Just-picked intoxicating Orange Blossom…
Hello everyone,
What uncertainty surrounds the timing of ORANGE BLOSSOM SEASON! In truest spring form, the stillness of a bright blue morning (after a chilly night) can turn swiftly to wind or heat, perchance to both…or to showers…or even a thunderstorm accompanied by hail! Good grief…
Good reason thento be out early working alongside the first bees as they dart between the blossoms (being careful to avoid the very one for which they’re aiming!) as an hour or two later those waxy petals may be strewn all over the ground. (Over the years I’ve often been surprised we get as many oranges as we do, and yet...).
I must confess to a realisation as I worked quietly at my task, which is…that I’m not at all sure one has really lived ’til standing in the midst of a fully laden tree heavy with orange blossom, accompanied by that constant drone and intoxicating scent. As the sun rises and warms, layers are slowly peeled away…neckscarf becomes hat adornment and the woolly jumper vital at the beginning of the picking process is cast off, as the gentle but time-consuming business of swift-moving fingers gradually yields a bounty. Combined, the effect is enough to make one quite dizzy. As drunk as a bee…
And so it was that over a series of late September mornings, I carried out several distillations of this year’s ORANGE BLOSSOM. On the first day the flowers were scattered, but two days later the trees were heady and heavy, producing wave after wave of fresh blossom ready to pluck in those calm, early hours. It’s still a very small window of opportunity though…a few days later and it was easy to see they were past their best. But their best…had already been captured!
Following each picking and weighing, Hildegarde was put into action. As the condenser bucket slurped and gurgled away, a burst of aroma announced the first fat droplets that soon became a trickle of pure distilled orange blossom water…
Which brings me to…the very first batch ever of ORANGE BLOSSOM WATER from GLENMORE HOUSE is ready to release! You can order your dear little 10ml amber atomiser bottle HERE. Should you wish to collect on a workshop day, please place your order in advance so I can have it ready to go (the bottling is time consuming, requiring patience and sterilisation so although not impossible, I’d rather know prior to the day as I will only transfer to the little atomisers on request).
Once again, there is a finite amount. Although there’s a little more than there was of the first release of Rose Geranium, I can make no more of this ’til the trees blossom again next year!
Again, I’ve left the miniscule amount of essential oil in, rather than separating it out, so it will leave your skin with a faint film of moisture (just close your eyes as you mist). The result is like momentary immersion in an orange grove! You could be anywhere; from your Grandmother’s backyard to the south of France; Spain, Italy, Morocco…Mexico, California…in fact the list is endless and I’m sure the scent of pure orange blossom triggers a memory for most of us. For me, orange blossom is mixed up with far flung places lost in a time warp from childhood to young adulthood, of hot climes, glamour, excitement…all overlaid and imprinted with a raft of sensory and olfactory experience. A hint of orange blossom tends to inspire an overwhelming flood of joy in me and is a scent I’ve had my heart set on capturing for years. I wonder if you have an orange blossom memory?
Once again, this will be a limited release…I can make no more ’til the trees blossom again…next year!
Catch it briefly on the air while you can…
Very best wishes as always,
Mickey
PS I’m still working away at the new website…still there are glitches and things out of order but it’s getting there (I’m gradually learning my way around the back end of it…what a steep learning curve!). But…the new pages for the Botanical Water and Field of Flowers are now live if you click on these two highlighted links for more information.
