New Teas!

New Teas!, a photo by Ayala Moriel on Flickr.

At long last, I've re-launched my entire tea collection at the inaugural Vancouver Tea Festival this past weekend - including the long-time favourites Immortelle l'Amour and Roses et Chocolat teas, which were both out of stock for longer than we could tolerate... It's been a long, painstaking process of sourcing, sampling and testing teas and various fragrant botanicals from different origins, comparing them, formulating, tasting and fine tuning my vision for each one of the teas, complete with the tea label design, French translation, and printing... The entire process took 4 years!

Each of the 4 teas in my collection was inspired by a distinctive perfume from Ayala Moriel Parfums' line of all-natural, artisanal fragrances that are handcrafted to perfection from the finest flower extracts in the world. The teas themselves are a blend of carefully selected perfumed teas (read: not-aromatized, but rather fragranced with the real whole fresh flowers such as jasmine, rose, etc.) and further perfumed with top-quality, freshly dried and organic or wild-harvested botanicals.

Charisma tea was Ayala's first tea blend, and the house blend she served only to guests at her West End perfume studio during the summer months, it was blended from fresh lemon verbena and spearmint leaves mixed with premium jasmine green tea. It is now available in its dry loose leaf tea form for your enjoyment year around! Charisma can be re-infused 4 times, and makes for an excellent chilled tea or add a splash of rum and a slice of lime to turn it into a tea mojito!
The tea was inspired by Charisma perfume: a fresh floriental fragrance based on the contrast between cool and warm notes: jasmine sambac, gardenia, tonk a bean, kewda, green tea, sandalwood, spearmint and bergamot.

Zangvil tea was created in 2011, to coincide with the Zangvil fragrance launch and our White Potion fragrant chocolate bar we collaborated on with CocoaNymph (you can read more about our amazing tea party we hosted to celebrate this triple accomplishment). Zangvil is all about ginger - a note that is comforting, warming and sexy. The perfume is a honeyed amber-and-ginger fragrance that is as cozy as a cashmere sweater; and the tea reflects that with delicate silver needle jasmine white tea, infused by rare botanical musk seeds, vanilla beans and of course - crystallized ginger. It can be infused up to 7 times to produce a clear, shimmery liquor that is a delight to all the senses!

Immortelle l'Amour tea is an elixir of love, and full of anti-oxidants yet caffeine free. This rooibos-based tea is perfumed with vanilla bean slices, organic orange peel and Ceylon cinnamon bark. Calendula petals add a stunning visual effect - like threads of sunshine within the beautiful red-maple hue of rooibos. Immortelle l'Amour perfume was inspired by a love story, and the Quebecoise tradition of making Tire sur le neighs (taffee on the snow). It has notes of immortelle, maple syrup, rooibos, cinnamon, orange and an overdose of vanilla. The tea is wonderfully sweet on its own, and can be re-steeped twice (which is very unusual for a rooibos tea!). It is particularly luxurious when served with pure maple syrup, and makes a wonderful accompaniment for a brunch of cinnamon waffles :-)

Roses et Chocolat tea is arguably the most luxurious and seductive of all 4 blends. It also was the most challenging one to blend and took Ayala 4 years to perfect: it required an expert patience and masterful blending of China black tea, rose petals, fine Darjeeling,  cacao nibs and exotic spices to create the perfect balance between the smooth, rich, floral and spicy elements. This tea is a message of romance and seduction in a cup. Enjoy this whenever you have a chocolate craving (but don't want the calories ;-) Or if that's not your concern - it may very well be served with a square of dark chocolate or Rahat Loukum (Turkish delight). Roses et Chocolat perfume, which inspired it was originally created for Valentine's Day 2005 as a limited edition. We could not keep it on the shelves long enough ever since. It is also available as a chocolate bar (72% cocoa with rose otto, saffron and chilli, which we've developed with CocoaNymph) and a scented candle made of organic soy wax (designed in collaboration with Gabriel's Aunt).  



Alicia at our booth at the Vancovuer Tea Festival (November 2nd, 2013).

Playing With Bitter Orange

The tree I planted 15 years ago and thought to be sweet orange, turns out to be bitter orange, or some other kind of unidentified-yet citrus... The fruit looks like a hybrid between orange and lemon - orange in colour but with a little lemony "nipple". The flesh itself is more sour than that of lemon and with a peculiar sour-tangerine-like taste.

The best part though, is the scent of it's peel: fragrant and vibrant, somewhat like that of Meyer lemon's, orange and yellow mandarin. Spontaneously, I've decided to use the fruit of my own tree (grown organically, sans pesticide, herbicides, etc.) to be used in my next version of Immortelle l'Amour tea.

