Re: first message/enflleurrage

[Guest guest]

I was taught to make enfleurrage as a child. In a damp, cloudy Scotland it

took patience!

We used a glass ashet ( a glass pie plate) which had a close fitting glass

lid. We just used whatever fat Grannie had at hand. Suet, the hard fat from

around the kidneys was preferred. Not the stuff from the butcher which was

usually adulterated with tallow, but bought still with the caul on. It was

stripped, chopped and gently heated just until the fat ran clear, not until

it cooked at all. The suet was strained into the ashet and as soon as it had

set but was still soft flowers were laid firmly against the surface until

the fat was entirely covered. The lid was put on the ashet and it was laid

out on a sunny windowsill. The flowers were changed every day, as they

withered they were taken out and any moisture which gathered on the lid was

wiped off on a hankie.....which ended up smelling gloriously perfumed :-)

The fat ends up kind of stained and crumbly looking and becomes saturated

with the essence of the flowers. Sometimes we would keep the process going

for a fortnight but five or six days was more usual.

Mostly we were making pomades for ointments, so the solid fat was gathered

up and rolled into balls to be stored in a stone jar in a cold, dark

cupboard. We made meadowsweet, gillyflower, rose (which could be very

colourful too), mugwort, honeysuckle, and the like.

Very different from Ahlena's method. I wonder if it may be because even our

summers aren't that hot and we need the extra heat?

The pomade kept it's scent longer than the infused oils did but I don't

think it was as easily smelled as the oils. It has to be rubbed to free the

scent more.

I'm thoroughly enjoying the conversations, and so wishing I knew more.

Fascinating subjects.

Kind regards,

Craig

[Guest guest]

At 04:47 AM 2/22/2006, you wrote:

(snipped great enfleurage/pomade instructions.)

It's wonderful to see such a great story of a family, bound by herbal and

aromatic traditions, .

>The pomade kept it's scent longer than the infused oils did but I don't

>think it was as easily smelled as the oils. It has to be rubbed to free the

>scent more.

I love it when that happens! It's a fascinating, fun thing when a scent

reveals itself like that. Might not be entirely right for a commercial

release, but then again, maybe yes, to an informed customer.

Anya

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