Festive Fragrances - The Gift Of Olfactory Memories Plus Presents For Culinary Wizards!!

Festive Fragrances - The Gift Of Olfactory Memories  Plus Presents For Culinary Wizards!!

Gifting perfume at Christmas is perhaps the most personal present of all as our sense of smell is tied to memory and therefore the scent, if chosen wisely, will become an enduring part of the recipient's personal history, able to transport them back in time to moments of particular joy. Quite a responsibility!  So how does one go about selecting something so personal and subjective for one's nearest and dearest? My first word's of wisdom are - "don't be predictable and simply purchase a flacon of a fragrance that they wear already". The real pleasure is in selecting a scent that speaks of their personality and experiencing their elation at discovering something new and exciting. The message is also very touching, that you believe that this scent conjures them perfectly! So go with your instincts - concentrate on the individual's temperament and you will soon find the ideal match.

Shop Now - Fleur De Figuier by Chabaud - £50/30ml

Shop Now - Givrine by E. Coudray - £65/100mls

For the Extrovert choose an exuberant scent like 'Fleur De Figuier' (£50) from Chabaud, Paris, a refreshing and invigorating blend of green fig and green conifers with a border of lavender over cedar and sandalwood. This is a great scent for everyday, is youthful and uplifting and can be worn anywhere. Likewise 'Givrine( £65) from E. Coudray, a fresh white floral of lily of the valley, peony and gardenia with zesty notes of watermelon and kumquat that bring a smile to the face and a spring to the step.

Shop Now - The Actress By St Giles - £130/100mls

Shop Now - Au Dela Narcisse by Bruno Fazzolari - £105/30ml

For the Glamour Puss select something a little more sensual - my fragrance 'The Actress' by St Giles ( £130) is a 'power floral' that I designed to make an entrance, with a ravishing combination of oriental lily, orchid, honeysuckle and pear over an expensive vanilla base - she is quite a gal and oozes glamour! Alternatively 'Au Dela Narcisse' by Bruno Fazzolari is the most elegant and sophisticated of scents with narcissus, jasmine, orange flower and amber - think a luminous Marlene Dietrich!

Shop Now - The Decay Of The Angel by Timothy Han - £160/60mls

Shop Now - The Writer by St Giles - £130/100mls

For those of a more reflective nature, 'The Decay Of The Angel'( £160) by Timothy Han is an achingly beautiful, slightly melancholy and contemplative scent that symbolises a fall from grace and is a divine blend of frankincense with rose, sambac jasmine and a dash of oud. 'The Writer'( £130)  from St Giles contains a hit of rosemary which has been clinically proven to improve memory recall by an average of 19%, so this is the perfect fragrance for the office or to help the creative's muse to perch!

Shop Now - Tokyo by Gallivant - £65/30mls

Shop Now - Egypt by Eight & Bob - £130/100mls

For the Adventurous Traveller, something to transport will connect to their psyche and 'Tokyo'( £65), the new fragrance from British perfume house Gallivant, will conjure that special feeling of early morning Tokyo. The air is humid and misty and the perfume captures the tastes of izakaya eateries, fruits, spices, wasabi, sour and sweet and puts some zing on the tongue! 'Egypt'( £130)  from Eight & Bob offers an olfactory journey up the Nile with calming lavender and peppery green basil opening the scent and an aromatic heart of cardamom and nutmeg with rich amber and leather accords at the base. Warming, complex, and utterly addictive, Egypt is an eau de parfum of distinctive character and inimitable style. Perfume makes the perfect present as it holds the key to memories that will last a lifetime which is, after all, what the festive season is all about! If you are at all nervous about choosing a scent for someone else then please let us know in the 'special delivery request' section of the online order that the fragrance is a gift and we will enclose a free 2ml sample which means that the recipient can try on skin instead of unwrapping the full bottle and swap for an alternative should it not be the perfect fit.

Shop Now - Garlic Roaster - £20

Shop Now - Nutcracker - £36.99

If your loved one's tastes run to the more gourmand, then we has some wonderful gift ideas to please culinary wizards! I adore our 'Garlic Roaster' which comes all the way from French Canada. If you roast garlic in a pan it can burn and become bitter whereas this pretty and petit alternative takes up little shelve space and turns out perfect, juicy cloves every time. It can also be brought straight to the table as it is most decorative. The box is also lovely and very chic so this a great hostess gift. Nutcrackers drive me... well, nuts, as they are so messy and I am a Libran, we are a tidy people! I wanted to find a design that prevented the shells from spraying across the floor and this is the perfect tool. Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and other festive fare can be tidily de-shelled.

Shop Now - Emile Henry Bakeware Boxed Set - £41.90

Shop Now - Waterproof/Greaseproof Cook's Notebook - £18

Emile Henry from France has made the best bakeware in the business for 150 years and is the only brand I know to offer a 10 year guarantee! This year they have a boxed gift set of two oval baking dishes, one small and one medium, which are wonderfully versatile and can be used for everything from lasagne to roasts and roasted vegetables etc - they are oven, microwave and dishwasher friendly and so smart, in either red or charcoal, that they can be brought straight to the table for serving! These are a limited edition so my apologies if they have sold out - they are a great price and proving very popular. The world's first waterproof and greaseproof notebook has been a huge hit in the store as so many of our customers write down their recipes or recipes gleaned from friends etc. You simply cannot mark the pages with anything - the copy remains legible and clean no matter how many accidents befall it! Just think, no pages stuck together or defaced by greasy digits. They also look very smart in their vegan leather jackets. It's a nice gift because it is very useful and will last, potentially, a lifetime. Great for enthusiastic mixologists too!

Shop Now - The Medium Stretch Chopping Board - £22

Finally, as it is the season of goodwill and we all want to do something to help others, our 'Medium Stretch' kitchen chopping board is an opportunity to pay some kindness forward. Our 'Parole Boards are made by the inmates of one of HM Prisons which offers educational courses in carpentry to those that have paid their debt and are about to re-enter society. Beautifully carved, entirely by hand, from English oak and part of an individual's journey to a happier and more productive future, our investment helps to fund the programme and pay the wages which in turn gives the men a sense of self-worth where perhaps it was lacking. I am very proud to stock the 'Parole Boards' as I am a great believer in second chances. I hope that I have made you salivate one way or another and that you have found something that fits a stocking or two! Thank you to all of our customers who came to see us for last w/e's 'East Dulwich Christmas Cracker '  - you were an absolute pleasure as always and if anyone is passing and needs some  scent inspiration do please pop-in and see me. Have a wonderful w/e - I can almost hear the sleigh bells ringing! Michaelx