Absinthe- the Bohemian Drink, the Green Fairy, the Forbidden Drink

Researching unusual Herbs, I stumbled on Absinthe!

Absinthe,  the Green Fairy (la Fee Verte), that mysterious spirit rumored to drive artists mad, said to be the inspiration for Degas and Manet, van Gogh and Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde!

Many artists featured absinthe in their works, even adding it to their paints!

Twice as strong as whisky and vodka , the flavor is said to be similar to anise-flavored liqueurs, with the light bitterness and complexity of multiple herbs. Its unusual glowing chartreuse green color is derived from chlorophyll.

Bitter in taste, adding sugar is an important part of the Absinthe preparation ritual.

The traditional way is to put a cube of sugar on a slotted spoon across the edge of a tall glass and gently pour Absinthe over it.
Afterwards, fresh water is poured slowly over the sugar, till it dissolves. Stirring the mixture with a spoon changes the color from green to a cloudy white!

This preparation is considered an important part of the experience of drinking absinthe, so much so that it has become ritualized, complete with special slotted absinthe spoons and other accoutrements!

"Let me be mad..mad with madness of Absinthe, the wildest most luxurious madness in the world." - Marie Corelli

Firsthand experience Chris had some in Sao Paulo, and calls it a huge sweet licorice drink with too little absinthe. While he doesnt recall anything else, he's heard tales about other people getting high on absinthe. Seemed it was just too sweet for his taste! thank you, Chris, for sharing.

Anyone else?

Due to the outrageous actions of Jean Lanfray, presumable under its influence, Absinthe was banned in France and the U. S. in the 1900s. "Fake" absinthes, without thujone & absinthinium, but using other  artemisia herbs are available as well as this Absinthe making Kit  pointed out by Chris.

The Herb
Invented in Switzerland, 1797, as an Elixir, this spirit is named after the Herb Artemisia absinthium, or Wormwood, long believed to be a hallucinogenic and includes Anise & Fennel, the elating Cardamom & another hallucinogenic Angelica.

It is thought that the Latin “Absinthium” comes from the Ancient Greek for “unenjoyable” or “without sweetness”, referring to wormwood’s bitter taste.

Since ancient times wormwood use is documented for easing labor pains, poisoning from toadstools and hemlock.


While the precise origin of absinthe is unclear, medical use of wormwood dates to ancient Egypt and  mentioned as early as circa 1550 BC.
Wormwood extracts and wine-soaked wormwood leaves were used as remedies by the ancient Greeks.
To stimulate digestion and as a cardiac stimulant, but mainly taken as a tonic.

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My current love is another Artemisia herb, artemisa pallens, Davana, said to be the most beautiful scent on a man, changing scent on the wearer, making it one of those truly individual fragrance.

This very rare essential oil has a strong complex fruity note along with green notes & a hint of woody notes.
The closest I have smelt it, is aftelier's Fig, but it isnt as sweet, and has a rich complexity of green notes.

The smell of the actual plant is very beautiful and it is one of the rare herbs that keeps its fragrance even after being dried for several days.


I've also made a natural EDP with it called Male Delicious in combination with Rock Rose (Rose of Sharon) & Benzoin.
Infusing Davana seems to be going well for the first time. I have a few drops on the inside of my wrist- the intial fruity, delicious notes dry down to complex herbal notes & finally left with dry, woody tones that linger some 25 minutes.
I plan to try blending it with citrus notes & the ethereal Pink Lotus, the central note of Mystique - since I have some amount to experiment with.

If Davana was used to flavor a liquor, I can imagine how awesome it'd be, based on its scent alone! No wonder absinthe drove people mad!

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Read Monica's beautiful poem inspired by Absinthe Perfume , and a review on the poem- inspiring Perfume.  A must read .... and a must have.

Ode to the Green Fairy

La Fee Vert is knocking at my door again

She must not know who I am ...

Monica's perfume reviews and other poetic writings on skincare
Blog http://perfumepharmer.com/organic-perfume-skincare-remedies/

& Poetic products
http://www.skyebotanicals.com/
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AbsintheDragonfly (Amanda) has an excellent, excellent post on Absinthe, where she is aging her Absinthe Perfume for consumption!
http://esscentualalchemy.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/absinthe-oh-green-goddess/ 

And right at the bottom is an Absinthe recipe

See her Wonderful Perfumes 
http://www.artfire.com/users/AbsintheDragonfly
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Anyone else wants to share info on Absinthe, please comment or write to me!

Make Your Own Safe, Natural and Healthy Toothpastes and Cleansers

Make Your Own Safe, Natural and Healthy Toothpastes and Cleansers

Virtually all commercial toothpastes contain one or both of two problematic ingredients: fluoride and glycerin. Fluoride, a mining by-product, is one of the bigger scams perpetrated on an unwitting public. Instead of being beneficial it actually damages teeth. Glycerin coats the enamel and prevents natural re-mineralization of teeth. The solution in avoiding those two items may be making your own tooth paste or tooth cleanser at home.

