s extracted directly from cocoa beans, but he natural materials – Cocoa Absolute and Cocoa CO₂ extract – are costly and can be too subtle for many compositions. Instead, perfumers often turn to a creative palette of molecules: isobutyl phenylacetate for its waxy, cocoa nuance; vanillin for sweetness; and pyrazines for that roasted, bittersweet depth. Sometimes, even patchouli or tonka bean is used to echo chocolate’s richness, while certain musks can conjure the creamy sensation of white chocolate. The result? A spectrum of chocolate scents, ranging from playful and sweet to darkly seductive, each evoking the irresistible pleasure of chocolate in a new, wearable form.

Why the current obsession, though? Gourmand fragrances, with their edible, nostalgic notes, have been (as we’ve reported, often) utterly booming these past few years; and they truly are continuing that renaissance in 2025. Of the ‘foodie fragrances’, chocolate in particular taps into a collective longing for comfort and sensory delight, while also offering a sophisticated twist when paired with woods, spices, or florals. Chocolate scents can be statements of self-expression, storytelling, and pure olfactory escapism.

 

For those tempted to explore, here’s a handpicked selection of chocolate-centric scents that prove this note is anything but one-dimensional…

 

 

 

 

4160 Tuesdays Figs in White Chocolate

Once an insider’s secret for the brand’s ‘Scenthusiasm’ subscribers, this fragrance is now available to all – and what a treat it is. Imagine the green freshness of just-ripe figs, their flesh glistening beneath taut skin, enveloped in a buttery veil of white chocolate. The chocolate here is not cloying but creamy and nuanced, lending a gentle sweetness that caresses rather than overwhelms. It’s a fragrance that captures the anticipation of biting into a chocolate-dipped fruit: lush, inviting, and utterly moreish.

 From £70 for 30ml eau de parfum 4160tuesdays.com

 

 

 

 

Sabrina Carpenter Sweet Tooth Cherry Baby

Sabrina Carpenter’s latest olfactory offering arrives in a playful, chocolate-bar-inspired bottle – its deep red hue hinting at the delights within. This scent taps into the trend for cherry notes, but it’s the dark chocolate that anchors the composition, adding a sultry richness to the juicy fruit. Cashmere wood, peony, and glazed apple swirl around the chocolate, creating a fragrance that is both flirtatious and sophisticated. The chocolate note here is decadent yet balanced, offering a plush backdrop for the cherry to shine – a modern gourmand with irresistible charm.

 From £24.99 for 30ml eau de parfum theperfumeshop.com

 

 

 

JUSBOX Fifty Four

 Inspired by the legendary glamour of Studio 54, this fragrance is as subversive as it is dazzling. The chocolate note emerges on the dance floor alongside a boozy splash of Piña Colada and rum, soon joined by cinnamon bark and tobacco-infused patchouli. Here, chocolate is not sweet but smoky and mysterious, adding depth and intrigue to the composition. It’s the scent of velvet ropes and disco balls, of midnight escapades and whispered secrets – a chocolate accord for those who prefer their indulgence with a side of rebellion.

 £235 for 78ml eau de parfum harrods.com

 

 

 

 

Fabrica Della Musa Île Bourbon

 Named for the vanilla-rich island of Madagascar, Île Bourbon is a gourmand fantasy that swirls dark chocolate with creamy vanilla, spiced cardamom, and clove. The chocolate here is dark and seductive, its bitterness softened by the lushness of vanilla and the warmth of exotic spices. A breeze of Somalian incense drifts through, lending an air of mystery and sophistication. This is chocolate as a passport to faraway lands, a scent that lingers like the memory of a decadent dessert shared under starry skies.

 £195 for 100ml eau de parfum libertylondon.com

 

 

 

Sarah Baker Gold Spot

Sarah Baker’s Gold Spot is a tribute to the golden age of celebrity, and its chocolate note is as glamorous as a red-carpet moment. Bergamot and orange blossom bring a sunlit brightness, while butterscotch and a dusting of dark chocolate create a luscious, layered sweetness. The chocolate here is rich and luxurious, enveloped in the warmth of Laos oudh, Suyufi agarwood, and amber. It’s a fragrance that glows with opulence, conjuring the allure of old Hollywood and the thrill of being in the spotlight.

