Halloween is here once again and everyone who has worshipped at the shrine of perfume, Vincent Price, Tim Burton, Hammer films and Edgar Allan Poe rejoices at the opportunity to go all ghoulish and creepy; indulging a little bit of inner terror is good for the soul.
With the fun time of the year coming up soon, I have compiled an easy guide that is all treat, no trick, with various fragrance suggestions and beauty products that evoke pumpkins, ghouls, jack o'lanterns and naughty playtime. You can find it on this link on Fragrance.About.com
If you're buying gifts for late October or November occasions there is also another guide with expert quotes from perfumer Aaron Way and niche boutique owner David Pirrota which you can access on this link.
I am the "who" when you call, "Who's there?" I am the wind blowing through your hair I am the shadow on the moon at night
The end of October brings with it its own special mood and that is largely dependent on the cooling of the weather and the shortening of the day. The diminished light can be a little spooky when it's not drab. And of course spooky always brings to mind Halloween, fittingly bookended between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. And which perfumes accompany this Halloween mood?
The following suggestions are inspired by either the traditional scents associated with the fall celebration (Jack o'lantern pumkin, apples and gingerbread cookies, licorice sticks, spices etc.) or with the autumnal landscape around.
Like This by Etat Libre d'Orange(created in collaboration with Tilda Swinton) is a natural as it includes actual notes of pumpkin (!), gingerbread spices, everlasting flower (immortelle), warm woods and the autumnal scent of damp earth.
Jesus del Poso Halloween is for those of you who want to be literal, even though the scent is a woody with powdery facets, focused on violets. Interestingly, the 1997 perfume features a bell-shaped jar eerily similar to those employed by Lutens for his Paris-exclusive scents. Spooky! :-)
Demeter's Pumpkin Pie fragrance smells of pumpkins (well, duh), sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. The perfect shortcut to actually baking that pumpkin pie!
Serge Lutens Five O'Clock Au Gingembre is not as literally related to All Hallow's Eve, much as it fuses the British with the French, but the ambience it creates is perfect for this time of the year.
Lancome Magie Noireis as bewitched as you'd wish for this day of the year. A purple fruity top note over the darkest gothic imaginable falls into murky depths of oakmoss and patchouli.
BPAL Dia de Los Muertos is even named after the original Mexican celebration; the Day of the Dead. (For an inspiration on what to make in the kitchen, look at this kolyva recipe)
Ayala Moriel Autumn is a sensuous perfume of all naturals ingredients, with fruity notes that recall the harvest season. But it's the dark shade of the liquid that is so evocative of something more earthy, more primal...
Korres Jasmine, Pepper, Gaiacwood brings on all the joys of warmth and heft that suit the season. The scent is unique and mysterious enough to entice.
CB I Hate Perfume November ushers the month with the melancholy it befits it—with notes of pumpkin pie, fallen leaves and ringlets of smoke rising on the cool sky.
Which perfume are YOU bringing out from under the bed...?
The season of mists is upon us, the fireplace silent with the first ashes lain motionless, morning frost chilling the small of my back as I roll out of bed begrudgingly. The protracted dawn, diminishing in light, reminds me of the dwindling of daytime and brings the knowledge of death closer. The knowledge that, like with all natural things, this is the fate that awaits every one of us too, some day. It is then, at those early morning hours, Halloween looming or not, curling my hands around the steamy cup of malotira tea, looking through the misty windows at the black-billed magpies, gliding from perch to perch with renewed vigour, that I think of my dearly departed. There is deep feeling, akin to drama, in all aspects of commemorating the dead in my culture.
And this is where the "kollyva/koliva" (κόλλυβα) pudding comes in, making me a little choephoros (libation bearer), as I amass pots & pans and test the heaviness of the pomegranates to determine whether their seeds will be juicy enough.
A special memorial dish of the Eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholic church, made of shredded wheat, nuts, raisins, pomegranate seeds and sugar, koliva/kolyva/kollyva is widespread across the Balkans (Serbs call theirs Koljibo for instance) and has an ancient lineage: The word derives indeed from the ancient Greek κόλλυβο, which meant "grain of cereal". The dish is prepared at home but served (and shared) in church for the benefit of departed souls. Participating into preparing and sharing a meal for the dead ~even another person's dead~ is a mystagogy. It's the belief of our ancestors needing life to continue, to be sustained in memory, to still need nourishment; if not in the literal sense, in the spiritual one. By remembering them, we hold them in Elysium.