Here are some recipes you can make at home which contain neither fluoride or glycerin:

Old Fashioned Tooth Powder

Ingredients:

2 tbsp dried lemon or orange rind
1/4 cup baking soda
2 tsp salt

Directions:

Grind the rinds in a food processor until they become a fine powder. Add baking soda and salt then process for a few more seconds until you have a fine powder. Store in an airtight container. Dip moistened toothbrush into the mixture and brush as usual.

Mix ingredients to make a paste, dip toothbrush into the mix and then brush as usual.

Basic Toothpaste

Ingredients:

1 Tsp of the above Old Fashioned Tooth Powder
1/4 Tsp Hydrogen peroxide

Directions:

Mix into a paste and brush as usual.

Vanilla, Geranium and Honey Toothpaste

Ingredients:

1/2 ounce powdered chalk
3 ounces powdered orris root
4 teaspoons of tincture of vanilla
15 drops oil of rose geranium
Raw honey, enough to make a paste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and mix until you have the consistency you want. Scoop the paste onto brush. Store the paste in an airtight container.

Simple Mint Toothpaste

Ingredients:

Bicarbonate of soda
Salt
Water
Bentonite clay powder
Peppermint oil

Directions:

Mix 3 parts bicarbonate of soda with one part salt. Add 3 tsp of bentonite clay for every 1/4 cup of this mixture, and then add enough water to make a thick paste. Add a few drops of peppermint oil for better taste.

Herbal Mint Toothpaste Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 tsp peppermint oil
1/4 tsp spearmint
1/4 cup arrowroot
1/4 cup powdered orrisroot
1/4 cup water
1 tsp ground sage

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add water until paste is desired thickness/consistency. Store at room temperature in a tightly covered jar.

Substitute 1/2 tsp each of oil of cinnamon and oil of cloves for peppermint/spearmint if desired.

Refreshing Super Mint Toothpaste

Ingredients:

6 teaspoons baking soda
1/3 teaspoon sea salt
4 teaspoons bentonite clay powder
15 drops peppermint

Directions:

Mix thoroughly until you get the toothpaste consistency you desire. If desired, add a few drops of peppermint or wintergreen.

Strawberry Tooth Cleanser

Ingredients:

1 tsp of the above Old Fashioned Tooth Powder
1 tbsp crushed ripe strawberries

Directions:

Mix strawberries and powder into a paste and brush as usual.

Basic Tooth Cleanser

Ingredients:

Hydrogen peroxide (a few drops)
Baking soda

Directions:

Make a paste by combining the two ingredients. You can also gently rub this paste along your gums twice a week for maximum benefit.

Lemon and Cloves Herbal Tooth Cleanser

Ingredients:

Small amount of finely powdered sage
1 ounce of finely powdered myrrh
1 pound powdered arrow root
3 ounces powdered orris root
15 drops oil of lemon
8 drops oil of cloves
10 drops oil of bergamot
10 drops of coconut oil (you may have to warm slightly to melt)

Directions:

Mix the powdered ingredients first and then add and mix the oils into the mixture.

Notes:

Supercharge any of the above recipes by adding tea tree oil or plant derived mineral powder (or both).

When you use items which contain lemon, rinse your mouth and teeth thoroughly afterward to prevent damage to teeth enamel.

Handmade Stone containers for Natural Perfumes

I'm infusing oils for a reason. They are going to be part of Solid Natural Perfumes-

I already got handmade containers for them!

These 2 are polished soapstone inlaid with semi-precious (or atleast more precious) stone work. Hinged. The one to the left can contain about 2-3 oz of perfume.

The one on the right may contain 8oz.

This kind of stone inlay work is made famous by similar work in the interiors of the Taj Mahal.

These containers are also made by artisans from the same area

This pretty one is also handmade and embellished. The metal is an alloy of many base metals together. I'm going to check how it suits the high concentration of absolutes and essential oils I'm going to put in it.\

The one that stayed in the shop

These boxes are "bidri" Silver filigree work on a base metal.
This small heart shaped one can carry maybe a 1/2 to 1 oz.
About 15$, too much for a little package, I thought.
Maybe once I start perfuming I'll change my mind.

DIY Natural Rose Perfume: Infusing Roses & Davana

One of the techniques of making Natural Perfumes is Infusion. This is a really simple way of making a Naturally Perfumed Rose Oil. I have done this technique with several flowers, and Roses seem to be the best to carry the scent forward.

A very straight-forward technique of Infusing flowers it only takes a bit of patience & time-lets, say about 4-5 weeks.
If you have the Roses for it, you should definitely find the time!

I start with about 40-50 blooms of fragrant Roses, washed and drained, as early in the morning as possible. Rosa centifolia is the commonest available in India- of that, the lighter pink variety which is more fragrant is the one I chose. 

I lay them in a metal platter of oil - virgin coconut- the most commonly available here- blooms facing down, and pour enough oil to wet the petals and a thin layer of oil over the surface.

