Last Bottle of Tirzah

Tirzah perfume and tea are now officially discontinued. There is, however, one bottle in stock and in the future we will be taking orders of full sizes only for this perfume (refer to website for full list of available products). For fans of the tea, we will be releasing a new tea this spring with a green tea and floral bouquet, and we hope you will enjoy it just as much!

Tirzah is a linden blossom soliflore with a woody floral green-tea like aroma.

Top notes: Elemi, Frangipani, Green Lemon, Mimosa
Heart notes: Linden Blossom, Guiacwood, Orris Root
Base notes: Ambrette (Musk) Seed , Fokienia (Siamwood), Hay Absolute

Sniffapalooza Magazine Interivews Persephenie & Reviews Sahleb Perfume

The March 1st issue of Sniffapalooza Magazine is out, featuring two interesting pieces that are related to yours truly:
An interview with natural perfumer Persephenie Snyder, the founder of Blunda in Los Angeles - where natural perfumes, art and education happen all under one roof and is hosting an 8-months long event of perfume exhibitions.
Ayala Moriel will be there April 17-19; Saturday April 18 being an afternoon tea with Q&A and showcasing my contribution to last spring's Perfume Inside a Poem project.

And lastly, Michelyn Camen's article Comforting Scents for Uncomfortable Times features my Sahleb perfume.

Scent Systems

Some of you may have been familiar with Scent Systems from the days it was a posh niche perfumes retailer in London that included custom scents as part of their services. A few years back, the company underwent a shift and became a perfume house that uses only natural building blocks in their perfumes, and the bespoke fragrances are also 100% natural. Scent Systems was founded by Hiram Green, a Canadian that followed his dreams and ended up on the other side of the pond. He now works with George Dodd, a perfumer and a renown fragrance consultant and researcher in the field of fragrance and psychology. His book, His book “Fragrance: The Psychology and Biology of Perfume” (co-edited with S. Van Toller) includes some of his researches as well as other researchers (including the infamous inventors of the Colour Rosette Test), which were key to understanding the impact of fragrance on human beings. He now operates from a small studio in the Highlands of Scotland, and his connection to this landscape is reflected in the choice of some of the aromatics used in the floral collection he designed for Scent Systems, such as heather absolute and Scottish bog myrtle.

Last week, Scent System’s coffret of the 5 floral perfumes arrived in the mail. While the five are quite different from one another, the line has a style, and it’s as if there is a thread that connects them all. Each is named after a flower, and that note is distinct and present; yet they are far more complex and rich to be categorized as soliflores. Aside from the natural perfumery staples, the line uses some rare natural essences that even I am not familiar with (i.e.: heliotrope, basmati flower and heather absolutes), and also some natural isolates (i.e.: aldehydes that occur in plants rather than synthesized from an unrelated source). The perfumes are all dense, rich, and have a slightly oily opening (which I’m guessing is the aldehydes) that reminds me of the scent of blood, yet not in a disturbing way. The line is intriguing and original, yet has a solid foundation in classic perfumery principles and the perfumes have an interesting evolution and are long lasting.

I intend to give a full review of the scents soon, but would like to use this post to give them all a first-impression introduction:

Jasmine - the freshest of them all, and slightly grassy jasmine, paired with herbs (basil and verbena) overtop vetiver base.

Rose - opens overly fruity and ripe with spicy, turmeric-like after-note and rose isolates dominant and sharp, but softens into more complex rose territory after a while. The dryout reveals a patchouli and curry-like base.

Wild Violet - I found this to be more spicy than I expected, rather than a fragile, powdery floral. An opoponax note comes forth right away, than replaced by roses; and only later on the iris notes glide in and create a more violet-y impression.

Tuberose - I thought I would love this one the most, as it smells most delicious from the vial, but it ended up very different than the opening. Starts off as a creamy, heady and slightly juicy, and reminds me of Miller Harris’ Noix de Tubereuse, which I like, but once the tuberose subsides it’s not as intriguing.

Oeillet is by far my favourite of them all, and is a dusky, dark seductive green, herbaceous and spicy oriental. Sage is the key note though, in my opinion, and having grown up surrounded by sage this might explain why I’m partial to it.

Full reviews will be posted over the next couple of weeks after I wear each a few more times. If you have already experienced Scent Systems' floral collection please do comment :)

Moroccan Tea Time

moroccan still life, originally uploaded by christian wind.

moroccan still life , originally uploaded by christian wind

I've already told you before about my paternal grandmother, who made Aliya from Morocco.

Her afternoon tea ritual was something I always enjoyed and will never forget. The culture of tea arrived to Morocco most likely travelled to Morocco through Europe and became popular in the 18th Century, when trade between Morocco and Europe flourisehd and tea spread throughout North Africa and became an integral part of hospitality in the region. The French imperialism made the rituals even more elaborate with the addition of many French-influenced pastries, some of them exceptionally fancy. But Moroccan tea time remained mostly about hospitality and tea, and even the simplest pastries made the occasion special. The addition of fresh local herbs made the tea distinctively of the region - spearmint and lemon verbena in the summertime to make the tea refreshing and cooling (even when it is hot!), and bitter mugwort or sage in the wintertime for their medicinal properties.

Morocco is currently the first consumer of green tea world-wide, and is one of the only two Muslim countries to drink green tea (the other being Afghanistan). Green tea was probably not available at all in Israel in the 1950’s, when the Moroccan immigration was at its peak, and the Jewish Moroccan had to make do with black tea. But this did not make the tradition stop or diminish. In fact, the custom spread throughout the country and even Jews from non-Moroccan decent enjoyed black tea with a sprig of mint. Black tea with spearmint is served in all the Narguilla (Shisha) houses, with a great amount of sugar to help reduce the dryness in the mouth caused by the tobacco smoke and steam.

At my grandmother’s balcony, every afternoon tea was served with sweets and pastries suitable for the occasion. The staples were simple galettes - these were not crepes, but a long wavy biscuit type of hardly sweet cookies, which I am still hunting for a recipe for; or fennel flavoured biscuits and savoury sesame bagel-shaped cookies. Other staples that my grandmother almost always had on hand were round almond cookies with a single clove-bud stuck in the middle looking like a belly-button; and my than favourites - coconut cookies, with a silvery pearl-shaped decoration candy - both baked in the tiniest paper cups which made them look even more adorable.

When it was a holiday there may be some specialty pastries, as well as when her sisters came to visit from Paris. But either way, the conversations during tea time were exclusively in French so I was able to absorb the sound but focus on the flavours.

