Sweet things

Saturdays are the sweet/baked goods day in this household. I generally have very decent self-control, but it’s become non-existent with sweet eats over around the past six months. I can’t have them in the house because they’ll be gone. So, on Saturday, I get enough for Saturday and Sunday. That’s it. No ice cream in the freezer, no cookies in the cabinet. I don’t bake much right now (because it would be gone in a day). Of course, there are special times, like high tea with Portia in London or ice cream with my friend Alison last weekend.

Seriously, I’ve got sweet on the brain and I’m not sure why. I wonder if it’s because we had a horrible autumn into winter and I needed nice things. But it’s better now. So, really the weather isn’t an ongoing excuse. It’s a conundrum.

Anyway, this leads to Portia having gifted me with some DSH samples as I’ve moaned about not being able to access her stuff here. I expect they can be shipped but the shipping costs will be mad. Same with CB I Hate Perfume stuff and Neil Morris. I’m curious about all of them (and did buy some ‘water’ fragrance samples for CBIHP but they were all way too diluted to make much of an impression).

Most of the samples were oils that oddly disappeared on my skin after 15 minutes. Don’t get that at all. The one that lasted, Burnt Sugar Vanilla, was regular alcohol based (at least I think so). So, that starts the post today.

As I’ve noted, I like me a gourmand. Didn’t used to but do now. Over the years, there have been some faves.

Sadly, the DHS isn’t one of them. This turned out to be a very nice, soft vanilla caramel. Per the DSH website: “Just the right balance of creamy vanilla to the dark, burnt sugar note. Sweet without the toothache. Seductive, not juvenile”. Alas, no, not on me. The standout aspect was in the opening, when there was a really odd, watery mint/basil note. This disappeared fairly quickly but it didn’t make sense in the context of the perfume and it wasn’t good on me. It was one of those really perplexing happenings in a fragrance. Like, where did that come from??? In any case, once it was gone, the fragrance, as noted above, was pleasant. Soft and gentle, and not something I will pursue. There’s loads of stuff on the DSH site, some with truly great names. If you’ve got some of hers, what are your faves?

So, what are/were my big loves among sweet perfumes?

First off was the long-gone Lostmarch Lann’Ael. I’ve written about this in the past, I think. Milky vanilla cereal. Seriously, it was really good. Not tooth-achingly sweet – just sort of vanilla, milky, chewy – really comforting but not childish. And cheap as chips. Some Lostmarch bottles still seem to be floating around but not Lann’Ael. Wish I’d kept one.

Next was Ginestet Botrytis. Honey, candied fruit, quince and gingerbread. Dessert wine. Viscous, unctuous, gooey sweet. Really really good. Very adult sweet. Long-lasting too, and came in this great round bottle with a nice grapy cap.

I really enjoy the Masque Milano Madeleine which is very sweet vanilla cookies (madeleines). Very chewy feel. Very very sweet. Did I say it is sweet? Best layered with other things, like leather or Lutens Arabie to make it less sweet but still sweetly delightful.

Finally, probably one of my fave gourmands ever which it took me ages to try (still kicks self), like with Guerlain Shalimar. Dior Hypnotic Poison released in 1998 felt seriously late ‘80s/early ‘90s but I didn’t try it till mid-2000s. A spray at Sephora at Columbus Circle in NYC and less an ‘a ha’ moment than a WTF moment because I wondered what had taken me so long. Almonds. Per Fragrantica, notes are Coconut, Plum, Apricot, Brazilian Rosewood, Jasmine, Caraway, Tuberose, Rose, Lily-of-the-Valley, Vanilla, Almond, Sandalwood and Musk. Fragrantica calls it an amber/vanilla, though amber isn’t in the notes (who knows). On me, almond vanilla, with a lot more almond but still nicely nutty sweet. A chewy perfume. Stupidly, I gave my bottle away to the daughter of friends who, as she aged, turned into one of those awful self-absorbed daddy’s girls. Sadness, because I thought it was gone. But it’s not. Just fairly pricey on various sites. Definitely back on the to-buy list.

I’m sure I’ve done a sweet post before but I can’t find it.

Anyway, I’ll just say my last ice cream from the farm shop was coffee (their coffee is awesome) and pistachio. I’ve also done hazelnut, salted caramel (when did this become a thing?), milk (yes, milk as an ice cream flavour – it’s really good) and I think I’ve also done raw honey (the farm – not the shop itself – hosts bees). The last haul from Sara’s bakery included choc chip cookies, a croissant with Portuguese cream, a brownie, custard bread pudding, a chocolate-raspberry cake, and a chocolate-pistachio Danish (no, this is not all for me). I’d already eaten the cookies by the time I took a pic.

I know not all of us can eat sweets and not everyone is into gourmands. But if you can/are, is anything jumping out at the moment? And if not, what do you prefer?

Pics are Pexels and mine