In a way, it's close to how the Mexicans observe their own Day of the Dead; celebrating life in all its earthen dimensions means honouring the dead; they were a part of life's cycle and can still be, beckoning as we do to visit us in their soul form again and humouring them by relaying funny stories of their passage on earth.
Everything in the preparation of the delicious dish of "koliva" is symbolic, with tentacles griping both the Pagan and the Christian world, as befits every traditional Greek ritual. The boiled wheat is a throwback to rural products offerings to the many gods of antiquity responsible for the good crops. It's also a symbol of resurrection; as the grain of wheat is planted in the soil to take root and bring forth fruit, so is man buried with the promise of resurrection. Nuts and raisins are the most concentrated forms of sustenance, essential for the soul's passage through Hades. Anise seeds help to establish psychic sight and ward off the evil eye. Pomegranate seeds recall Persephone and her tale of diving into the Underworld; pomegranate the common thread between the two realms. Dusting sugar is mounted on top to represent the grave, parsley chopped across the borders to recall "the place of growth, of coolness, of repose" that Heaven stands for, rose water to evoke serenity. The dessert is decorated with a cross and the deceased initials in sugared almonds and sometimes "silver candy" and a small candle is lit while the blessing is read; the pudding is then passed onto bystanders in waxed paper bags with a little spoon to eat on the spot or keep for later. But take koliva home and you have to eat it till night falls, or the magic is lost! But with a sweet taste like that, who's to refuse? The oily and crunchy center of the nuts, the starchy chewy grains, the cool and juicy pomegranate seeds make for a delightful contrast of flavours you will want to repeat again and again, preferably unrelated to anyone's passing on.
HOW TO MAKE BITTERSWEET "KOLIVA" PUDDING:
Ingredients needed:
1 cup of shredded whole wheat
4 cups of water
1 cup of chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios)
1/2 cup of holden raisins
1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds
1 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon
1 teaspoon of anise seeds, finely milled
1 tablespoon of rose water
For the top decoration:
1 cup of powdered sugar
3/4 cup of sugar-coated almonds (sometimes sold as "Jordan almonds")
chopped fresh parsley (about 1/2 cup, but it really depends on the borders of the dish you use)
Preparation
The night before:
Rinse and drain the wheat. Cook it as you would rice, for about one to one and a half hours over a medium-low stove. Do not overcook and check the wheat as it's cooking for doneness. (It should retain a tiny bit of crunch). Pour the hot wheat into a large colander, rinse with very cold water to stop the cooking and allow to drain overnight, covering loosely with a towel. Do NOT refrigerate! (The chill hardens the starch in the grain and you don't need that for this recipe, you want it to be fluffy)
In the morning:
In a large bowl mix the wheat with the assorted nuts, the raisins, the pomegranate seeds, the cinnamon and the anise powdered and add the rosewater for flavour. Transfer the mixture into a wide bowl or deep pan. Now place a piece of waxed paper on top of the mixture and flatten the top, so that sugar is evenly distributed. Sprinkle powdered sugar evenly over the wheat mixture. If you want to decorate with specific lettering or a cross or something, you can make your own cardboard stencil and shift the powdered sugar atop the wheat layer accordingly, leaving an imprint, so to speak. Also use the sugared almonds to make designs or just use them to line the bowl/pan. Finally, add the chopped parsley on the edges. A candle is placed in the middle and lit during the memorial service*.
When ready to serve, take large spoonfuls, minding that you put both sugar and the wheat & nuts mixture in each person's portion. Share!
Θεός σχωρέσ'τους και ζωή σε λόγου σας! May God rest their soul and give life on to you!
Music clip: Traditional lament (amané) from Asia Minor "I told you once, I tell you again (do not go to the sea)" sung by rock singer Babis Stokas. (A more traditional version with folk instruments and beautiful photos can be heard here)
*If you want to do this properly as a commemoration** of your dearly departed, plan to be at church before Liturgy begins so that you can give the bowl and your list of names of your deceased family and friends to the priest for the blessing.
