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Post by Val the Cookie Queen
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Sunny Salutations APJ
“It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine.” Francis Hodgson Burnett.
Dilettante by Hiram Green 2016
Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
French orange flower, petitgrain, orange
I prefer not to write about a fragrance that I do not have at least 10mls of and in most cases a full bottle. I make an exception in the case of Hiram´s Dilettante as it is just so gorgeous. And I used up two whole samples, four full wearings and would like more. Hiram Green informs us “Dilettante is an enchanted and light-hearted celebration of summer” but it would have healing power in the dark and cold long days winter.
“Based on a triptych of orange flower, petitgrain and essential oil of orange” Dilettante springs into life sharp, sweet and bitter. Succulent and mouthwatering, exuberant and effervescent. Unhurriedly it winds its way into a floral waxy orange blossom, sweet and delicious to the senses. The muskiness in the base combined with the bitterness of the petitgrain is sultry on the skin. A very beautiful perfume.
LuckyScent has $165/50ml
It is interesting to note that orange oils, and especially petitgrain are known to promote clarity of mind and to aid concentration. They balance the emotions, clearing off mental depression.
“I’m happy, I’m feeling glad, I got sunshine, in a bag ……….” Gorillaz
Super Citrus Bussis
CQ
Mouth watering from all this talk of orange, why not make a cake?
Orange Juice Loaf Cake + Fresh Orange Juice Syrup
(Works well with lemons too)
Ingredients.
168 grammes of butter (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup of sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream/yoghourt/buttermilk
1 generous teaspoon of vanilla
1 tbsp orange zest
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Syrup
4 tbsp fresh orange juice
1/2 cup of sugar
1. Line the bottom of the 9 x 4 inch loaf pan with baking paper and lightly grease the sides of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C
2. Cream the butter and the sugar well with an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each one.
Chuck in the sour cream (or whatever you use), the vanilla, zest and orange juice. Mix well.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt mixture. Gently mix it in.
4. Spread the batter into the pan. Bake about 40 minutes. Grab a bike spoke if you have one handy, otherwise a toothpick will do.
Insert it into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean it´s done. Otherwise give it a couple of more minutes.
5. While it is baking, put the 1/2 cup of sugar and 4 tbsp of orange juice into a small pan. Cook it until the sugar has dissolved and then for another minutes or so. Take it off the heat and stand on the side.
6. When the cake is out of the oven let it cool for a few minutes. Remove from pan and set it on a rack.
Then prick it all over with the spoke or toothpick, I pay particular attention to where the cake is cracked
along the top. Brush or spoon the glaze over the warm cake. Leave to cool, or not!
(Ed: All Photos Donated by Val the Cookie Queen unless otherwise stated. Thanks Val, gorgeous!)