 £145 for 50ml extrait de parfum available in our Shop

 

Chocolate fragrances, then, are far more than a fleeting trend – they are a celebration of perfumery’s power to evoke pleasure, comfort, and adventure. Whether creamy or bitter, playful or mysterious, the chocolate note continues to enchant, offering a deliciously wearable escape for every mood and moment. This Easter – and beyond – why not indulge in a delicious fragrant treat of your own?

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Easter Egg Hunt: WIN a bottle of AKRO Dark!

As Easter approaches, we at The Perfume Society are delighted to offer you the chance to win something far more sophisticated than your average chocolate egg. One lucky winner will receive a full bottle of AKRO Dark, the sumptuous chocolate-inspired fragrance from the house founded by Master Perfumer Olivier Cresp – the very nose credited with popularising ‘gourmand’ fragrances – and his daughter Anaïs.

The Prize: AKRO Dark – A Chocolate Lover’s Dream

AKRO Dark is not your typical sweet confection. This is chocolate for grown-ups – a sophisticated olfactory experience that captures the essence of fine dark chocolate with remarkable authenticity. From the moment it touches your skin, Dark envelops you in a rich, bitter cocoa embrace that feels both decadent and mysteriously alluring.

The fragrance opens with robust, unsweetened chocolate and the caffeinated depth of bitter cocoa. As it develops, you’ll detect toasted hazelnuts bringing their distinctive nutty warmth to the composition. A whisper of cinnamon adds a gentle spice that perfectly complements the chocolate core, while the earthy, woody undertones prevent it from becoming overly sweet or dessert-like.

 

 

What makes AKRO Dark truly special is how it manages to capture the adult pleasure of fine dark chocolate – that moment of pure sensory indulgence when a square of 70% cocoa melts on your tongue. There’s something almost primal about it, a sophisticated sensuality that lingers on the skin for hours. Even as vanilla emerges in the dry down, the composition maintains its elegant, grown-up character.

This is not a fragrance that shouts; it smoulders. It’s the olfactory equivalent of that first bite of exceptional dark chocolate – transportive, enlivening, and utterly addictive. Just as the finest cacao can take you to the mountains of South America, AKRO Dark is a journey for the senses that radiates pure perfumed pleasure.

How to Enter Our Easter Egg Hunt

To be in with a chance of winning this stunning scent, we’ve created a special Easter egg hunt around The Perfume Society website. Follow the clues below to find all five Easter eggs hidden throughout our pages. Once you’ve discovered all five locations, simply fill in the entry form with your answers to enter our prize draw.

 

 

Your Egg Hunt Clues:

 

 

1: Truly Delicious: Our first egg is hiding on a page dedicated to the key ingredient in AKRO Dark. Where might you learn about the history, use and significance of this note in perfumery?

 

 

2: Meet the Master: Olivier Cresp is the genius behind AKRO Dark and countless other beloved fragrances. Seek out a behind-the-scented-scenes insight where he discusses his passion for gourmand creations, and you’ll find egg number two nestled among his words of wisdom.

 

 

3: An Eggcellent Discovery: The third egg has found a nest in the place where you can explore the story behind this indulgent fragrance house and its unique concept of capturing our greatest pleasures in perfumed form.

 

 

4: Egg Head: Your fourth egg is hiding on a page where you can explore all manner of tomes to feed your need for fragrant knowledge. But WHERE? Maybe you need to acquire a Taste for it?

 

 

5: Sweet Dreams: For your final egg, seek out our page dedicated to a trend-worthy bean that provides the sweet, creamy foundation to AKRO Dark’s composition. This beloved ingredient has a fascinating history and presence in perfumery, and has been dominating the gourmand trend for some years now…

 

The hunt begins now and the prize draw closes at midnight on Easter Sunday. The winner will be announced the following week. Remember, only entries with all five correct egg locations written on the entry page in this blog post will be entered into our prize draw.

