By Elise Pearlstine

Hibiscus sorbet with wild orange and black pepper essential oils is deep red, tangy surprise that is also rich and slightly spicy, perfect for summer. Hibiscus is one of the more familiar edible flowers, especially as a tea, and the dried blooms are readily available in my nearby organic food store. Crystallized violets on cupcakes, rose petal jam, pansy ice cubes and nasturtiums in your salad – flowers add color, aroma and a hint of the exotic to your food creations. I love the idea of sautéed squash blossoms with a delicate, zucchini-like flavor. Both male and female squash flowers are edible and the female flowers have a tiny squash attached. Mustard flowers have a tangy, spicy bite just like the seeds. Another golden flower is the dandelion whose buds are edible and can be used to make wine. Purple lilacs – fragrant and slightly bitter but with floral overtones – make a lovely sorbet but can be easily added to a salad. Spicy carnation or dianthus (pinks) petals may be added to syrups. If your basil goes to flower, don’t worry, just pluck the flowering top and add the flowers to some herbal vinegar. Scented geraniums can be layered with sugar to provide a unique flavored and scented sweetener.

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The following excerpt on how to wear perfume comes from a charming little book called “A Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions.” Written in 1964 by Genevieve Antoine Dariaux, a longtime directress of Nina Ricci couture salons, it is a fascinating glimpse into the fashion mores of her time. While some advice may be outdated, the book is filled with many interesting ideas. So, for your reading pleasure, Madame Dariaux’s thoughts on perfume…

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My first introduction to fool, a classical English dessert dating back to the 16th century, was through Elizabeth David’s wonderful book Summer Cooking. David’s characteristically laconic recipe could not have been more appealing. “ 1lb. of strawberries, 3 oz. sugar, 5oz. double cream. Sieve the hulled strawberries. Stir in the sugar. Add this purée gradually to the whipped cream, so that it is quite smooth. Turn into a shallow crystal or silver dish, and put in the refrigerator for several hours, if possible underneath the ice-trays, so that the fools gets as cold as possible without actually freezing. It is important to cover the bowl, or everything else in the refrigerator will smell of strawberries.”

I love the airy texture of the mousse, the strong fragrance of strawberries and the refreshing sensation on the palate. Although fool (or foole as it used to be spelled) is traditionally made with gooseberries, it offers nearly limitless opportunities for experimens with different fruit pairings. Cream, as any fat based substance, picks up the aroma molecules beautifully, and it provides an excellent canvas on which to paint with flavors.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

The ingenuity of Bronze Goddess, a limited edition Estée Lauder fragrance, lies not only in its ability to convey summer indolence with its scent of coconut, gardenia and warm sand, but in making this fantasy wearable and sophisticated. It is elegant and refined, with an interesting twist of dry ambers that give Bronze Goddess its crisp and polished character. While it may lure one with the promise of a beach themed indolence, in reality, it is a versatile fragrance that can easily travel from beach to office, from summer to fall.

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by Elise Pearlstine

Fresh, light, and yet pervasive is the initial impression I got from a potted freesia (Freesia sp.). As I put my nose to the deep orange blooms and concentrate, I get more nuances. Floral? Yes, light and lovely. Green? Maybe a subtle green like violet leaves. Cool? Definitely, but with a touch of richness like a pure floral sorbet melting in a bowl with a touch of chilled caramel at the edges. Before I bought this plant I tested all of the potted freesias at the market for smell and chose the deep orange-red one for its strong, sweet scent. There were also pale lilac and white varieties; both with a light, sweet floral scent but it’s the orange-red one that I brought home. For days I smell the faint sweetness it gives to the air as it sits in my kitchen by the window.

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