Happy Easter everybody, I hope you've all been enjoying yourselves during the weekend! I've spent a few days with my in-laws, always nice to get out of town, get properly fed and get some help with the kids. The only complaint I've got is the weather. We had a lovely spring thing going on but then something went terribly wrong. Both on Thursday and Friday it was snowing so our view out the window consisted of dainty little spring flowers, trying bravely to stand up while covered in an icy layer of white snow. Poor little things! For compensating the cold outside I've been reaching for something warm and cheery, namely, ELdOs Fils de Dieu Du Riz et Des Agrumes, which must be one of the longest perfume names around.
It starts off with a very green and Asian feeling citrus accord. There is lime, zest of lime, ginger and shiso. I love the intro. It makes me wonder why there are no green Asian style Eau de Colognes (or are there, and I'm just not aware of them?). I'd love a perfume that was like this on and on and not just for the first 10 minutes like FdD.
But what comes next is not bad either. When the citrus fades there is rice pudding and not just any rice pudding. It's an Indian rice pudding where premium rice has been boiled in thick coconut cream, a drop of rose water added, along with a small cinnamon stick, half a scraped vanilla bean and a few cardamon pods givng the final dish just a hint of well integrated spice. At times I get a hint of something smoky as well. This is clearly a dish that will soon be crated in my kitchen!
During drydown the spices and rose disappears from my skin and I get more of a savory, plain rice smell. I'm also thinking I'd love a Christmas Edition of FdD. In Sweden it's tradition to eat rice pudding on Christmas, either with milk, cinnamon and sugar or with whipped cream and orange segments. I can imagine a FdD flanker (not that ELdO are known for making flankers, but anyway) with an orange intro and stronger spices during the heart and drydown. Yum, that would be nice...
In all, FdD is a lovely and easy-to-wear scent. I find it's both relaxing and energizing. It's unusual as it's about rice, Ormonde Jaynes Champaca is the only other rice scent I know of and that one's a floral-rice, this is a light oriental-rice. As an extra bonus, both my mother-in-law and sister-in-law both loved it!
Official notes (from Fragrantica):
Top notes: ginger, coriander, lime and shiso.
Heart: coconut, rose, cardamom, jasmine, cinnamon and rose.
Base: tonka bean, vetiver, musk, amber, leather and castoreum.
I really can't wait to try this, it sounds so perfect for the summer! And surprisingly easy to wear for a ELdO-release?? Going to London next week I already can see myself coming back home with a full bottle of this hahaha.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've also been thinking of it as a summer scent. It's very easy to wear, and it seems to appeal to people that are not that crazy about perfume in general, without smelling like washing powder. A very good thing! I'm looking forward to hear what you think about it!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good! And your recipe suggestions is also very interesting. Today I am making bergamot confit (Greek style). It should go well with your rice pudding.
ReplyDeleteYum, bergamot confit, that sounds really good!!! Do you use the actual bergamot fruits for that?
ReplyDeleteMy cooking hasn't been what it used to be lately as my kids are not interested in food (or, well, not interested in the food I like to cook and eat myself), but I very much enjoy cooking.
I use the rind. It takes several changes of water and boiling to remove the bitter taste and then boiling in heavy syrup. It is delicious. I wish I could send some your way. Of course you can do this with lemons and oranges (you live the flesh on for oranges)but bergamots are more rare and their taste is amazing.
DeleteI have been disappointed by several of the milky-rice fragrances I have tried. This one with the coconut twist might be right up my alley.
ReplyDeleteHappy (belated) Easter to you, too!
Nathalie, what I can say is taht this is the first fragrance I've had compliments for in a very long time, so I'm all thumbs up for trying it :)
ReplyDeleteSo it's tradition to eat rice pudding on Christmas day in Sweden? No wonder I'm a Sweden-phile. :-) I could eat rice pudding every day, but my favorite is Indian-style rice pudding, so your description of this perfume smelling like that makes it sound extra appealing! I'll seek this one out when I'm traveling this spring. Thanks for the charming review, Sigrun.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I want to wear such perfume (I will try it if I have a chance, no questions there) but I definitely want that pudding!
ReplyDeleteUndina,I'd say it's suprisingly easy to wear considering the general foodiness of boiled rice. And when I make that pudding, I promise I'll post a recipe here :)
ReplyDeleteSuzanne, yes it is! I think it's because rice was considered very exotic 100 years ago but apart from around Christmas time rice pudding is not a common dessert here. It's a shame, because it's so nice!!!
ReplyDeleteI was given a sample of this by the CPB and I agree on its easy to love yumminess. Not sure I want a bottle, but would be glad to upgrade to a decant!
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