 

Happy hunting, fragrance lovers! May the most dedicated chocolate aficionado win this most sophisticated of Easter treats – a fragrance that captures the essence of dark chocolate indulgence in a bottle that will last far longer than any Easter egg, and allow you to indulge in chocolate-laden decadence every single day!

Deliciously More-ish Fragrances: Sweet Treats for the Senses

Looking for sweet treats? We’ve got a whole wardrobe of gourmand scents to tempt AND perhaps even surprise your senses…

As we approach the festive season, a time traditionally associated with indulgence and comfort, it’s no surprise that gourmand fragrances continue to captivate our olfactory senses.These delectable scents, reminiscent of sweet treats and culinary delights, have been going strong throughout 2024 and are poised to remain a significant trend well into 2025.

Gone are the days when gourmand fragrances could simply be dismissed as being overly saccharine or simplistic, or indeed only aimed at younger people. The new generation of edible-inspired scents has evolved into a realm of sophistication and complexity, offering depth and nuance that might surprise even the most discerning fragrance enthusiast.

 

 

 

 

Today’s gourmands are a far cry from the cloying, synthetic concoctions of yesteryear. Instead, they present a refined balance of sweetness and depth, often incorporating unexpected notes that elevate them beyond mere olfactory confectionery. The enduring popularity of these scents can be attributed to their ability to evoke comfort, nostalgia, and a sense of indulgence without the calories. In a world that often feels uncertain, there’s something undeniably comforting about wrapping oneself in a scent that recalls warm kitchens, festive gatherings, and childhood treats.

At The Perfume Society we’ve curated a selection of our favourite sweet treat scents for you to indulge in this season. However, we urge you to widely explore the new generation of gourmands if you haven’t already – you might just discover a sophisticated side to sweetness you never knew existed. Let’s delve into some delectably sweet yet stunning offerings that have caught our attention (and we just can’t get enough of!)

 

 

 

sweet treat scents EAU MG

 

EauMG GREEDY GOURMAND begins with an irresistible burst of succulent raspberry and juicy clementine, Cherry blossom, sweet, sticky apricot, and lush rose, settle into a warm embrace of musk and sandalwood, cosseted by creamy vanilla, offering a sophisticated and utterly delicious gourmand experience that lingers enticingly on the skin.

£95 for 50ml eau de parfum in our shop

 

 

 

sweet treat scents shay & blue

Shay&Blue SALT CARAMEL is a masterclass in balance. The initial burst of sweet, buttery caramel is expertly tempered by a whisper of sea salt, preventing the scent from becoming cloying. As it settles, subtle woody notes emerge, adding depth and sophistication to this gourmand delight.

£65 for 100ml eau de parfum in our shop

 

 

 

sweet treat scents Experimental Perfume Club

Experimental Perfume Club PISTACHIO HAIKU offers a unique take on the gourmand genre. This fragrance opens with a crisp, green fig leaf, reminiscent of freshly cracked pistachio shells, before revealing a creamy, nutty heart. A base of soft woods and subtly sweet vanilla rounds out this elegant composition, proving that gourmand scents can be both delicious and refined.

Try a sample in our Fragrant Fantasy Discovery Box, £22 / £18 for VIPs

 

 

 

sweet treat scents Ojar

Ojar HALWA KISS is a love letter to Middle Eastern sweets. This opulent fragrance combines notes of cardamom, rosewater, and saffron with a rich base of caramelised sugar and nuts. The result is a complex, layered scent that manages to be both comforting and oppulent, particularly in this oil absolute format.

£195 for 100ml absolute selfridges.com

 

 

 

sweet treat scents Maison Tahite

Maison Tahite VANILLA² elevates the humble vanilla bean to new heights. This is not your average vanilla fragrance – it’s a sophisticated blend that showcases different facets of the note. From the creamy sweetness of Tahitian vanilla to the smoky depth of Bourbon vanilla, this scent is a journey through the complexities of this beloved ingredient.