**According to Orthodox Christian Church tradition, koliva is offered in the Church at the mnemosynon rite (i.e. commemoration) 3 days after death, 9 days after death, 40 days, 6 months, one year after death, and whenever desired thereafter. ***another recipe and home-taken photos by a half-Greek on Feeding the Saints blog.
Photo of koliva dish via suvin saran, inspired by Maria Speck's book Ancient Grains for Modern Meals. Pic of Pamaretto and portion of Sandro Botticelli's Madonna of the Pomegranate via examiner.com Mexican Catrinas via wikimedia commons.
Which mood is more you? The playful trickster, barefoot and hell-bent on playing mischief to placate the evil Halloween spirits or the mellow pacifist stuffing the mouth with calorific indulgences and the contended smile of "all's good"? Or you can be both, depending on how your day is going. Fragrances can be like that too, you know! There are scents which are comforting, snuggly like an old favourite jumper when the sky is uninviting, first thing in the morning, and the temperatures are plummeting; a fragrance which smiles at you from within its heavy glass with the sweetness of a kid on a Hallmark card. And there are scents which are devilishly playing tricks on you, requiring that you have either the right attitude or the right weather conditions or the just right outfit (and possibly makeup and jewellery too!) in order to bring out their best; if they want to! But oh, when they do...The latter category might seem like they're ultimately a pain in the butt to have around (what if you look at them in a certain way and they crack from side to side?), but so often they form some of the most satisfying fragrances we possess in our wardrobe. The former... well, they are our fall-back-upon scents and in times like this, this is kinda precious too, don't you agree? So here is our small selection of "Tricksters and Treaters". Feel free to add yours in thecomments!
• THE TRICKSTERS
À Travers le Miroir by Thierry Mugler A strange tuberose, half-way between carnivorous mentholated flower with bitter touches (reminiscent of a herbal autumn garden) and decaying sweet flesh; yet rather light, if you can imagine that! If you're a man and always wanted to own a tuberose fragrance but found them too Fracas-shouting femme, then this is your bet. Alexis Dadier must be a brave perfumer since he shed tuberose of its black lingerie & berry lipstick to reveal its muscled up (hold the baby oil!) facets. A tuberose of the Tubéreuse Criminelle school of thought!
La Myrrhe by Serge Lutens Myrrh gum is part of ecclesiastical incense alongside frankincense for millenia. You would expect an oriental, full of resinous mystery, going by the name, right? Lutens goes one better and infuses the bitter ambience of myrrh with candied mandarin rind and citrusy aldehydes which bring this on the upper plane of an airy aldehydic. Somehow it wears lightly but solemnly too and it resembles nothing else on the market. Cool autumn days bring La Myrrhe's attibutes to the fore and it remains amongst my most precious possessions.
Aromatics Elixir by Clinique It's hard to picture autumn without the imagery of a forest in full regalia, evergreens gaining inches day by day, sepia foliage being trampled underfoot and the promise of fairies in the wings; sorry, behind the mighty oaks, I meant to say... The enchanted forest scentscape of Bernand Chant's masterpiece is among the most challenging, but also among the most complimented and revered, fragrances in the world. If you find difficult to tame this patchouli, rose & oakmoss Godzilla accord in the pure parfum spray, tone it down opting for the Eau de Toilette or Velvet Sheer formulation within the range. Review of Aromatics Elixir on this page and smell-alike on that one.
No.18 by Chanel Les Exclusifs If you're lucky enough to have this ambrette and rose blend sing on your skin, you're very fortunate. I wish it did on mine and in my memory banks as well. It's probably among the most individual things to come out in the last 10 years and it's quite unique (Although Musc Nomadeisn't too far removed in its concept, but the Chanel is more of a subtle perfume than an invisible human aura like the Goutal). Review of No.18 here.
Les Larmes Sacrées de Thèbes by Baccarat If only because this discontinued limited edition Egyptian beauty will have you scouring the Internet for it but end up paying through the nose (Masochists, please take note! I actually managed to bypass this at a Baccarat boutique when it was available commercially). Somnombulent balsams speek of Egyptian rituals which transport you to a warmer, southern meridian. (Read reviews of all three Baccarat scents for the occasion on this link)
• THE TREATERS
Doblis by Hermès Doblis is an anomaly: Such a refined composition, the best leather fragrance in the world (and the rarest) just can't be classified in the treaters, where sweet ambers and indulgent gourmands should populate the premises, could it? And yet, Doblis is so silken, so restrained, so smooth, fanning precious flowers onto the most buttery suede, that it transcends into the beatific ecstacy reserved for true excellence. Review of Doblis on this page.