Zangvil Tea Mystery Ingredient Revealed!

Zangvil's mystery ingredient is...
Ambrette seed!
The seeds of Abelmoschus moschatus (an evergreen shrub from the hibiscus family, with yellow flowers with purplish-pink centre) are known for being the most similar plant aroma to that of the deer musk!
Because of its beautiful, musky odour, floral, wine-like, nutty, reminiscent of overripe fruit or even lychee. It is very rich in ambrettolide, which smells like what we learned to call "white musk" (yup, the one by The Body Shop!). Ambrette seed is considered an aphrodisiac. It is also used as spice in the East, and is used by Arabs to flavour coffee (much like they do with cardamom seeds). The tincture is used to flavour tobacco as well as liquors. Ambrette also has medicinal benefits (mostly used to ease indigestion, cramps and nervous dyspepsia.



Zangvil tea can be re-steeped as many as 6-7 times, with the woodsy, musky vanillic notes of the hand-sliced vanilla beans and aromatic ambrette seeds and hints of spicy sweetness from the organic candied ginger lingering on and on even beyond the tea leaves themselves (which still emit their subtle, peachy-jasminey aroma till the 4th steeping).

Congratulations to ahsu for guessing correctly (the 2nd time around...).
You will be receiving a 50gr tin of Zangvil tea (value of $30), which will be sent to you when Zangvil perfume & tea are launching - 20.11.2011.
Until than, you can pre-order it online!

Zangvil Tea Scale Up + Contest

Yesterday I've decided on the final formula for my Zangvil perfumed tea blend, and did the first trial scale-up. And of course, now comes the less fun aspect of the process - which is pricing the tea and doing all the necessary calculations, not to mention label design. Each tin, as it turnes out, contains 2 full-length vanilla beans, and the white tea itself is on the pricier side - so the tea is not going to be cheap to produce, that's for sure... However, the good news is, that this tea can be resteeped up to 6 times with a very beautiful, fragrant results all the way till the 6th steeping. Very unusual for such a delicate tea, but it has a lot to do with the other ingredients there too.

The new line of teas (as some of you may have already gathered from the pages of this blog, I'm re-doing all of my tea collection, and they will all re-launch in larger, 50gr tins, as they become ready). New labels are necessary as well, because not only will the list of ingredients will change, but also the size and shape of the tins. And while I'm at it - I'm thinking that little splashes of colours would be nice, similarly to what my amazing graphic designers have done for the scented chocolate bars.


I'm thoroughly enjoying the process of creating the new perfumed teas, so it will take a while before the other teas (Roses et Chocolat, Immortelle l'Amour) will be ready. Charisma formula is ready (it all began as a house blend I made for studio guests), so it's just a matter of sourcing the materials myself.

It is such an interesting medium to create in, and testing it is very different from testing perfumes - it requires brewing many pots of tea in the right temperature, analyzing the aroma and flavour, and seeing how many steepings can be achieved with each blend. So it's giving me many excuses for throwing little spontaneous tea parties for family and friends and get their opinions and observe their response to the tea, which is lots of fun on its own.

Also, each material having a different colour, shape and texture that is visible even more than with the essences I work with for my perfumes. The visual and tactile aspect is a lot more obvious than with liquid essences. The fuzziness of the silver hairs on the white tea leaves and buds. Yellow jasmine flowers. Crystallized ginger looking like chunky gemstones. Long and plump vanilla beans, which I slice by hand, a process that inevitably squeezes out the black seeds from within, leaving their fragrant specs on my fingers and having a rich woody aroma. And the surprise ingredient - are you ready yet? Hmm... I think I will leave this as a secret and will run a contest instead for the person who guesses it! It adds a very luxurious and special effect in the perfume and is totally unexpected - a little nutty and very sweet and soft... Look at the picture and let's see who might be able to guess! The person who does, will receive the 1st tin of Zangvil Tea when it launches November 20th.

Playing with Peonies

This morning was dedicated to tea - white tea, to be exact. Taking advantage of the olfactory and palate's acute and sharp sensations, it was perfect to brew some white tea right after an invigorating swim in the ocean...

This time, I wanted to try a fresh sample of Pai Mu Tan (White Peony Tea) along with the exquisite, or shall I say - sensational - silver needle jasmine tea I used for all my recent Zangvil tea experiments. My first tea blend for this concept relied entirely on white peony. It was a little peppery, and surprisingly strong. I wanted this tea to be a little more delicate, so I used only little of the white peony tea (only about 10th of the entire formula). It added a slightly grassy notes that I did not care for, and so I decided to stick with only one type of tea for my tea, which is special on its own, and lends an extraordinary quality to the tea, with the jasmine harmonizing really beautifully all the other elements - even if it's not too obviously noticeable.