£99 for 100ml eau de parfum 50-ml.co.uk

 

As we embrace the festive season and look forward to the new year, these deliciously more-ish fragrances offer a perfect way to indulge our senses. Whether you’re a long-time gourmand lover or a curious newcomer, we encourage you to explore these sweet olfactory treats. After all, in the world of perfumery, a little indulgence goes a long way….

 

Written by Suzy Nightingale

Gourmand Scents for Shrove (4160)Tuesday(s) & Beyond

Pancakes or 4150 Tuesdays perfumes? We’ll take both, thanks! And now we have many of these in 50ml or full-size bottles stocked in our shop, it’s even easier to dip in to the deliciousness.

Because we are often what we eat – or at least, our taste preferences can be mirrored in the foods we crave – we thought why not widen this and say ‘we are what we smell’? So, let us match your favourite pancake toppings to some delectably more-ish perfumes from the always delightfully eccentric British niche house of 4160 Tuesdays. Definitely not only for Pancake Day itself – this house has something for every perfumista’s palate. Scents to indulge yourself with far beyond Shrove [4160]Tuesdays…

 

‘…lemon and orange and real honey absolute for a fresh, tasty top note that makes you lick your lips. So perhaps it’s a gourmand – a scent that smells of tasty food – but the pancake bit is quite subtle – plus they are British pancakes, the sort with no sugar in the batter. Oh who are we kidding? Really it’s all about warm bodies.’

4160 Tuesdays Sunshine and Pancakes from £32 for 15ml eau de parfum

 

‘It leads out with cedrat, orange, tangerine and bergamot essential oils,  juicy fragrance reminding us of eating a lemon top ice cream on a summer day. In reality, after its happy introduction, it’s a gently but perfectly constructed floral chypre with an iris-narcissus-lily of the valley heart, with a generous topping of white chocolate mousse, tonka absolute and musks.’

4160 Tuesdays Fluffy Lemon Top from £85 for 50ml eau de parfum

 

 

‘A long time ago in a village perched on a hill, there was a house above a chocolate shop where a beginner perfume-maker’s friend lived… Over the Chocolate Shop is the gloriously rich aroma you can inhale as the chocolatiers make their first batch of pralines in the early morning. Melting cocoa butter, a dash off coffee, hazelnut extract and a drop of vanilla absolute.’

4160 Tuesdays Over the Chocolate Shop from £100 for 50ml eau de parfum

 

 

‘A light, fruity floral fragrance which smells like a refreshing glass of fruit punch with a hint of cherry jam.  So how do we create a cherry jam note? What we did was to blend citrus essential oils, flowers, woods and raspberry. We’re pleased with its scrumptiousness.’

4160 Tuesdays Fruits of the Tree of Knowledge from £25 for 15ml eau de parfum

 

 

‘…the ideal blend of tart with sweet, smooth with sharp, bright with soothing. It’s made with one part tart to 29 parts comfort – the perfect balance between two contrasting themes, a pudding in a perfume. It’s all the delights of smelling rhubarb crumble with custard, a sparky citrus fruit and Yorkshire rhubarb-inspired creamy vanilla delight.’

4160 Tuesdays Rhubarb & Custard 1:29 £100 for 50ml eau de parfum

 

Forage – Stop to smell the flowers… then eat them, too?

Forage for your food, lately, or too scared to pick your own? There’s a whole world of edible plants growing around us, but if the closest you’ve ever been to foraging for food is scrumping apples (or more recently, scrabbling at the red-stickered items in your supermarket’s Reduced section), you need this beautiful book…

Yes, it’s another book we’ve eagerly added to our Fragrant Reads shelves, but although the publishers of Forage: Wild Plants to Gather and Eat say ‘Anybody can enjoy the increasingly popular back-to-nature activity of foraging’, the truth is, very few of us feel confident enough to start picking some of the foliage we see on our daily walks. Thanks to author Liz Knight’s clear descriptions, and the stunning botanical illustrations of Rachel Pedder-Smith, the identification is made far easier and reading this, you’ll really feel encouraged to explore and diversify with wild ingredients.

