Scent of flowers, tea and herbs is a tonic to the heart
By Niharika Mookerjee
NEW YORK: On a hot blistering evening when summer haze seems to blur my vision, I remember the heavy scent of lavender reeds, rippling in open fields in Quebec, Canada. They seemed to grow everywhere, over railway tracks, in wastelands, by the wayside, dispersing a perfume, tinged with an ineffable something, to the casual wayfarer, making the heart skip a beat.
In an undefinable way, perfumes from herbs and food have an incandescent way of healing the mind, if only momentarily, when we are troubled or emotionally worn out. In short, beauty that is profuse, natural and free for all inspires like nothing else does, when days are dense with anxiety.
Little, nameless acts of sharing through sachets of flowers, scented mementoes and taste of a saffron stirred rice pudding sustain us through health and sickness, and teach us to wait for the rainbow around the bend of road.
A common practice in average households is lining drawers with lavender sachets. Not only does it exude a lacy perfume, it also acts as a natural repellent against insects. Speaking of which, in olden days, washerwomen would dry out their laundry on lavender bushes to catch a hint of its inviting smell.
A quaint story told down the ages has it that the clothing of baby Jesus bestowed the scent when Mary laid them upon a bush to dry. Â And, according to the German nun Hildegard of Bingen, who lived from 1098-1179, a decoction of vodka, gin, or brandy mixed with lavender water worked wonders for migraine headaches. Homespun wisdom also advises stringing a heart of lavender strands over the door hook for protection against evil.
In our own times, the lavender ice cream with its delicate flavoring and creamy texture has just the right blend of hay sweetness to bring ripeness back into a dry routine.
In contrast to its cool and elusive flavors, a steamy July afternoon brings back comforting memories of quiet pleasures of sipping milky and sugary, bold and black teas, served in glazed clay cups on the roadside under the shade of a sheltering tree in rural India. Served hot and sweetened generously, the tea had an immediate effect of producing a smile and softened the world into a more calm and serene place.
And when the hot winds raised a storm of red dust in the middle of the day in Jamshedpur, Bihar, I remember my mother would gently encrust rose, pansy and marigold blossoms with granulated sugar and egg white that would make for a beautiful garnish for a dessert in the evening.
We three sisters would sneak into the kitchen whenever our mom was away to eat these as candies which tasted cool and fresh like the grass, wet with dew, on earth. And, although all flowers are not edible, quite a few are, such as roses, pansies, carnations, honeysuckle, jasmine, lilac, marigolds, clover, and orange blossom.
I also recall my mother retrieving old recipes from her grandmother which suggested adding rose water to cake batter or butter along with vanilla and cardamom. Using her mother’s recipes, she would add the zest of lime to sandesh that unfailingly reminded me of the chill of marble at our old, ancestral home. And for a sacred Hindu ritual, she sliced vegetables in a way that rendered it into a thing a beauty.
As teenagers, we were all in the habit of pressing flowers and leaves from birthday or holiday bouquets between pages of our favorite books that carried through the years the sweetness of a beloved memory.
Flowers, given by our kindergarten friends, leaves from eucalyptus trees, and long, leafy Neem pods that caught the sparkle of our childish imagination were never thrown away but lingered on, brown and papery, in the staccato of the present.
Leafing through the books with my grown daughters, they are a page from an old friendship, a gateway into the scene of a fairyland, set long ago. Breathe not- trespass not…Perchance upon its darkening air, the unseen ghosts of children fare, faintly swinging, sway and sweep..
In our own eastern culture the tradition of sprinkling guests with rose water, marigold or attar as they enter the bridal hall still prevails in continuation of an ancient ceremony of purification. A celebrated display of glass bowls latticed with tuberose (rajanigandha), gardenia, rose, and jasmine captures the drift of enchantment.
Poetic gestures of offering richly scented flowers and herbs, at the time of parting, prevail as a custom in many middle-eastern countries to diminish the pain of farewell. If flowers, herbs and food were the only language of humanity there would be fewer wars. “O flower of song, bloom on and make forever the world more fair and sweetâ€
It also brings to my mind, a Guy de Maupassant story of a young woman, who lived in abysmal poverty but would keep a bottle of a cheap perfume close at hand for the hope of good times to come.
For me, a jar of freshly cut bunches of coriander, mint and parsley, glistening on the kitchen counter sings of that mélange of wonder. That piquant burst of citrus and lemon has an instant effect of blanching the room with a clean and fresh aroma and a whiff of greenery in the afternoon sun.
Another refreshingly fragrant herb is sage. Used for centuries, it offers salubrious effects of bolstering the memory and warding away decay. Native Americans burn sage bundles to purify their surroundings and to invoke a blessing on the sacred space of their dwelling. “Sage makes the lamp of life burn brightly,†so goes an ancient saying.
From a European friend, I learned that summer is also the perfect time for making cherry liqueur. Just douse red sweet cherries in a jar of grappa (grape-based brandy) with loads of sugar. Let the concoction bask in the summer sun for forty days. When poured over ice creams or sponge cakes, they are a kiss of the senses.
When paired with this seasonal drink, a summer salad of dandelion roots and leaves, tossed with corn, olives, avocado, nuts and chicory adds vitality and a healthy surplus of antioxidants.
Simply said, the mere scent of flowers, tea and herbs is a tonic to the heart and a delicious reminder of sun showers, sea water, blue skies and misty rain.
To contact the author, email to niharikam@americanbazaaronline.com