Sometime last year, I’ve tried to capture the aromas of this quiet tea time with a scent. Now it is offered in a very limited edition of 3 bottles for those smitten with mint and tea or who share my nostalgic Moroccan tea time memories.

Top notes: Spearmint, Black Pepper, Bitter Almond, Fennel

Heart notes: Rose Maroc, Honey, Licorice Mint

Base notes: Green Tea, Massoia Bark, Atlas Cedarwood

Hoji-cha and Soba-cha

Hojicha
Originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel

So much for perfume wearing in the last couple of days... I can't get any near fragrance because of a neck/shoulder/upperback/head ache that refuses to go away for the 3rd day now. I've got much I want to write about - including two natural perfume lines that I've just got samples from - but this will have to wait till I can enjoy fragrance without this painful background noise.

So for today I'll just share with you my enjoyment of Hoji-cha tea, which is a Japanese roasted tea leaf. Originally was invented by a tea merchant that wanted to find a way to use surplus tea and avoid waste. Hoji-cha has a cereal-like, nutty and mild aroma, which brought me the idea of blending it with Soba-cha this afternoon. Soba-cha is roasted buckwheat tea, which is essentially nothing else but the roasted "grain". They go perfectly well together - a very comforting everyday tea and goes well with a meal.

Excuse me for the terrible photo. Essentially the tea looks like roasted sencha leaves and also tea plant twigs.

Tea, Wine & Champaca Absolute

Nirmalya Originally uploaded by shubhangi athalye

Champaca absolute is one of the most complex natural essences, and despite its immense beauty, not an easy one to work with. Especially this is the case when the flower is intended as the star of the show. It’s density and potency sometimes get in the way of revealing its beauty. It also poses two additional challenges – from a commercial point of view: it is neither affordable nor particularly understood or favoured by the Western world. Champaca is a note that is much prized in its country of origian – India – but only recently has begun to cross the East/West border and be featured in select few Western perfumes. And even than, it doesn’t always receive justice.

My impression is still a bit divided when it comes to this new interpretation of champaca in the Tom Ford Private Blends collection. Like Linda Pilkington’s Champaca there is rice-steam and subtlety of tea to it underneath it all, which I find both very suitable and complementary for champaca absolute. Interestingly, from all the rice-steam fragrances I've experienced, this one delivers the feel the best despite the fact that it is not "supposed" to do so (judging by the list of "notes" released by the company); also, there is no synthetically musky dry down to get in the way of enjoying this unusual floral.

At the same time, it is way fruitier than champaca absolute is, which make the name a bit misleading. Perhaps the flower in full bloom portrays more of this fruitiness, typical of its sister the white magnolia; but the effect takes away from the rarity of this perfume as it brings to mind too many typical fruity florals. Thankfully, this common effect is not dominant and for most of its duration on the skin, Champaca Absolute delivers that rare thing – a subtle big floral. My first thought when wearing Champaca Absolute was - "this is how I would have wanted KenzoAmour to smell", which goes to show you how much of a prettified champaca this one is.

There is much of the exotic in here, from banana-leaf wrapped steamer rice and tea to the large golden petals of this admirable magnolia, dipping slowly in warm plum wine. The scent lasts well beyond expected, and is only a tad overbearing for a few minutes in the beginning (at the fruity-floral phase). While it does linger on clothes after it departs from the skin – it is actually a pleasant surprise to find it there, like a sweet memory of Malaysian food enjoyed the evening before in candle-light. It is just a little too pretty and little too simplified for champaca, but if that would make the West understand and appreciate champaca more - perhaps it is a good thing.

The notes include top notes of: Tokaji wine (something I’ve only heard about when reading about the Baron von Münchhausen’s adventures in Turkey), cognac, bergamot and davana

Heart notes of: champaca, broom, Phantomia orchid and night blooming jasmine

Base notes of: vanilla, amber, sandalwood and marron glacé (candied chestnut)

I would say it starts off like plum wine (perhaps the Tokaj and davana, which is a boozy smelling type of artemisia), continues into magnolified-fruity champaca with the addition of rice and tea like notes (perhaps this is the starchiness of the candied chestnuts) and boils down to vanilla and a woody amber. It is semi-linear though, as the changes are not that dramatic and it generally keeps its original shape throughout.

P.s. First it was Velvet Gardenia, and now the newest addition to Tom Ford’s Private Blends proves my lack of integrity. It just occurred to me yesterday that the ferocious ad
was really making fun of men who like porn, rather than being demeaning to woman. Isn’t that a convenient way to get around the bush?

If There Ever Was - A Book of Extinct and Impossible Smells

The book that came out of this unusual smell-art exhibit is now available to the public, and one can experience these uncomfortable scents at the comfort of his/her own home. These include the hypothetical scents of the atomic bomb exploding on Hiroshima, the scent of the sun, extinct botanical species and the smell of communism. The concept was conceived by curator Robert Blackson for an exhibit of that name, and perfumers Bertrand Duchaufour, Christoph Hornetz, Mark Buxton, Christophe Laudamiel, Geza Schön and Sissel Tolaas created these as scents.

Thanks to Steven for the tip and for the link to the NY Times article.

Palas Atena reviewed on Scent Hive

Scent Hive features a review of Palas Atena by Trish (AKA Pikake on Perfume of Life and here when commenting on SmellyBlog). Scent Hive is a new beauty blog dedicated to natural and green perfumes and beauty products.

Palas Atena is available online and at Blunda Los Angeles.

Tea Rose

Dewy Tea Rose, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

As if my tea obsession is not already enough, I have been recently obsessed with tea roses. There is much to be said about the sheer bliss that rests upon me when I burry my face in a gigantic hybrid tea rose. The cool petals in the summer, sometimes covered in dew, other times with dust, and always makes a rose garden shine with beauty. I always felt that tea roses are more rosy than any other kind. Rosa damascena is more full-bodied and wine like, Rosa centifolia (cabbage rose) a little lighter, and Rosa odorata (the Latin name for tea roses) is definitely the most peachy-perfect of them all. To my nose, anyway.

As it turns out, what makes tea roses smell the way they do is their orange colour, due to presence of beta carotene, and also a type of ionone, which is what make it smell as fresh as a cup of green tea.

I tried to recreate the experience by creating a tea rose soliflore, using two China roses - Rosa odorata and Rosa rugoza essential oils, highlighted by osmanthus and black current buds for extra fruitiness, and grounded with cassie absolute and green tea CO2 and just a touch of vanilla. The result was very much to my liking: cheerful and light rose with none of the muddiness that can so easily darken an all-natural rose fragrance, with ionone and tea depths that make it interesting and long lasting and quite diffusive.