White Tea Tasting

White Tea Tasting, a photo by Ayala Moriel on Flickr.

These days I'm mostly preoccupied with perfecting my tea blends, which I'm going to re-launch this fall, in new packaging, labels and formulae. Tea tasting is such a sensual experience, where sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. From the murmur of the tea leaves as they're measured into the cup and listening to the water boil and bubble; to the appearance of the leaves in their dry form, followed by their straining and their changed texture once they are wet and have given away some of their aromatic flavourful properties to the water... And last but not least comes the whiff of the hot steam from the tea leaves, teapot and cup, that merge with the taste and perceived texture into a unique flavour...

All of the senses work in harmony in the tranquil experience of tea tasting. The simple rituals of tea reconnect us to nature and the elements. And tasting a tea that I've blended myself is even more special, as I learn to refine my palate and explore new ways of putting my nosy nose to use...

Generally speaking, there is a hint of bitterness in tea, but it concludes with a sweet after taste. Which I find strange, because sweet taste is perceived by taste buds that are located on top of the front of the tongue, while bitterness is perceived in the very back of the tongue (as a precaution for poisons, many of which are poisonous, so as to make us gag or reject them if necessary).

White tea is the most delicate of all tea leaves. It is produced from the tea buds and the youngest leaves, and undergoes very little oxidation or fermentation, after the leaves are allowed to wither in natural sunlight. It is called white tea because of the fine white or silvery hairs that cover them like a peach fuzz; and the pale, nearly completely clear liquor they produce. But do not let the paleness fool you! There is a lot of flavour and aroma in white tea, albeit a subtle one. It evokes a pristine feeling, and is one of the most precious teas that not easy to prepare or store as it can lose its flavour very fast.

Silver needle tea (Bai Hao Yinzhen) is the finest white tea, made from the buds alone. It is brewed for longer time than most teas (up to 5 minutes) and some of the white hairs will float in the water and add a shimmery appearance to their surface as they reflect the light, contributing to the sense of purity and tranquility of the visual experience. I can't help but think of peach and apricot when sipping this tea, even though it does not quite taste like either - it's more about the texture of the liquor in the mouth, I guess.

White peony (Bai Mudan) is another type of white tea, which has a bud and two young leaves attached to it. It is more peppery in taste, and supposedly floral and reminiscent of peony flower.

I've been enjoying immensely the white tea blend that I'm still refining - and will be releasing along with my Zangvil perfume in November. This is going to be a very special perfumed white tea, with organic crystallized ginger and a few other delicious elements. What's really incredible about it though, is that it can be re-steeped for so many times - I've steeped it for 5 times and still feel there is more to it so will brew another pot of the same tea blend this afternoon.

If you stop by at the studio these days, you are sure to be put to use as a test bunny and be offered a sip of my recent tea concoctions. White tea is so delicate and special, I'm really looking forward to this winter release, when I can share it with you in a big tea party!

Mark your calendar, as the date is already set for 20.11.2011 (November 20th, 2011). It's going to be a white tea party and it's going to be so special... That I'm almost looking forward to the withdrawal of sun and decreased temperatures.

Roses et Chocolat Tea Blending

Roses et Chocolat tea blending, a photo by Ayala Moriel on Flickr.

My Roses et Chocolat tea blending adventures continue with another pot of tea - or a gaiwan, actually... This time with different proportion of the same elements. It's going to take a lot of fine tuning to get the flavour balanced and full bodied yet have that spicy pizzazz of the Roses et Chocolat perfume.

I'm learning how tea blending is so similar to perfume composition - it's all about proportions and balance. I want the surprising elements (i.e.: the spices) to be present, but not jump at you. I think it's getting there... But might need an additional tea leaf to go with the rose congou.

Looking forward to another pot of tea tomorrow morning!

Reworking Roses et Chocolat Tea

Roses et Chocolat tea, a photo by Ayala Moriel on Flickr.

This morning, I brewed a trial version of my new Roses et Chocolat tea. The formula is going to be completely changed around, and have more of the perfume's spicy personality. So I'll be using piquiant spices such as pink peppercorns and mace blades in the blend.
Although the ingredients are few and simple in this tea, it will be a long journey before I learn how to reach the balance between the elements. How the tea smells in the dry state is only a small part of the experience. It must taste just right when brewed, and have the correct balance between roses, chocolate, spices and tannins.
I'm off to brewing another version this afternoon, as I really want to see it coming closer to where I want it to be.

