It's that time of the year, the one filled with guilty pleasures and, as far as diets are concerned, we'll worry about it in January, December is a period full of gourmet notes and succulent novelties, also in the perfumery.
To be honest, it's been since the 90s that this desire to pamper the nose and spirit has been growing, with no end.
Gourmand fragrances
The gourmand facet is becoming more and more predominant, to the point that there are those who bet (I am one of them), that in a few years it will become an olfactory family, recognised for all intents and purposes in various parameters of evaluation and classification of fragrances.
Vanilla, which is very present among gourmand perfumes, has one of the most magical flavours in the world and the richest pods of vanillin; a fragrant molecule found in Madagascar.
You must know that the typical dark colour only develops after a long treatment, and the ones who use it in cooking know what I am talking about.
The pod is harvested when it is still green, at the beginning it looks like a vegetable, a giant croissant.
The raw material is weighed, immersed in hot water (about 60 degrees) for three minutes and then it is left for more than a day in a container, the change in temperature will favour a sort of sweating of the pod.
The sun is fundamental; for 3 weeks the whole vanilla is exposed to air whilst an additional, slower drying process is taking place inside the plant on special trays.
It's a crucial moment, one filled with exhilaration and massages, thanks to the expert hands of workers the pods are literally massaged, leading to the vanillin to increase, resulting in the development of the aroma we all know and love.
Quality and prestige determine the price of vanilla, still, till this day, vanilla is considered one of the most expensive materials in circulation, its price depends on quality, prestige and also on the method of pollination.
In fact, before becoming a pod it’s a beautiful flower, similar to an orchid, which must be pollinated by man, one by one.
Several essence houses have taken into consideration the precious territories where these are found, and their populations, offering job opportunities, guaranteeing an excellent product, without exploiting the territory and people.
From vanilla bean to extract
When creating a perfume, many times one type of extraction from a vanilla bean is not enough: between absolutes, CO2 and cold infusions, we can recreate a kaleidoscopic Luna Park, with candy stalls included.
To recreate the sweet facet we also use chocolate notes, hazelnut, we use coffee, licorice, obviously between natural and synthetic. These notes are almost all in the bottom on our hypothetical olfactory pyramid.
I invite you to try Alyssa Ashley's entire line, Vanilla, dedicated to this amazing note.
The line consists of:
-a pleasant eau de toilette, the concentration guarantees a performance of a champion
-a delicate perfumed water
-a soft body and hand cream
-a soft bath foam and shower gel.
It will surprise you because it’s such a cozy vanilla accord, there is a good chance that it can become the pampering scent for the whole family.
Tonka Bean Perfume
Another irreplaceable raw material to get a gourmand right is Tonka Bean. It’s an explosive carousel of exquisite joyful, talcum, fleshy, mouth watering notes.
This material has an olfactory profile reminiscent of milk and has viscous facets of wood and vanillin.
Initially, Tonka Bean seeds were crushed into powder and sold in sachets to be stored in closets among the piles of laundry, or used to flavour tobacco.
In perfumery, it’s used in its’ original form, subsequently, it’s processed and treated with a volatile solvent in order to obtain the absolute.
Tonka bean flavor
In cooking and baking, it can be grated in the same way as nutmeg. It can be used in coffee to make your morning breakfast more fragrant and mouth watering.
It's the right time to try the new Tonka Musk by Alyssa Ashley, with notes of tonka bean in the heart, along with: cinnamon, vanilla and of course musk.
Even the list of raw materials on the olfactory pyramids, rather than a list of ingredients, look like those on a restaurant menu.
The imagination of creative designers and perfume houses has no limits, so pure fantasy accords and scents are born: candy floss, marzipan, popcorn.
And to remain in the theme of the festivities, you cannot miss the note of panettone.
Enjoy your tasting.