Tea Rose is now offered as a limited edition via my Etsy shop.

Blunda Perfume Exhibitions

Beginning in March 2009, Blunda in Los Angeles will showcase a natural botanical perfumer every month. The exhibitions at Blunda will highlight perfumery as an art form. Each exhibit is dedicated to the perfumer as an artist, and most perfumers will be physically present at Blunda for a special event during that month.

Here is the exhibit schedule:
March 2009 - Velvet and Sweet Pea's Purrfumery (Laurie Stern)
April 2009 - Ayala Moriel Parfums
May - Persephenie (Blunda)
June - Artemisia Perfume (Lisa Fong)
July - YOSH Olfactory Sense (Yosh Han)
August - JoAnne Bassett
September - Elena Steel
October - DSH Perfumes (Dawn Spencer Hurwitz)

For the weekend of April 17-19 I will be visiting Blunda for a special event of afternoon tea and a presentation with Q&A. This will be a unique art-show event. I will be presenting the perfume I’ve designed last spring as part of the Perfume Inside a Poem project on Memory & Desire blog, - a cherry blossom perfume inspired by a poem by Ezra Pound; as well as showcasing images of cherry blossom in Vancouver that I photographed while making the perfume.

Victoria Tea Festival

Flowering Teas, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

I just got back from Victoria Tea Festival last night - apparently, it's the largest tea festival in North America, and is a relatively new endeavor (this is the 3rd year). The event was held at the Crystal Garden (713 Douglas Street, just behind The Empress Hotel), an internesting building that used to be an indoors swimming pool. The exhibitors were quite varied, ranging from well established local tea companies, tea rooms, bakeries, tea accessories and china, and even a tea-leaf reader.

High Tea Display, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, is a pretty and small town on Vancouver Island with interesting heritage and strong British influence. Which makes tea there even more popular than in Vancouver - and English tea in particular. Afternoon tea are offered in several prestigious locations, the most known are perhaps White Heather, Butchart Gardens and The Empress Hotel. I have experienced the latter a couple of times (this weekend being the second) - a classy yet laid back settings (if you are comfortable with being served) and the tiered treats are to die for all-time classics (see image with recipe for their scone, printed on a tea towel below).

Scones Recipe, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

I was hoping to find interesting china or tea sets, but this was not a strong point at the exhibit. I did, however, find a couple of interesting vendors. One being a Japanese family-owned business that imports laqcuer ware and tea containers made of cherry wood. I was particularly smitten by this display of leather clutches, with elaborate designs that are white and raised obove the leather surface. The little red purse in the middle holds the stamps of the business owner's family name. There is a little locket-medallion attached that holds a tiny circular red inkpad. Apparently, this is a common accessory in each family in Japan that gets passed down the generations. What a nifty way to carry the family's signature!

Japanese Leather Accessories, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

Teapot from Artfarm, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

Similarly elaborate, was this surprising vendors from Duncan on Vancouver Island. Artfarm make their own tea pots and carry an interesting selection of teas, including a tea I've never heard of before - Hojicha (roasted Japanese green tea, with a comforting, nutty-cereal aroma), jasmine pearls, pine smoked black tea (Lapsang Suchong), and organic White Peony, which I am sipping as I write this.

Lapsang Suchong, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

White Peony, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

Which brings me to the point of my mission: I wanted to find really good and interesting white tea in this event. And while I'm not quite sure yet that I've found my favourite white tea yet - I sure did find a few interesting ones, from Silk Road. They can be viewed side by side on the image below, and as you may notice, one of them (the Snow Dragon) is actually individually spiraled silver needles. I was not impressed with it too much, but I might have brewed it with water that were not hot enough. I am yet to try the One Hundred Monkeys.

Two White Teas, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

I may have not accomplished the white tea mission, but I sure did find one tea that I am very smitten with and am sure to be drinking a lot of: Oolong perfumed with magnolia flowers. This is an authentic perfumed tea, in which the tea leaves are layered with flowers. Tea readily absorbs the aroma of the flowers, and so this process is much like enfleurage with tea (instead of fat; and withouth the alcohol washing in the end, of course!). The petals are removed after they've exhaled their beauty onto the tea leaves, and so in a true perfumed tea the petals are for the most part absent. Their flavour possessed no value and if anything - they tend to add an undersiable bitterness to the bouquet. A so-called-perfumed-tea that has a lot of petals in it is often not a true perfumed tea, but a perfume that is aromatized with artificial and/or natural essences, and the dried flowers are added on as a supposed-proof-of-authenticity for those who are uneducated about perfumed teas.

Magnolia Oolong, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

Overall, it was an interesting event. I only wish it was a little less crowded to really experience the teas and speak to the vendors. I also hope there will be more educational lectures and presentation in the future.

Vancouver Sun Featuring Ayala Moriel

According to The Vancouver Sun, one of the top-5 ways to spice up your love is making scents at Ayala Moriel's perfume studio. If you're a Vancouver Sun reader this is probably old news in the recycling bin by now. If you aren't from Vancouver, or (like me) don't like to get the ink on your hands while you read, you can still read Valentine turn-ons? Let us count the ways online, which mentions Ayala Moriel's Signature Perfumes and bespoke services. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to remind you that I also create custom scents for couples - for wedding, anniversaries or for no other reason than celebrating your love!

Lovely & Lively Valentine's Day Celebration Ideas

Dear Fragrant Friends,

Valentine’s Day is just a day away, and if you haven’t figured out how to make this day special for you and your loved ones, here are some ideas for last minute declaration of love. Not that I think that celebrating love and expressing it should be limited to one day a year – there is no need for excuses to give and receive love any other day of the year. Valentine’s Day is just a day where more extravagant displays of emotions that otherwise may seem over-the-top, perhaps even unbelievable, suddenly become socially acceptable, even in the sober and unromantic period where we live in.

As always, I believe it’s the time together and those shared moments that matters more than how much money was spent on gifts. Below are a few ideas of how to make the special people in your life feel loved and cared for, including you!

In this newsletter:

• The Art of Giving


• Red Roses
  


• Love for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  


• Immortelle l'Amour Brunch


• Roses et Chocolat Tea Time
  
  
• Aphrodisiac Dinner Menu


• First Love: Know Thyself
  


• Quick Reference Guide to Aphrodisiac Perfumes


• More Romantic Gift Ideas
  
  

The Art of Giving

"Birthday" by Marc Chagall

Gifts are interesting. They are three fold: the giver, the receiver and their relationship. More than anything else, gifts are indicative of the relationship between two people. When you choose a gift, your decision is affected by all these three factors. On one hand, we tend to select something that also somehow appeals to us or would represent us to the receiver. On the other hand, the gift must be of some use or significance to the person receiving it. At the same time, a gift may indicate to them how we feel about them, thus re-defining your relationship in the future - or assert your existing relationship.