Like This by Etat Libre d'Orange And the anomalies continue: What is an Etat Libre scent doing in this side of the list? But its welcoming spicy notes of immortelle and ginger and its succulent pumpkin and mandarin heart, set nevertheless in an interesting diorama where one supercedes the other, Like This reads like wise verse by Rumi instead of a Dear Abby column as one would expect; and on top of that it is fronted by the most interesting celebrity to front a fragrance in the last -oh- twenty years...Tilda Swinton! More info on this link.
Shalimar Ode à la Vanille by Guerlain The smoothness and delicacy of vanilla pods, air-spun here and with a prolonged and rather linear, easy projection of citrus and familiar core. Impossible not to like, impossible to misbehave. More info on this article.
Bois et Musc by Serge Lutens Autumn can't be autumn without the evocation of woods and this small gem in the Palais Royal Parisian exclusive line by Lutens fulfills the bill admirably, because it highlights both the woody panel of cedar and the skinscent idea of a humane-smelling musk. Simple but very effective and drop-dead sexy. Review of Bois et Musc here.
Coromandel by Chanel Les Exclusifs Dusty cocoa and refined patchouli to the point that it reads as devoré velvet in shades of deep maroon. Justifiably it's the best-seller in the newer Les Exclusifs (alongside less character-driven, more camel coat & low pumps scent of Beige). Review of Coromandel here.
Happy Halloween to all the readers of Perfume Shrine and may the benevolent ghosts of your loved ones be around you on the dia de los muertos. I like to believe that our cherished, most loved ones can escape the Night's Sultan on this special occassion and for some brief moments come to us and kiss us gently on the forehead while we are fast asleep...
Perhaps you might want to burn some scented candles for them, on this special night, like I plan to for mine, and leave some sweet treats for them on the mantelpiece to ease their journey back.
Personally I am very partial to the very cool look of L'Artisan Parfumeur candles that were specially made for the leather-goods (and recently fashion too!) brand Bottega Veneta. Their Intreccio one (click here) with its herbal notes and touches of pine and cypress seems autumnal to me. And isn't it a pretty sight?
Or you might want to go more traditional and focus on the pumpkin quest! This Colonial Candle in Pumkin Pie would make a great room fragrance, scenting the place with the spicy smells of the traditional dish; while this Pumkin Strudel from Claire Burke is unusual and yummy. If you want to go the way of the burner, then The Body Shop has a seasonal offering in their range of room fragrance oils, called Pumpkin Nectarine, with fruity notes on a bed of spice and vanilla. For an inexpensive easy treat Bath and Body Works has a device called Fragrance Bulbs in the seasonal scent Pumpkin Pie Paradise that includes the aroma of rich pumkin with the addition of cinnamon and caramel. Sounds terribly fattening, but without the calories. Of course you would have to be the type who goes for those bulby things in the first place. Myself I usually prefer the tradition of the candle.
Snow White Dove has a whole list of fragrance oils which could be used in a myriad of ways and for this occassion Pumkin Spice is a great bouquet garni of cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. I am eyeing their Mulberry, with hints of pine needles, as well as their Vanilla Treasures with cranberry, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and roasted nuts for the upcoming winter months meanwhile... At Specially Made by LLC, you can find a long list of fragrance oil as well, of which Eggnog, Gingerbread, Harvest Spice and of course Pumpkin Pie caught my attention. Country Light Candles offer another wide selection, out of which yet another Pumpkin Pie raises its head.
Last but not least, if you have kids at the appropriate age for indulging in crafts, you might even consider making your own pumkin soap. You will find a lovely little recipe clicking here. Or just wash yourself with the handmade Soaps by Sarah in Pumpkin Cornbread. A Jack-o-lantern experience is guaranteed!
Pic of retro postcard from allposters.com. Pic of L'artisan candle from sybarites.org
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