Back to Tea

Tea tasting, a photo by nikosan.artwork on Flickr.

The end of this summer is dedicated to re-designing my tea collection, as well as adding a new tea for fall. I'm super excited about this new endeavor. My first collection of teas was designed in collaboration with Dawna Ehman, from whom I learned a lot about tea and she pretty much got me "hooked" on tea with her passion... A very good drug to be addicted to, if I may add! Teas have caffeine, but in so much lower quantities than coffee, so they are not nearly as addictive... In addition to caffeine, they are full of antioxidants and have an uplifting effect without the side-effects of caffeine withdrawal. Besides, the world of tea is so rich and beautiful with their subtle aroma and culture. Tea rituals exist around the world and are so simple and versatile. All you really need is some tea leaves (or herbs, if you rather), hot water and some vessels - not necessary fancy - and setting aside just a little bit of time on your own or shared with others - and there is your tea ceremony. Tea brings calm, serenity, energy, and has healing and rejuvenating properties.

So, these next couple of weeks will be dedicated to some tea tastings of a variety of teas I'm sampling, and experimenting with new recipes for my existing teas - namely Roses et Chocolat, Immortelle l'Amour (Charisma was a tea blend that I always served to studio guests, and I have already finalized the recipe for it). I'm also going to redo my packaging for the teas, as I'd like to have a larger tin again (instead of the current 1oz size). The tins I'm planning on using will be better on the functional level as far as sealing and maintaining freshness. But of course there has to be some sampling and testing to do first... And of course the labels will change as well.

Last but not least - there is a completely new tea that will come out this fall along with the new perfume I'll be launching on 20.11.2011. I've been experimenting with the recipe for quite some time, and am uber pleased with the initial results... So it's now a matter of fine tuning the formula, sourcing the leaves and all the finer details that follow a concept so it will become a reality.

Summer Tea Party

Moroccan petitfours of dried fruit, marzipan and halva - scented with floral water of course!

Here are some photos from the Summer Afternoon Tea Party yesterday at my studio.
Of course the whole purpose is to make you come to the next one, which I'm hoping to host in mid-July (exact date will be announced soon).

You've already read about the menu - now you can see the treats (my apologies for the poor quality of photos - I was trying to sneak in a camera-click between getting the door and the guest consuming this display):

You can't see it, but this is a 5-tier tea tray, the top two tiers covered in chocolate truffles, the rest with petitfours and pastries.

The teas served were many (I made no less than 8 pots of tea!) - my entire current tea collection of Charisma, Immortelle l'Amour and Roses et Chocolat. After the event there is not much tea left (the guests wiped me nearly clean of my Charisma tea - only one tin left) and just a handful of Roses et Chocolat and Immortelle l'Amour!

I also served Moroccan mint tea, both hot and chilled. It's especially good for dipping those fennel biscuits (see below).

View from the top:
Top tier: Blood truffles (dark chocolate, Turkish rose, saffron and chili) and Rose de Mai truffles (white chocolate with rose de mai, magnolia, bergamote & strawberry extract)

Second tier: Guilt truffles (orange blossom and wild orange) and Charisma truffles (white chocolate with matcha tea powder, sambac jasmine, spearmint and citrus)

Third tier: Dried apricots stuffed with neroli-water flavoured marzipan, dried figs stuffed with kewda water flavoured marzipan; and some more Charisma truffles.

Fourth tier: Crystallized rose wafers, Pistachio-Lime buttons, Apple cupcakes, Almond cupcakes

Fifth tier (nearly hidden): Moroccan Fennel biscuits, and my personal favourite - Basboosa made with Goat's milk yoghurt.

Some guests mingling to create an awesome tea party...

The guests received tea candle and samples before they left and also there was a draw for one person to go on a little olfactory journey with me and participate in the creation of their very own custom scent!
There was also a presentation about tea and perfumes - more about that in the next post...!

Charisma Perfumed Tea

Ayala Moriel is pleased to announce the launch of Charisma tea - the 5th creation in our series of authentic perfumed teas made for us exclusively by Inner Alchemy Tea Co.

Of course, Charisma originates in the perfume of that name – a concoction of green tea, jasmine sambac, osmanthus, kewda and spearmint that creates a very distinct scent. But it also has another significance for me personally which I would like to reveal here.

Back home in my little organic village in Israel, we hardly ever drank proper “tea” from tea leaves – but only tisanes brewed from fresh herbs from the gardens or wild ones from the hills and meadows surrounding our homes. My favourites since childhood were lemon verbena, lemongrass and spearmint. The brewed fresh leaves are magically refreshing and calming. A true pleasure to the palette as well as the nose.