What’s more, it’ll certainly make you look at flowers in a different way. From honeysuckle cordial (which sounds like something the fairies would drink in A Midsummer Night’s Dream), pickled cherry blossoms, linden leaf madeleines, dandelion petal cake to damson and rose petal preserves, the accompanying recipes sound like a feast for all the senses.

 

Forage: Wild Plants to Gather and Eat by Liz Knight, illustrated by Rachel Pedder-Smith [Laurence King Publishing]
Buy it at Waterstones

There’s such an elegant and understated confidence to Forage, and no wonder – Liz has a wealth of experience, having spent years learning the ways of foraging, founded Forage Fine Foods – a business she runs from her kitchen in rural Herefordshire – where she teaches courses on foraging and cooking wild ingredients, and also sells some delicious foodie finds. You may also have seen her appearing on the eight-part series of Channel 5’s Escape to the Farm with presenter Kate Humble. But if you’ve the idea that Liz was born in the bosom of the country and learned such skills at her mother’s knee, it certainly didn’t come naturally.

 

 

‘I grew up in normal street in a normal town just outside London,’ says Liz, and it turns out she gradually grew to love freshly picked food having tasted the tomatoes from a neighbour’s greenhouse, and later, worked in care homes and talked to the older residents. Explains Liz:

‘These people knew food; they taught me how to make butter, what cuts of meat to buy and how to cook it, what leaves to nibble on and what food should really taste like…Thanks to them I got a fire in my belly about the wild, wonderful food of Britain and that fire turned into Forage.’

Nowadays we’re becoming used to seeing ‘foraged food’ celebrated on menus of fine dining restaurants, but really Liz wants everyone to feel confident enough to try their hand at picking ingredients growing wild locally. Because Liz’s life now truly is spent searching the local hedgerows in search of scrumptious finds, and we’re sure reading this book will sew some more seeds of the passion for foraging. Now you won’t only want to stop to smell the roses (and wild cherry blossom, linden trees, honeysuckle, gorse…) but eat them (once safely identified!) too.

By Suzy Nightingale

Nose Dive by Harold McGee – a joyous celebration of our most under-appreciated sense

There are some books that really transcend the boundaries – appealing not only to those already immersed in the subject, but to the wider public – and Nose Dive by Harold McGee is most definitely one of the best we’ve read. So wonderfully connecting the dots between the worlds of smell and taste, it’s no wonder the Sunday Times named it their 2020 Food Book of the Year, calling it ‘A joyously nerdy study of how and what we smell, the effect on our appetites and much more.’

Having worked with some of world’s most innovative chefs, including Thomas Keller and Heston Blumenthal; McGee has dedicated over a decade of his life to our most overlooked sense, and here gives us not only the facts about the chemistry of food, cooking and smells; but widens this (and encourages us to widen our nostrils) by explaining the science of everyday life and the various whiffs we may encounter along the way.

Think of this as a manual to re-connect you to your nose, heightening your enjoyment and understanding of food but, much more than that – enriching every single part of your life. Along the way, McGee introduces us to the aroma chemicals that surround us, which make up our entire world and colour the way we experience it. It’s a joyous book that should be read by cooks, perfumers, fragrance-addicts and absolutely anyone who has been struck by a smell, wondered what it was and wanted to know more.

Something we especially loved was how clearly this information is laid out – so it can be easily referred to. Each smell mentioned is laid out in a chart of its name/species, the component smells to identify it with, and the molecules that create those smells. Gleefully, some have a column respresenting ‘Also found in’, so we learn, for example, that Some Smells of Cat Urine are like blackcurrant, which is caused by methylbutyl sulfanyl formate, and can also be found in beer and coffee. More fragrantly, many flower varieties are described, along with plant pongs, animals, humans, food (raw, cooked or cured) and the scent of space itself.