When it comes to perfume – the same rules apply. Scent being a socially accepted gift for a romantic partner can commonly imply such intentions, just as a bouquet of flowers would. And if you are selecting a scent for your partner – this will be a gift that you will both enjoy because the scent lingers in the air in the space you share.

There is much to be said about how to pick a scent for someone. This is an art on its own, even more complex than picking gifts already is in general. Like a genie in a bottle, it can potentially be anything to the person receiving it: beautiful, discussing, sexy, haunting, disturbing, painful or just plain boring.

Which is why I suggest, when it comes to scent to leave it to the experts. And why not have fun yourself while you’re at it? If you know your significant other likes perfume, why not go on a little sniffing expedition together? You will get to know each other better that way, and even have a few laughs. Alternatively, you can schedule an Olfactory Journey for Two, where you can both come to my studio and explore the magical essences from which all my perfumes are made, and be an active participant in creating a scent that represents both of you in harmony.

Red Roses Bath & Massage Oil

Enjoy a bath for two or a sensual massage with a nourishing oil that you’ve scented yourself. This can be simply done, and does not need to be a very complex blend. Just something that you can both enjoy. For an extra touch, light a Roses et Chocolat candle in the bedroom.

Red Roses Bath & Massage Oil

Roses with just a tinge of aphrodisiac nutmeg oil and sensual ylang ylang.

20 gtts Rose Otto
15 gtts Rose Absolute
20 gtts Rose Geranium
5 gtts Ylang Ylang Absolute or Essential Oil (Extra grade)
2 gtts Nutmeg Essential Oil
100ml carrier oil of your choice
2 capsules of Vitamin E

Fill a clean glass bottle with the carrier oil of your choice (i.e.: fast-absorbing fractioned coconut oil, camellia oil, almond oil or jojoba, etc.), or Turkey Red Oil if you intend to use this in the bath only, as it disperses in water.

Add the essences drop by drop using an eye dropper. Stir with a bamboo skewer. Cap and swirl from side to side to let all the essences blend together.

Let the oils age for a week (unless you are in a real hurry!).

For other bath oils ideas check out SmellyBlog DIY Love topics.

Love for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

The following are a few ideas for sensual feasts, large and small, featuring some of the aphrodisiacs mentioned in the previous newsletter.

From time immortal, preparing food for a lover was a form of seduction. And it still is. Even the easiest meals require thought and taking the effort to do so for your loved one is really touching. And of course – if you both like cooking, you can prepare the food together and enjoy each other’s company while you do so; which can take away from the stress of needing to get things ready before your lover arrives.

But before you begin preparing, keep in mind a few things that can make your meal more sensual, seductive and pleasurable: The soft light of candles will allow you to focus on the other senses – smell, touch and taste – and not only savour every bite but also become more aware of your emotions and the connection between you. Light the candles and turn on soft, relaxing music when you are still preparing the last details of the meal. Wear comfortable and sexy clothes that will make you feel beautiful and special.

Immortelle l’Amour Brunch

What a better way to start the day than a delicious breakfast? This
brunch idea includes several aphrodisiacs - caramelized bananas, cut
lengthwise to maintain their suggestive shape, and cinnamon and
cardamom to spice up your love. You can use your own recipes or click on the links that will lead you to one.

Menu:

Cinnamon Waffles (or French Toast) served with Maple Syrup and Caramelized Bananas Broiled Grapefruit with Cardamom & Honey
Immortelle l’Amour tea served with Maple Syrup

Roses et Chocolat Tea Time

An afternoon tea is a treat for all the people involved: it requires very little preparations (except for the scones and sandwiches, many of the items can be prepared in advance or bought at the store or bakery). Which means that unlike a dinner party, you can actually get to spend time with your guests. The following menu is designed to accompany Roses et Chocolat tea, but any tea you like can be appropriate for a Valentine’s Day afternoon tea. As a tea lover, this is a wonderful way for me to share my love and treat friends and loved ones to really special treats. And of course – the presentation plays a huge role in making a tea party memorable and enjoyable to all the senses. A flower arrangement with red roses will be perfect for this occasion, and you can even spread rose petals on the serving plates or tiered tea trays. This is the time where you can pull out your heart-shaped cookie cutters and use them for making heart-shaped tea sandwiches or shortbread. You can even cut the scones into hearts.

The aphrodisiac components in this tea time don't stop at the rose and chocolate. Cucumbers, for the phallic shape are considered aphrodisiacs; tomatoes are considered aphrodisiacs for their red, full and volputuous shape, and mint and basil awaken the passion with their fresh, spicy aroma.

Tea Served: Roses et Chocolat

1st Tier

• Round Tomato-Basil open sandwiches


• Triangluar Cucumber-Mint tea sandwiches


• Heart-Shaped Salmon, capers & cream cheese tea sandwiches

2nd Tier:

• Plain scones


• Devonshire Cream


• Rose petal jam (handmade or purchased - this can be also found in many Middle Eastern or Balkan sepcialty shops)


• Raspberry or Strawberry Jam
  

3rd Tier:

• Chocolate-dipped strawberries


• Blood Truffles
  
  Korova cookies (Paris Sweets, p. 6)


• Strawberry marshmallows or Guimauve (homemade strawberry-rose marshmallows)- recipe can be found on page 133 of Paris Sweets


• Basboosa, Rahat Loukum (Turkish Delight), baklava or other rosewater flavoured Middle Eastern pasty


• Dried Figs (the fresh ones are sadly out of season in February, but you can always have them another tea time!)
  

For the sandwiches:

Tomato-Basil sandwiches (cut slices of whole wheat bread with a
round cooki cutter, top with a slice of chevre cheese, a slice of
tomato and garnish with a basil leaf)

Cucumber-Mint sandwiches, triangle-shaped (peel and thinly slice
cucumbers, salt them and let drain; pat dry with a towel; butter both
slices of white or whole wheat bread and trim off the crusts; cover
with cucumber slices and other slice of bread and cut into two-bite
size triangles).

Heart-Shaped Salmon, capers & cream cheese sandwiches (cut the
whole wheat or rye bread into hearts and spread with cream cheese on
all “slices”; cut hearts of smoked salmon with the cookie cutter; top
the sandwiches with salmon and sprinkle with capers; cover with other
slice).