Inspired by my friend and colleague Dawna and the exceptional teas she has created for me, I set on experimenting with my own stash of herbs and tea to create a matching tea to my original refreshing and Charisma perfume.

Those of you who visited the studio in the past year are probably familiar with my “secret house blend”. I took my all-time favourite freshly dried herbs from my mother’s organic garden in Israel – lemon verbena, spearmint and lemongrass – and added an equal amount of authentic perfumed jasmine green tea, and a touch of dried osmanthus blossoms.

Wanting to share this beautiful blend with friends and clients around the world, I asked for Dawna’s help to refine the ratios and create a small batch of this beautiful tea. In her skilled and sensitive hands and with her expertise in the flavour and aroma profiles of teas and herbs, Dawna has transformed this beautiful tea into something out of this world. The jasmine tea was replaced with a rare pomelo blossom perfumed tea*, which seems to have captured the essence of Charisma more fully – including it’s rounded floralcy and pungent aroma from the kewda and spearmint. When I first tasted Charisma tea I felt like I was sipping an orchard in full bloom. It left my mouth with a tingling sensation and with butterflies in my tummy.

- Traditional ‘Pomelo Flower’ Tea, premium grade (Fujian region, China)

- Lemon Verbena Leaf, organically grown (Turkey)

- Spearmint Leaf, organically grown (USA)

- Osmanthus Blossoms, premium grade (China)

Brewing Instructions:

Bring freshly drawn water to a boil. Infuse 1 tsp. per 5 oz. cup of tea desired for 1 ½ to 2 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly to appreciate full taste profile. May be re-steeped up to 4 times.

* The reason why pomelo blossom tea is so rare is because pomelo trees don’t have that many blossoms to begin with. The pomelo fruit being so large, the tree can only burden itself with few fruits; and the blossoms are few to begin with.

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

News from the Nose

Get Seduced into Winter By Sahleb Perfume & Roses et Chocolat Tea

Dear Fragrant Friends,

Fall and Winter 2008/2009 holds many delicious surprises at Ayala Moriel Parfums!

There is Sahleb, a smooth iris perfume inspired by the winter pudding-beverage in the Middle East; Roses et Chocolat Tea - yes, it's as good as it sounds if not better! - and two new candles to light those dark nights and add some fragrant spark to your home.

Please read on for all the full scoop:

• Sahleb: Orchid, Pudding and Perfume
  
• Tea Time with Roses et Chocolat
• Light the Night with Two New Candles
• Body+Soul Magazine features Gaucho + Gift with Purchase
  
• Spa*Habitat: New Retail Location in Dallas Texas
• Gift Making Workshops at the Studio
• Chocolate Truffles are back!
• Holiday Party & Open House December 21st

Sahleb: Orchid, Pudding and now also a New Perfume

Ayala Moriel is proud to introduce: Sahleb - the perfume version of a Middle Eastern winter favourite. This scrumptious pudding beverage, flavoured with rosewater and crushed mastic resin is offered by street vendors straight from a copper caldron throughout the cooler seasons across the Middle East. Served warm and topped with coconut, pistachio and cardamom, Sahleb has become an essential part of winter and a way to make even the gloomiest street corners cozy and home-like.

The creamiest orris root from Italy was used to create the smooth texture of this starchy and soothing pudding-beverage. A hint of the finest rose otto from Turkey, coconut and butter essence and crushed mastic resin complete the exotic flavour, and finished with a hint of vanilla and nutty ambrette seed Sahleb is ready to seduce you into winter!

Top Notes: Coriander Seed, Rosewood, Mastic Resin

Heart Notes: Orris, Rose Otto, Butter

Base Notes: Ambrette Seed, Coconut, Vanilla Absolute

Sahleb is an exclusive and extremely limited edition – only 11 bottles were made, two of which are already taken! I hope that with your support we will be able to find and obtain more of that special orris butter to make more in the near future.

We are almost sold out of samples (only 2 left). Each bottle of 9ml parfum extrait contains 20% orris butter with 15% irone (the molecule that makes it smell so creamy, dreamy and violet-like), retailing for $160.

Available on AyalaMoriel.com and for limited time only also on b-glowing.com.

Click here to read “Orchid, Pudding, Perfume” - behind the scents with Sahleb perfume.

Update: We are completely sold out of samples for Sahleb, but still have 9 bottles in stock!