Managing to be both scholarly yet immediately accessible, it’s his passion for that subject that really sporings off the page and makes you want to run out into the street and start smelling things with a new appreciation for what you might find. Whether he has you bending to smell wet pavements and marvelling at ambergris, exploring the fruit-filled Himilayan mountain ranges, literally stopping to smell the roses or cautiously approaching a durian fruit… this is a celebration of something the majority of us take so foregranted – until we have it taken away from us. Witness the huge rise in smell-related news stories, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Perhaps now the media are focussing on our sense of smell at last, and realising how important it is to our enjoyment and understanding of every day life, there will be further books like this to enjoy a wider readership than they may have previously. And maybe that will lead to proper funding for the much-needed further research we still so desperately need. Now that’s something to celebrate!

If your intrest in pongs has been piqued, perhaps you’d like to perfuse the many other books about smell and the senses we have reviewed for our Fragrant Reads bookshelf…?

By Suzy Nightingale

We’ve found the most relaxing, flower-filled films ever…

You can practically feel your blood-pressure drop as you watch these short but so-exquisite flower-filled films on Instagram – but can looking at pretty pictures of nature ACTUALLY (scientifically, not merely anecdotally) lower your stress levels? Apparently so…

A dear friend of mine recently posted on Facebook to say she’d been suffering panic attacks, but that watching these films had really helped her relax, to focus on something lovely for a while and just help her to breathe out again.

I’d been feeling similarly wobbly, to tell the truth, so immediately clicked and scrolled, and actually found myself sighing out-loud with how beautiful they are.

 

 

Available to watch on Li Ziqi’s Instagram, the IGTV films follow her adventures as she strolles through flower-filled meadows, picking blossoms to cook with, to arrange into stunning, so-simple floral arrangements, and even make her own floral hydrolates with a copper still in her garden. A Chinese food and country-life vlogger from Pingwu in Mianyang, Sichuan, Li has become something of an Internet celebrity within China, and is fast gaining popularity around the world as stressed-out viewers tune in to drop out for a while.

 

 

And oh! That garden! Filled with rambling roses, herbs and vegetables of all description, kittens and puppies frolic and her grandmother chuckles in what are almost overwhelmingly charming and bucolic scenes, as Li Ziqi wanders further into the forest and welcomes spring by picking magnolia flowers, celebrates ‘peach blossom day’ and makes all manner of utterly delicious (and sometimes bewildering, if you don’t happen to be familiar with them) floral-themed dishes.

 

 

Satisfyingly, every single part of the plants seems to be used, in meals, for homemade fabric dyes or in glorious floral arrangements in huge vases. There’s something very ASMR about it all – Auto Sensory Meridian Response: a tingling, relaxing sensation some people feel while watching or listening to pleasing audio – with the wind rustling the rose bushes as she meticulously chops and prepares the food, windchimes tinkling in the background.

 

 

If you’re stuck indoors and feel trapped, as I do (self-isolating while looking after two elderly, at-risk parents) watching these short films feels almost as good as running through the forests in gauzy gowns yourself… And you know, the calm that washes over you isn’t just make-believe. Scientists have proved that even just looking at pictures of trees and greenery for a few minutes a day can actually help reduce stress and depression.

 

 

Dubious? Have a read of this fascinating article in Psychology Today, which asserts that ‘the sight of trees allows the parasympathetic nervous system to gain an edge, calming the entire body and making us more relaxed. That’s a good thing given how many of us live in concrete, urban environments. A recent NIH study [2] found that in urban surroundings, “contact with real or simulated green settings as opposed to [manmade] settings has positive effects on mood, self-esteem and self-reported feelings of stress and depression.” The Japanese have longed practiced Shirin-yoku, taking in the forest atmosphere or “forest bathing,” to alleviate stress, aggression, fatigue, and feelings of depression.’