Sandwiches can be kept refrigerated up to 5 hours before serving.

For the scones:

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking power
3 Tbs. butter or margarine, room temperature
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk

Sift dry ingredients together. Cut butter into the flour and work with fingers into small crumbles. Whisk the egg with buttermilk. Add to the flour mixture and knead until smooth (do not over knead). Spread on a floured surface, and cut with a biscuit or cookie cutter (you could use a heart-shaped one too!).

Bake in an oven preheated to 400F for 15-20 mintues (depending on how large the scones are) – or until golden brown.

Aphrodisiac Dinner Menu

Artichoke image courtesy of Wikipedia

There is much to be said about eating with bare fingers, sans utensils. The obvious pitfall is that they will get dirty. But that’s a small price to pay for the sensual delight of fully experiencing your food through your tactile sense. Eating with fingers gives more pleasure out of food. You can feel the texture of the food, which complements its shape, colour and flavour. I find that I eat more slowly and am able to savour the food when I use my fingers only. It helps us pace ourselves, which makes for a more sensible eating experience – avoiding the unpleasant results of over-eating (which can be painful, even if the food is really good).

And so for a romantic aphrodisiac dinner I’ve chosen mostly items that can be experienced using your fingers and reveal themselves gradually as the meal progresses. Artichoke, asparagus, pears, roasted beets, figs and pomegranates are prime examples. Unfortunately, the last two are no longer in season but you can try working them into the menu another time!

Appetizers:

• Whole Steamed Artichokes with olive-lemon-garlic vinnigraitte
  


• Asparagus Spears with Fleur de Sel


• Roasted beets brushed olive oil or Beet Salad

Salads:

• Poached pear salad - I suggest a variation with frisee and baked goat cheese rolled in pine nuts


• Polish-Style Cucumber Sala (I prefer to make this one with vegetable oil instead of the sour cream)

Main Course:

Couscous with Ras el Hanut spice

Dessert:

Blood Truffles or Guilt Truffles, Basboosa, or Banana Sheera and a Dessert Wine or Liquor of your choice

For the Artichoke & Vinnigraite Dip + How To Eat and Artichoke

1 Artichoke per person, steamed and drained, with the bottom stem cut about 1" off the base. Some prefer to cut off the prickly tip of the leaf, but I don't think this is necessary.

2 Tbs. Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

4 Tbs. Olive Oil

2-4 Cloves of Garlic

Salt to taste

Using a small whisk or a fork, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until the oil and lemon juice are uniformly blended (like a very liquid mayonnaise). Serve the artichoke whole on a plate and peel off one artichoke leaf at a time to eat - dipping the tip in the vinnigraite as desired. Only eat the soft part, which has a mild licorice flavour. Do not eat the upper part of the leaf or the "choke" (the hairy part just above the artichoke's heart). The leaves will become softer as you get closer to the heart though, so you will be able to enjoy an increasinly larger part of each leaf as you peel the layers away.

Artichoke makes an excellent aperitif OR dessert. If you sip a little cold water after you finished the artichoke, the anisic, licorice flavour will intensify, which is quite magical!

For the Steamed Asparagus:

Use the freshest quality asparagus (the younger and thinner - the better), and cut off the bottom of the stems. Steam in a steaming basket or blanch in boiling water for several minutes. Asparagus should be bright green and still crunchy (it should easily snap when you try to break a stem).

Remove from the heat, drizzle with olive oil and add Fleur de Sel (French rock salt from the marshes in Normandy) and pepper to taste, and serve warm or cold as an appetizer, or as a side-dish.

For the Baked Beets:

Use the smallest beets, as they are the sweetest and will have the best texutre when prepared that way.Bunched beets are usually the best for this purpose.

Twist off the stems and leaves.

Rinse beets and remove any dirt using a potato brush.

Cut each beets into to half - the top half, with some of the stem still on, the bottom with the root still intact.

Place on an olive-oil greased pan, and brush each beet with olive oil (using a pastry brush). Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. Best served with baked goat cheese or baked brie as an appetizer.

First Love: Know Thyself

“Know Thyself!” was inscribed on the gate to the temple of Apolo in Delphi. It is still unknown who was the sage who said it; but it was Aristotle who said that in order for us to love somebody, we must first know him or her. This is true also for ourselves too – we must know ourselves to love who we are. It is my belief that without loving oneself, one cannot find true love; and that relationships work best when both partners benefit from it and are able to become better, happier and healthier individuals simply by being allowed to be themselves within the relationship.

If you are single, Valentine’s Day can be just about the most obnoxious day of the year. But who said the only meaningful and true love in the world is romantic love? Don’t let the Valentine’s craze get to you. Instead, why not take this opportunity of a love-centered day to appreciate the love you do have in your life: friends, siblings, parents, grandparents, daughters, sons, coworkers, customers, business parteners, teachers, students, not to mention animals and plants and nature! Love is around us all the time, taking many shapes and forms and it is only up to us to notice, acknowledge and accept it, knowing that we deserve that love.

This might be a good day to gather a couple of close friends for an afternoon tea – either host it yourself or indulge in one served for you in a tea parlour and just enjoy each other’s company; or a day to take a long meditative walk and find out something new about yourself.The point is – no matter what your relationship status, there is one person you’ll always have to be with – and you better become good friends with. And that’s you.

Quick Reference Guide to Aphrodisiac Perfumes

The following is a list of aromatic aphrodisiacs and perfumes from my collection that use a respectable amount of each:

Ambrette Seed – Sahleb, Tamya, Cabaret

Aniseed – Indigo, Black Licorice

Basil - ArbitRary

Black Pepper - Schizm, InCarnation, Vetiver Racinettes

Cacao - Roses et Chocolat, Guilt, Film Noir

Cardamom – Épice Sauvage, Finjan

Cassie – Le Nuages de Joie Jaune, Yasmin

Cedarwood Atlas – Épice Sauvage, Tamya

Cinnamon – Bois d’Hiver, Immortelle l’Amour, Palas Atena

Clary Sage – Ayalitta, Bois d’Hiver

Clove – Autumn, Ayala, InCarnation

Coriander – Tamya, Finjan

Cumin – Autumn, Rebellius

Galbanum – Ayalitta, Grin, Rainforest

Gardenia – Gigi, Tamya

Ginger – l’Herbe Rouge, Ginger & Amber

Jasmine – ArbitRary, Charisma, Megumi, Tamya, Yasmin

Juniper – Bois d’Hiver, Democracry, l’Herbe Rouge

Labdanum – Autumn, Ayalitta, Democracy, Song of Songs

Lavender - Lovender, Gaucho

Mint & Peppermint - Charisma

Neroli & Orange Blossom– Zohar, Guilt

Nutmeg – Fête d'Hiver, InCarnation, Vetiver Racinettes

Patchouli – Film Noir, Palas Atena

Sage – Autumn, Ayalitta

Tuberose - Schizm, White Potion

Rose – Rosebud, Cabaret, Fête d'Hiver, Megumi, Roses et Chocolat, Song of Songs

Rosewood - Sutul

Rosemary – Bois d’Hiver, Gaucho

Saffron - Razala, Song of Songs

Sandalwood – Bon Zai, Gigi, White Potion, Sutul

Vanilla - Immortelle l'Amour, Espionage

Ylang Ylang – Coralle, Tamya

More Romantic Gift Ideas

For more gift ideas for Valentine's Day, visit our Gifts Page or Ayala's Etsy Shop for rare finds (poison rings and other collectibles) and one-of-a-kind perfumes ready to be adopted as your signature scent!

And of course call us anytime so we can help you find the perfect gift and personalize it for your loved ones!

Love & Luck,

Ayala

Ayala Moriel Parfums
AyalaMoriel.com
My SmellyBlog: SmellyBlog.com
Tel.: (778) 863-0806
Address: 1230 Haro Street, Buzz #295,Vancouver, BC
Hours: Mon-Thu 8:00am-4:00pm; Sundays & evenings by appointment only
Address: PO Box 93589 Nelson Park, Vancouver, BC, V6E 4L7

Hot COFFEE... YESSSSS

Finjan perfume is featured in coffee treasury curated by katherynmd, titled Hot COFFEE... YESSSSS.

Kingdom

You simply cannot apply this perfume without noticing the vessel that contains it. It’s unconventional and uncomfortable, odd to hold, round and sharp, smooth and cold and doesn’t balance unless you lay it on the side, in which case it looks asymmetrically odd.
It radiates a Goth passion, a combination of lust and cruelness: the metal rounded quarter of an egg shaped, lead-hued metal in contrast to the blood-red transparent glass within which beats the cold-heart of a contemporary vixen.

It think this perfume, whether if you like it or not, speaks for the technologically-controlled era, when emotions are deeply repressed and condensed into simplified, powerful visuals and sometimes find their way out in a quite grotesque fashion.

The juice itself seemed controversial at the time: Kingdom starts off equally animalic and fresh: the cumin theme is immediately recognizable in the top notes, and is accompanied by mild green notes of bergamot and galbanum. The cumin fades to the background quickly, to make room for the light floral heart of soft rose and the green, citrus floralcy of Neroli.

The pure neroli cleanliness hints us to track down the base notes:
Sandalwood notes from down below become apparent fairly quickly and are quite fresh, rather than incense like. It almost radiates a masculine freshness.

Gradually the whole concoction warms up and a vanilla-amber note emerges, though very subtle. Not quite the sugared gourmand type vanilla, but a perfumey type. The cumin note is now very delicate, and is in the background simply to add a sensuous, animal roundness to the composition.

After the huge expectations set out by the packaging and the advertising campaign, I must admit I expected this perfume to be a lot more intense and sultry. Yes, the cumin hints to that direction, but overall I found Kingdom to be a rather clean, almost a single-note sandalwood fragrance. I find it to be a lot more masculine than feminine. I think this juice will work really well with some masculine sweat working itself up in the background. This might explain the nymph-orgy in Kingdom’s ad campaign, or not.

At the time I was curious to find how the parfum smells like – hoping it would be somewhat darker and deeper, outstandingly erotic. I now know that it’s very unlikely the concentration could help reduce the synthetic impact of crystalline woods, which as we can see now has become quite trendy. While Kingdom did not quite become the modern classic some thought it will be – it certainly had helped to bring orientals back into the mainsrem, even if with molecular manipulation that pales in comparison to their former selves – with woodsy notes that are sheer, flat, clean-musky and a lot simpler than full-blown natural wood essences are.


Top notes: Cumin, Galbanum, Bergamot
Heart notes: Rose, Neroli, Jasmine
Base notes: Sandalwood, Vanilla

Images courtesy of Fragrantica

Fruit Salad

Today was another exceptionally beautiful day in Vancouver, blessed with sunshine just like a proper Tu Bishvat day. The only thing that was missing was the fruit salad I've never made.

Fruit in the wintertime, even in Israel is not at its prime. Most of it, except for citrus fruit is refrigerated from the summer or fall. And if you live in the Northern hemisphere it is mostly imported and not at its freshest. So there is really no better way to enjoy fruit this season than in a fruit salad. Even if all you have is apples, oranges and bananas there are ways to make this simple combination incredibly delicious and festive.

What makes a Tu Bishvat fruit salad different from run-of-the-mill fruit salad is the presence of dried fruit and nuts. These add interesting texture as well as sweetness and variety of flavours.
In particular - chopped dried figs and dates and pecan nuts. If you have either of those you've got a fruit salad, no matter how plain the fruit is.

And if you want to dress up your salad even more, a few drops of orange flower water or rosewater will add grace and an enigmatic touch to any fruit salad.

Tu Bishvat Fruit Salad
(serves 2 fruit lovers or 4 not-so nuts about fruit guests)
1 Banana, peeled
2 Apples, cored
2 Oranges, with the outer skin peeled off (keep the white skin on)
10 almonds, chopped thinly
10 pecan halves, coarsely chopped
3 dried dates, sliced
4 dried figs, chopped into small cubes
1/2 tsp. Orange flower water
Lemon juice (just a few drops)

Cut the apples and bananas into small cubes and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice to avoid browning. Add chopped orange fruit and place in a bowl.
Add the dried fruit and nuts and mix well.
Add orange flower water (if desired) and toss together.
Refrigerate until serving, up to 5 hours.

Fruit salad such as this is so delicious and filling it can be a meal on its own, especially with the extra nutrients from the nuts and dried fruit. Of course, the exact amount of fruit can be adjusted to taste. And fruit can be added or omitted as desired. Fruit such as strawberry, pineapple, mango, pear or kiwi lends itself very well to this context as well as any dry fruit you like - raisins, craisins, dried apricots or peaches, prunes, etc. A sprinkle of shredded coconut can be a nice addition as well as sesame seeds or oatmeal flakes (which will turn it into a musli).

Happy Tu BiShvat!

hashkediya porachat, originally uploaded by orenel.