Tea Time with Roses et Chocolat

Some of you were fortunate enough to have a sip of Roses et Chocolat tea with me at the Portobello West Art + Fashion Market in September. Now the tea is ready and packed in a cute tin and tied with a hot pink ribbon – the best gift you can give yourself this fall!

Roses et Chocolat tea is made of two specialty black teas from China: Fu Hao, and Rose Congou, flavoured with organic damask rose, vanilla, anise, and, of course – chocolate!

The chocolate flavour comes from real and pure organic cacao nibs – which are cracked cacao beans. They are sugar free and full of nutrients – and as Newport Yoga Blog notes, this tea is an excellent way to get your chocolate kick but without the side-kicks to badly influence you or your figure...!

Roses et Chocolat gained immediate following at a unique High-Tea event last Sunday hosted by the High-Tea Girls Heather & Moj. I can easily attest to it’s beauty by the fact that it’s not even a month on my tea-counter, and my personal 2oz tin is nearly empty…

Roses et Chocolate Perfumed Tea - Ingredient List:
Special Grade Premium Fu Hao Black Tea (China)
Premium Rose Congou Black Tea (China)
Raw Cacao Nibs, certified organic (Peru)
Damask Rose Petals, certified organic (France)
Vanilla Pod, certified organic (Madagascar)
Anise Seed, certified organic (Turkey)

Roses et Chocolat is the 4th collaboration with Inner Alchemy Tea Co. - a Vancouver Based company that specializes in high-quality, wildcrafted and organic teas and herbs.

For more information and serving suggestion, visit SmellyBlog.

Light the Night with Two New Candles

The past year at Ayala Moriel was dedicated to one secret mission: turning some of our most haunting perfumes into candles and teas!

It all started with Bois d’Hiver last winter. Nikki Sherritt and I started working on the candle than, and took a little break in the summer to bring to you the citrusy sunshine of ArbitRary candle. So it wasn’t till NOW that we finally have what we wanted: a beautifully burning winter candle with a touch of fir absolute and orange blossom floral wax. Bois d’Hiver is everything the perfume is about – in a candle form. Imagine stepping into a cabin after a walk in the snowy forest – your hair is messy with fragrant coniferous needles and inside there is a warm spicy brew burning on the fireplace, and the room is filled with the scent of incense and myrrh yet with no smoke to burn your eyes. This is Bois d’Hiver – foresty, spicy and incensey in the best possible way. I was so excited to light it yesterday night, it filled an entire floor with a magical scent of outdoorsy coziness.

Another candle that was in the making since the summer is White Potion – a tuberose-centred creamy white floral candle that is made of a combination of precious tuberose floral wax, ylang ylang, virgin coconut oil and tonka bean. To call it an aphrodisiac would be an understatement.

A fourth candle in the collaboration with Garbriel's Aunt will launch later this winter. Stay tuned to hear all the details… For now, I’ll just keep you on your toes…

Body + Soul Magazine Features Gaucho Perfume

Body + Soul Magazine's November 2008 issue features Gaucho perfume. You can click here to read Beauty Basics: Pure Perfumes by Courtney Humphries - or search for it in the glossy magazine that will be out on newsstands shortly before October runs out.

As a gesture to our Body + Soul readers, with every order of Gaucho, you will receive a complemetary Gaucho Tea in our gift-wrapped 1oz tins (while quantities last).

* Gaucho is the little rectangle green-juiced flacon on the very top left of the photo (the bottle looks different from the rest of my line).

New Retail Location: Spa*Habitat

Ayala Moriel Parfums are now availabe in Spa
Habitat's beautiful new location in West Village in uptown Dallas, Texas. This upscale organic spa has a full range of beauty and relaxation services in two location (Plano and Dallas). The new Dallas location offers a unique all-natural and organic Scent-Bar, featuring five of Ayala's original natural perfumes: ArbitRary, Espionage, Finjan, Tamya & White Potion. In addition, you can also scent your home with our beautiful ArbitRary soywax candles and get treated with some Immortelle l'Amour perfumed tea while you shop.

Gift Making Workshops at the Studio

During the fall and winter, I invite you to join me at the studio for a series of inspiring workshops that will help you get ready for the holidays with unique hand-scented gifts and holiday menus and recipes.

You will leave each workshop with gifts ready to go under the tree, that you have made yourself and smell wonderful!

The workshops offered include, among others:

• Crème Parfum Making Workshop
  
• Chocolat Truffles Making Workshop
  
• Scented Stationary & Cards
  
• Scented Body Products (i.e.: Bath Salts, Massage Oils)
  
• Potpourri and Sachets
  
• Aromatic Cooking & Baking (this workshop will give you recipes and will end with a holiday feast)
  

Can’t make it for your desired workshop on our calendar?
- Contact us to book your own private workshop with a group of friends (up to 6 people). (778) 863-0806. We’ll do our best to accommodate your schedule and help you get ready for the holidays in a fun, relaxed & inspiring way!