 

 

So there you have it: if we can’t find freedom for now, or if you don’t have access to a garden of your own (let alone a flower-filled forest to frolic in), you can at least tune in and switch down your stress levels awhile.

Wishing you safe and well, until we meet again fragrant friends…

By Suzy Nightingale

AbScent – Lost your sense of smell? They can help…

Chrissi Kelly lost her sense of smell in 2012. She had no idea how seriously this would impact on her life – and how many people struggle with this on a daily basis. Since then, she’s launched AbScent and devoted her life to finding out more about the loss of smell, and developed Snif: a smell training app that’s a personal coach to re-building or enhancing the sense of smell…

Since the devastating loss of smell caused by a virus, Chrissi Kelly has been busy founding the charity AbScent, and supporting thousands of other people with smell loss through smell training. Having taken courses with Professor Thomas Hummel, the author of the first research paper on smell training at the University of Dresden, Germany; Chrissi used his tried and trusted techniques alongside specially devised ‘smell training kits’, which have significantly helped people to reconnect with their recovering sense of smell. Chrissi also speaks at conferences, runs workshops, online events and private sessions to support people with the condition. She’s a busy woman, indeed, and we were thrilled to join her at Jo Malone London‘s flagship Regent Street Store, recently, where they were kindly playing host to the official launch of AbScent.

 

 

Chrissi explained ‘the three pillars of smell training’ approach AbScent use to aid those with a loss of smell – be that from a head injury, illness, medication or even those who were born with what they perceive as no sense of smell at all. The message is, there is help out there, and there are active ways you can learn more, connect with others and improve your sense of smell with time.

Step 1: ‘Find out where your sense of smell is today. Use the AbScent self-assessment form, here. You won’t know if you are improving if you don’t know where you’ve started.’

Step 2: Smell Train. There are full instructions for making your own Smell Training Kit, here. Or, if you prefer, you can purchase a pre-assembled Smell Training Kit.

Step 3: Take note of your experiences. AbScent provide a guide for keeping notes and a downloadable diary.

You can also now use the online Snif App – to ‘guide and instruct users so that each smell training session is consistent and productive. Snif becomes a personal coach that takes the guesswork out of practicing, presenting a mindful and focussed way of tracking your development. Currently web-based, a native app is in the works.

 

 

‘Think of it as physiotherapy for your nose,’ AbScent explain. ‘The brain can rewire itself, but this is a slow process. Smell training is a commitment and it takes time. You will need to train for a minimum of four months, twice a day.’ That may seem like quite an undertaking, but when you realise how earth-shattering a loss of smell can be, it’s definitely worthwhile. ‘I’d say that pretty much everyone who has suffered loss of smell goes on to develop depression in varying forms,’ Chrissi told us.

Imagine not being able to smell your own child, your partner – yourself. Or wondering is a phantom burning smell is actually your house burning down – a loss of smell isn’t simply not being able to smell things as well/at all: it can come with a whole host of disturbing side-effects, such as all food and drink suddenly tasting foul (leading to eating disorders or malnutrition).

It can feel incredibly difficult to go to your doctor if you’re not sure how to describe your symptoms, or what they need to know. Be assured that the medical profession are now – thank goodness – taking smell loss seriously. And AbScent have made a guide to talking to your doctor, so you know exactly what to say. They even have a list of clinics to go for further help.

 

 

AbScent have also launched a Sense of Smell Project. ‘We are trying to learn more about what it is like to live with this condition and how people’s lives change as a result.’ By taking part in their survey and telling your story, you can help them get a clear overview of subjects that may have not been considered, in order to ‘develop healing strategies and better ways to support patients.’

We cannot applaud enough, the work that Chrissi and her AbScent team have done so far, and their aims of helping even more people who may well have been ignored – or not even taken their own loss of smell seriously – for so long. We also hope that other fragrance houses will join in the support. Smell loss can strike any one of us at any time, and if we all work together, what a world of sensorial discoveries we could uncover…

By Suzy Nightingale