Happy Tu BiShvat, 15th of the month of Shvat and the New Year of the Trees to those celebrating.

This time of the year, almond trees bloom back home in my native land (well, one of them, I do have two homes), symbolizing the returning of spring, and everybody is planting trees and eat dried fruit and fruit salad... It's a simple and unfussy holiday that has the scent of moist soil and earth warms and the hint of cyclamens in the air.

I wish I could plant a fruit-bearing tree tomorrow. This is something I really want to look into. Perhaps not a fruit-bearing tree but any tree to help nourish our planet and take care of it. You don't have to be Jewish to do that, any day of the year will do, and it will help reduce our carbon print.

tu bishvat hegia, originally uploaded by giladlotan.

Ayala's Aphrodisiac Guide

Dear Fragrant Friends,

Sunrays have been gracing Vancouver in the past week, reminding me the possibilities of spring as the days grow longer. A season marked by its shameless display of sexuality by plants and animal alike – from birds mating and nesting to colourful flower beds and blooming trees. I really cannot wait for the cherry and almond blossoms to come out!

And so in some ways, the early spring holidays, such as Tu Bishvat (a Jewish holiday celebrated on February 9th this year) - otherwise know as the New Year of the Trees; and Valentine’s Day only 5 days later, both mark the awakening of the senses and renewal of life after the surviving the challenges of the dark season.

In this newsletter:

• Aphrodisiacs 101
  


• The Art of Olfactory Seduction


• Ayala's Aphrodisiac Guide
  


• Spicing it Up: Stimulating Notes


• Scents from the Boudoir: Sedative, Erogenous Notes


• Say it with Flowers: Narcotic Floral Bouquets


• Chemical Illusions and Secret Secretions
  
  
• Vote for Virgo Perfume on Etsy Storque


• Romantic Gift Ideas


• Chocolate Elixir & Truffles
  
  

Aphrodisiacs 101

"If there's bread there's love" by Noam Dehan

Since the beginning of time, perfumes and aromatics were used to seduce, empower and get us closer to God, ourselves and one another. The earliest perfumes were incense – burnt resins, woods and gums whose smoke was believed to carry one’s prayers to the gods, and also seduce one’s mind to focus on the inner self.

Aphrodisiacs have been mankind’s obsession, probably just as long – herbs, spices, fruit and animal body parts that were believed to awaken the passion and bring forth love. Aphrodisiacs can be beautiful luscious fruit like figs or bananas, rare flowers such as mandrake or orchid, exotic tree bark such as yohimbe, or in the oddest cases – rhinoceros horns and the tiger’s penile bone. In the modern Western world, aphrodisiacs are mostly replaced by supplements and prescription drugs that are quite readily available yet have none of the mystique of their former selves. Thankfully, for those of us still seeking mystery and excitement there is still perfume.

The Art of Olfactory Seduction

So what makes perfume so seductive and sensual?

Regardless if a perfume contains aphrodisiacs or not - it can give you something that no capsule or drug would: Perfume has the power to seduce the senses, lure us to love and set the mood for passion. Some of it is still a complete mystery (which makes it so much more fun and interesting) and some of it is can be explained by analyzing and understanding the type of stimulation different perfumes offer.

Part of why perfume is so seductive is because it makes the person who wears it feel good about themselves. Feeling confident usually attracts the opposite sex – perhaps even if the woman was unable to smell the scent, as a recent study shows.

This is why my answer to the famous question “what perfume will attract the opposite sex” is first and foremost – a perfume that attracts you! For that purpose, knowing yourself and what you like and dislike is key. Which is why I offer fragrance consultations as an integral part of my service to all of my customers. No matter where you or your loved one live– I am always here to help you find the perfect scent for you, one that would speak to your heart and seduce your senses. I will either help you pick a scent from my collection of 54 originally composed perfumes, hand-blended to perfection; or if you wish to embark on an even more adventurous journey – create a Signature Scent that is just for you – an unforgettable olfactory impression of you.

Ayala’s Aphrodisiac Guide

When we look at the aromatics that are considered aphrodisiacs in aromatherapy practice, and have been used for centuries by ancient traditions as well as in perfumery – they seem to be divided into four major categories: stimulants, erogenous/sedative scents, narcotic flowers, and those who mimic the human’s body odour or pheromones.

Of course, keep in mind that there are also personal differences – you may be more prone to react to certain aphrodisiacs than others. A scent that a former lover had worn may increase (or decrease, it all depends) desire when smelled again even when they are not around…

Spicing it Up: Stimulating Notes

Here is where you will find most of the spice oils. Creating the sensation of heat, the increase blood pressure and circulation is similar to sexual arousal. Spice oils have a definite character of their own, and spice up any perfume composition, quite literally. These include essential oils, CO2 and absolute extractions from the exotic yet familiar spices in our kitchen, such as:

* Black Pepper * Ginger * Cinnamon * Cardamom * Clove Buds * Nutmeg * Juniper Berry

Recommended spicy perfumes:

Wake up to smell the coffee and warm spices with Finjan; wrap yourself in a sexy woolen shawl with Ginger & Amber; and have a romantic cinnamon-waffles brunch with Immortlle l’Amour topped with maple syrup.

Some herbs also have a lively, spicy, pungent aroma with a similar effect, and these oils can be used similarly to spice-up and add a vibrant passion to a scent. These herbs are also known as anti-depressants and stimulants, which might explain a lot about their effect as aphrodisiacs:

* Spearmint * Peppermint * Rosemary * Basil

Enjoy a good dose of flirt with ArbitRary’s basil and lime combination; enjoy a sprig of rosemary on your Gaucho ride; and show off your Charisma with this sexy pairing of jasmine green tea, spearmint and bergamot.

Scents from the Boudoir: Sedative, Erogenous Notes

While the previous category was mostly of pungent, lively spices and herbs – oftentimes eroticism and sexual arousal needs a relaxing environment for the mind and the body for the passionate feeling to be awakened. Deep, sensual aromas such as resins, balsams and woods provide that type of stimulation. Cumin one of the notes that is the most similar to human sweat than any other that I know of. And frankincense and myrrh are more traditionally considered as sedatives in aromatherapy, which also might explain their traditional religious uses – as they soothe both physical and emotional pain and calm the mind. Labdanum (rockrose) is a mild aphrodisiac of a sweet, balsamic nature which is slightly reminiscent of feminine sexual secretions.

* Agarwood * Ambrette Seed * Atals Cedarwood * Costus * Cumin * Frankincense * Myrrh * Labdanum * Patchouli

Use Film Noir to deceivingly seduce your victim. It will even linger on your lover’s clothes if you sneak a scented Film Noir sachet into her lingerie drawer or his coat’s pocket.