Workshops can be booked in advance online here.

Chocolate Truffles are back!

At least there is one known advantage for the cooler weather: the chocolate won’t melt!

This is the time of year when chocolate truffles can be easily shipped across the country without getting spoiled.

Pick your flavour and we will make a special batch for you of 40-50 truffles at a time of a flavour of your choice. These can be either served at your home or business for holiday parties or wrapped individually in gift boxes to pass on to special friends and colleagues. All flavours are sold for $60 a batch.

Holiday Party & Open House December 21st

Come celebrate the holiday season and light the first Hannukah candle with Ayala.

Perfumed teas and truffles will served in abundance (naturally) as well as other aromatic and seasonal treats, including, of course – the infamous Sahleb pudding-drink!

This party is a wonderful opportunity and a cozy environment for you to meet other local perfume lovers who shares your passion of natural perfumery, and experience our new line of candles, Sahleb perfume, and more.

When: December 21st, 6pm-10pm
Where: #314-1230 Haro Street, Buzz #295
RSVP by December 15th or call (778) 863-0806

Hope to see you all soon!

Warm regards,

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

Mental Notes + Stock Updates

Today I've been wearing Roses et Chocolat. I haven't worn this for quite sometime - except when trying the tea with Dawna last week.
I have to say, this perfume matured into something much lovelier than it even was in its youth. After a couple years of maturing (this is how old the sample I have is) it has morphed into a very perfumey rose that reminds me of Russian rose incense (it comes in mica dusted pellets). Only that the Russian rose incense smells very synthetic and Roses et Chocolat is purely natural and rosey and complex like a real rose should be. The amber and pink pepper added to the rose and cacao account for that incensey surprise.

And last but not least: we are now fully stocked up on ArbitRary candles and the soothing and seductive Roses et Chocolat tea. You better get yours soon, because both are as popular as they deserve to be.
Just FYI: my personal 2oz tin of Roses et Chocolat tea is halfway empty within the course of 10 days. My guests here at the studio love it too.

Roses et Chocolat Perfumed Tea

A few days ago I posted about the promise of Roses et Chocolat tea for Sunday. Well, it did come true and even exceeded my expectations of how wildly beautiful it will be.

The pleasure of sipping a roses and chocolate perfumed tea was heightened with the visual, tactile and flavourful presentation Dawna has welcomed me with yesterday, for our official perfumed tea launching ceremony. We always get together for a private little tea party when I pick up the tea, so that I can have the full experience of what Dawna has intended it to be.

Roses et Chocolat perfumed tea is our first black tea in the perfumed tea series, and Dawna has selected Fu Hao and Rose Congou black teas (both from China) for their rich, dark, almost-chocolatey qualities. The tea gives an earthy-floral backdrop to the sensational marriage of cacao and rose petals - both organically grown and very fragrant. A touch of aniseed gives a hint of spiciness without really ever being noticeable or recognizable as aniseed; and finally there is vanilla bean, which Dawna says was the one ingredient that really made it all come together. Much like the amber accord in my Roses et Chocolat, which prevents it from being muddy, heavy and dense.

The chocolate notes are rich and earthy, and the rose petals are fruity and complex, so beautiful it's hard to believe they are dry and not fresh. Although this is the kind of tea that lends itself well to milk-and-sugar (Royal Milk anyone???), I find it best served as is, dark and unsweetend. If sweetness is desired, a square of chocolate might be a good balance or Rahat Loukum (and if you cannot get beyond the stickiness of this candy, try the rose pastilles, which are the little white balls pictured above). I most enjoyed it witht he dark chocolate - a 67% from Thomas Haas in North Vancouver - described by it's maker as floral, and by myself and simply fabulous - not too bitter and creamy without the overwhelming-sweetness of milk chocolate).

Alternatively, serve it with rosewater-flavoured semolina cake (aka Harissa or Basboosa), which is what I did for dessert in my Rosh HaShana dinner, and it was fabulous.

Roses et Chocolate Perfumed Tea - Ingredient List:
Special Grade Premium Fu Hao Black Tea (China)
Premium Rose Congou Black Tea (China)
Raw Cacao Nibs, certified organic (Peru)
Damask Rose Petals, certified organic (France)
Vanilla Pod, certified organic (Madagascar)
Anise Seed, certified organic (Turkey)

To Prepare:
Bring water to a boil.
Temper your tea pot (by rinsing it with boiling water).
Steep 1 teaspoon of tea blend for every cup of tea - between 2-3 minutes depending on how dark you like your tea.
Serve hot, accompanied by dark chocolate or rosewater flavoured sweets (i.e.: semolina cake, baklawa, rahat loukum, rose pastilles).
Can be also served with milk and/or sugar if desired (in which case we recommend steeping for 3 minutes).