Cover with a thin sheet of cotton, place it in the sun for 2 weeks.  At daily temperatures of 103-106 F degrees, its a cinch. Summer in India reaches upto 40-42 C. Make the best of it.

Change the flowers by draining & filtering out the oil through 3 squares of cotton. I tried to pick them out, but the stalks were dried up and stung like thorns- yowtch..

 Redo from start.
This time only the petals & no stings.. At 1 week, it looks like this.And the oil starts to be mildly scented in 3 days.
2-3 more weeks in the sun,

I am left with this fragrant moss greenish oil.Success with a sweet smell. 

This simply stunning yield of "Infused Rose Oil" is unlike anything I could compare with-
with marked floral undertones mixed with spicy-herbal ones, The coconutty tones do not detract from it, but make it more sensual (Think Monoi de Tiare with Rose).

Scent Comparison
The Roses impart a lighter fragrant oil,  without those  honey-like undertones of the Damask Absolutes & Rose Otto, and varies from both Rose Egyptian & Rose Moroccan.
An undertone from the very complex notes of Carnation absolute turns up-.the way the "green" of Turmeric in blends reminds of Tuberose Absolute.

Update
By the end of the year, friends and family just sniffed and took some away.
I used it through the winter months for my 3&5 yr olds with dry skin, they were smooth-skinned and smelled amazing and to this day, adore to massage and be massaged!
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Davana

For the longest time, I've wanted to trying my hand infusing Davana, described as the most gorgeous male fragrance ever by who, the name slips the mind!

I've used this rare, difficult to work with essential oil to form the heart notes of one of my perfumes called Male Delicious, its fruityness further enhanced on a bed of benzoin and Rock Rose and forever fell in love with Davana.

Davana (Artemisia pallens) is a Heart note with a  Fruity (apricot) odor of hay and licorice.

Davana, is in the same species as Wormwood & other fragrant plants of the Artemisia family but with its distinct smell. Robert Tisserand lists it as non-toxic and very midly irritating.

The smell of Davana essential oil , I could say, is like a combination of Oakmoss & Honey absolutes.

The smell of this infusion, from the leafy stalks of Davana, for now, is mossy & green.
Both the green stems and the leaves carry the fragrant scent, so I have put both in the infusion. Updates will follow

Update
Now my knowledge of Davana till then, was leaf and the few essential oils I have sampled, rich and fruity and green. So I was unprepared for what the result was.
The 2-times infusion I was left with, had a tiny bit of fruity & green scents , but gave off a rich smoky smell - more like OakMoss..
Back then, I was still into floral & fruity, I was just not into "smoke".
I regret that I didn't use it into perfumes to form that just so intangible smoky leathery smell!

It is skin sensitizing, even more than the EO- no question about using as a Body or Face Oil.
But there it went....

Next Summer, oh, next Summer, I am so having me some fun.

Jasmine Tea for Mom n Me (and Rose Tea)

Jasmine Tea & Rose Tea !
These indulgent drinks arouse the senses of touch, taste and scent and are a pleasure to be enjoyed.

Ok, this isnt the conventional way to make Jasmine Tea  but its delicious n energizing besides smelling awesome!
and to top it all, the Jasmine are plucked fresh from the backyard.

 This Jasmine is a sambac, or Night Jasmine, a rare double-petalled variety at that. Its blooms open early in the morning and its heady fragrance is incredible.

This morning these beauties are headed into Tea.
Black Tea!
Green tea, which is normally used to make Jasmine Tea & served as such in Chinese restaurants, does not have a wide following in India.

So, 2 cups water, 2 tbsp Tea or about 1/2  the quantity to make regular black tea only so as to not overpower the Jasmine

Boil tea with 1 cup milk or more.

Drop in the Jasmine.
Turn the burner off, cover with a lid for 5 minutes.

If the Jasmine is boiled, much of its fragrance is lost

Garnish with a couple of blooms to heighten the fragrance. Serve immediately.

Sit back, Relax
Close your eyes , smell the fragrance and sip it slowly.

And is it really aphrodisiac?

Couldnt say for sure, but I find it relaxes me from yesterdays tensions and makes me warm & forgiving. Surely thats aphrodisiacal?

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Rose Tea
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 Every once in a while, a flower seller comes by on his (bi)cycle with bags of flowers attached to it. Since I'm trying my hand at infusing them, (another post), I have fragrant roses at hand.

These are Rosa centifolia, the lighter colored variety which are more fragrant than the deeper pink ones.

Taking a couple handfuls of the washed and draining petals, I put them in a pot of merrily boiling water with black tea already added.

Turn off burner, cover with lid, wait 5 minutes.
After 5-6 minutes, the petals are near the consistency of cream and I love eating a couple of them along with my tea.
Add a touch of milk or drink without.

Tea is ready.

Sit back, smell the aroma of fresh roses & sip slowly.

Rose Tea unlike sedative Jasmine, makes for a  happy, playful & carefree mood.


Treat your senses!
Try them sometime!