Get dirty with Autumn’s sweaty sex notes of cumin and labdanum; and indulge yourself and your lover in Razala’s Arabian oud, ambergris and myrrh.

Say it with Flowers: Floral and Narcotic Notes

Flowers are the plants’ genitalia, and in their evolution have developed interesting interrelations with the animal kingdom to help them spread their genes. Flowers take on shapes and colours similar to those of insects and even aromas that would make them more attractive to the animals they rely on helping them pollinate and procreate. And it is therefore not surprising that flowers have been used to communicate emotions such as love and desire and been regarded to symbolize virtues such as beauty (red roses), purity (white roses or lilies), modesty (violet) or seduction (tuberose).

Most floral notes are rich with indole, a chemical that is actually found in human feces. It’s interesting how this note has both the power to repel and compel. An overdose of indole is definitely off-putting; but it is this very molecule that makes jasmine smell so attractive and sensual. Synthetic jasmine compounds that lack this element were found to be completely useless… Another narcotic floral is tuberose, a flower related to the narcissus whose odour intensifies at night time. It is so potent that in the olden days, virgin girls were forbidden from going through tuberose fields after sunset from fear that the flower’s power will overcome their modest virtues.

* Jasmine * Narcissus * Rose * Tuberose * Ylang Ylang * Orange Blossom

Get dreamy with White Potion’s creamy tuberose and matching candle, and venture on dangerous territories with Schizm’s explosion of white florals – tuberose, orange blossom and jasmine on a bed of fungi. For the jasmine lover there is nothing more poetic than Yasmin’s dawn-to-midnight bloom.

And for the die-hard rose lovers, we have several red rose bouquets to choose from:

Cabaret, with an edible explosion rosewater and coconut, amber and musk; Fête d'Hiver - an irresistible powdery rose and incense perfume; and Rosebud for the pure, fresh rose lover.

Song of Songs is perhaps the most poetic expression of love inspired by the Song of Solomon, pairing the qualities of ancient erogenous resins, saffron spice and several types of roses. And last but not least - Roses et Chocolat can be experienced simultaneously as a perfume, tea, candle and chili spiked chocolate truffles.

Not to mention this gorgeous, rosy vintage pillbox and rose-shaped poison ring to match your selection of rose perfume!

Chemical Illusions and Secret Secretions

And lastly, there are notes that either imitate or stimulate a sexual hormone or mimic a human sexual odour - and are often used in aromatherapy to balance these hormones. The most famous of these is Clary Sage, which acts as an estrogen balancer for women. Aniseed has a similar effect and has a mysterious aroma that can be very valuable in scented love potion. Licorice, which has a similar taste to that of aniseed, is said to stimulate both estrogen and testosterone.

The concept of odorous pheromones in humans still contains a large portion of an unproven myth. Pheromones are primarily used by insects – and in fact are usually scentless chemicals that activate a built-in reaction in those creatures. Insects communicate with pheromones to deliver information about food, danger and sexual cycles to other individuals within their species. Even though some odorous pheromones were discovered in humans, their role in the mating process haven’t been solidly proven yet. It is more likely that the scents that cause people to choose their mates are a result of metabolic processes and are indicative of genetic or immune-system related information that is specific to the individuals rather than have any connection to pheromones (which are a species-wide phenomenon and in humans have probably less impact on the mating process).

Animal secretion, which are usually used by the animal itself to attract the other sex within their species, have a similar effect on humans, even though in full concentration they usually smell repulsive. Musk are particularly associated with the natural sexual scent of men, and ambergris (as well as its vegetal perfumer’s imitation called “amber”) is considered more feminine. Sandalwood oil is unique for its chemical make up that is quite similar
to Androstenol – a pheromone found in men’s sweat. Generally speaking,
men’s natural body odour is more sharp and similar to musk, and women’s
body odour is sweeter and reminiscent of amber (as mentioned earlier – labdanum has a similar scent to some extent).

* Ambergris * Civet * Musk & musky notes * Sandalwood

Espionage is not only my favourite perfume, but also the one that most closely resembles the skin’s natural scent with its vegetal musks. It’s perfect especially if you want to sneak up on someone… A dab of Bon Zai will give you a sutble but lasting supply of sandalwood’s pheromones; Sahleb will give your skin an innocently sensual milkiness with its abanudance of ambrette and orris; and Razala has a love-potion reputation of capturing the hearts of men and women alike. animalic notes of ambergris and agarwood.

Vote for Virgo Perfume on Etsy Storque

Virgo Zodiac Perfume was nominated by Storque (Etsy's blog) as one of 60 best Season of Love Ladies items on Etsy.com.

Please vote here to show your support!

Romantic Gift Ideas

For more gift ideas for Valentine's Day, visit our Gifts Page or Ayala's Etsy Shop for rare finds (poison rings and other collectibles) and one-of-a-kind perfumes ready to be adopted as your signature scent!

And of course call us anytime so we can help you find the perfect gift and personalize it for your loved ones!

Chocolate Elixir & Truffles

Chocolate is a praised aphrodisiac that creates a feel-good reaction that is similar to that we feel when we fall in love and is just as addictive, as theobramine (one of the main active constituents in cocoa) simulates endorphins in the nervous system . Chocolate paired with chili peppers is a powerfully stimulating love potion and also tastes magnificently good! It’s easy to make your own spiced hot-chocolate, spiked with black chili peppers, vanilla and cinnamon (click here for a recipe).

Last declaration of love for the chocoholics among us: I will be making my infamous Blood Truffles (dark chocolate, rose, saffron and chili) and White Potion truffles (white chocolate, tuberose and coconut) this weekend, which can be delivered to your door within 2-3 business days - just in time for Valentine's Day!

Each truffle gift box contains 8 beautiful truffles and is tied with a ribbon ready to be received as a gift. If you prefer a different flavour, you can also order a full batch of 40 truffles from our original flavours or get one custom-made for you.

Next week: Last Minute Romantic Ideas and Menu for Valentine's Day

Love & Luck,

Ayala

Ayala Moriel Parfums
AyalaMoriel.com
My SmellyBlog: SmellyBlog.comTel.: (778) 863-0806
Address: 1230 Haro Street, Buzz #295,Vancouver, BC
Hours: Mon-Thu 8:00am-4:00pm; Sundays & evenings by appointment only
Address: PO Box 93589 Nelson Park, Vancouver, BC, V6E 4L7