There's Something Exciting About Tomorrow

Rose Buds, originally uploaded by Seitti.

Tomorrow I'll be back at Portobello West after a short break. It just one market that I missed due to my trip, but it was long enough absence to make me excited about the market!
Not only that, but also tomorrow I will be getting my first tin of the new tea in my perfumed tea series. This time it's the tea version of Roses et Chocolat! I can't wait to smell the tea blend and brew a cup of this edible beauty.
Those of you who live in or near Vancouver, come down to the Rocky Mountaineer Station (1755 Cottrell Street & Terminal Ave.). Click here to learn how to get there.

On another note, Rose et Chocolat perfumed tea is just one of many surprises coming up this fall and winter. Watch out for two more perfumed candles (the fragrance will remain secret until release date!).

Gift with Purchase on b-glowing.com

b-glowing.com is now offering a gift with purchase for limited time only (until July 10th):

Purchase any Ayala Moriel Perfume and receive a COMPLIMENTARY Perfumed Tea. "Perfumed Tea" is appreciated by tea connoisseurs because it is flavored only with actual plants rather than artificial or natural flavoring essences. It is perfect served either hot or cold as part of your daily Tea ritual. 1 oz. Retail value: $15.00

Coupon Code: ayala

New Tea Sizes

The next batch of teas will be ready by June 27th, all in time for the next Portobello West market.

This time, we will be packaging them in smaller tins of 1 oz. instead of the 2oz. The price is also going to be lower - $15 per tin (instead of the original price of $30 per tin of the 2oz). You may still order them in the larger size if you wish, and we still have only 1 tin left of Immortelle l'Amour tea in that size (the last of Gaucho was snatched yesterday night from my studio and I don't even have any left for myself and my guests!).

The new tea size makes for a perfect gift. In fact, because of the shape of the box, which is shallower, it will be from now on be presented with a bow tied satin ribbon. No additional wrapping will be necessary... I will be posting photos here as soon as the new batches arrive.

The Mystery Behind "Perfumed Teas"

The curious question of how exactly were my teas "perfumed" gets brought up often. Contrary to the intuitive (yet outrageous) guess that a perfumed tea is made by a mad perfumer who likes to dip their tea bags in perfumes - ther term "Perfumed Tea" is a rather ancient concept in tea culture and not nearly as dangerous as it may sound.

If the term "Perfumed Tea" seems mysterious or strange, I would attempt to clarify and shed some light on this enchanting phenomenon in tea culture that I have becaome aware of thanks to my collaborations with Dawna Ehman. Perfumed Tea refers to a tea that is flavoured with the true and pure plants and flowers. Rather than get their aroma and flavor from artificial and natural flavouring essences (which is what the more commonly consumed and often tea-bagged Aromatized Teas are all about), Perfumed Teas are perfumed with fragrant plants, fruits and flowers. For instance: a perfumed jasmine tea is made by layering tea leaves with fresh jasmine flowers and replacing the flowers with new ones until the tea is completely immersed with the jasmine's aroma.

The Perfumed Teas in the Ayala Moriel collection are perfumed with the raw plant matter that was chosen for its unique aroma and flavour profile - all selected and proportioned carefully as to represent the perfume in the form of tea.

For instance: Tirzah tea is perfumed with linden flowers and osmanthus blossoms among others, to bring across the fresh, green floral notes of the perfume of that name.
Immortelle l'Amour tea has vanilla-infused rooibos. The vanilla beans are present in the tea blend itself, and when you finish your cup you may find some vanilla specks at the bottom...
And lastly, Gaucho tea, has an interesting array of herbs that bring across the aromatic fougere coumarin character of the perfume, created by the use of herbs such as clover flowers and damiana leaf.

None of these tease are aromatized - there are no essences (artificial or natural) in any of those teas, but rather they are perfumed with the herbs and flowers contained within them.

* This article was re-published from Ayala Moriel's May 2008 Newsletter.

Perfumed Teas Announcement

A new, fresh batch of all three of my Perfumed Teas will be available in 3 weeks. In the meantime, we do have one last tin left of both Gaucho and Immortelle l'Amour teas. I will announce here when the teas have arrived, but for now we do take advanced orders via the website.