Tag: Rosemary

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The Story of Rosemary & Bergamot

We’ve come a long way since we started, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the popularity of our Rosemary & Bergamot! We’ve been reminiscing (and cringing!) about our origins today, and thought we’d share the story of our signature scent.

Back in 2003, when we weren’t much more than a shed and our living room, we were approached by The Mill House, who were looking for a company to develop a range of luxury toiletries for their hotel.

At that point we were a relatively new company, making toiletries, food products and herb related crafty items – if you don’t believe how much progress we’ve made, check out this reminder of how we started!

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The team from The Mill House spent a productive morning with us exploring a variety of different scent options, and out of that session came two fragrances- Rosemary & Bergamot and Pine & Lavender (which has since been discontinued). The Rosemary & Bergamot was designed to be totally unisex, and (it has since been discovered) almost universally loved.

Initially we made soaps and hair and body wash for the hotel, but the Rosemary and Bergamot scent proved so popular that we expanded the range to 12 items (and it’s continued to grow even now). It remains our most popular fragrance and is used by many local (and national!) hotels and restaurants, including Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall, Nathan Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, St Enodoc Hotel, Playboy Club London and more…

Often imitated, but never bettered, our Rosemary & Bergamot range is made using the finest ingredients and will leave you feeling refreshed and invigorated. Don’t take our word for it, pop in and have a smell!

bergamot

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Make your own – Hair Shine Treatment

I don’t know about you but the miserable winter we’ve been having has left my hair in a complete mess. Luckily, this super easy to make hair shine treatment is great for split ends, brittle hair or even just a bit of a pick me up on a girly night in.

Ingredients:

10g rosemary leaves

10g dried chamomile flowers

100ml fractionated coconut oil

This makes enough for one treatment for very long hair or several if you’re rocking a pixie cut! You’ll have to make it up a bit in advance – just pop all of the ingredients into a jar or bottle and leave to infuse (I only left it overnight but if you can manage a week then even better). When you’re ready to use it, strain through a sieve to get rid of the herbs and work the oil into your scalp and hair. Wrap your hair in clingfilm (or a hot towel if you’re feeling fancy) and leave for a minimum of 30 minutes. If your hair is particularly dry then it can be left in overnight, but be warned – this is not a good idea if your hair leans toward being greasy! Wash the oil out with shampoo; you might need to do this a couple of times to get all of the oil out. Voila! Enjoy your soft, shiny, revived hair. If you’d like to know more about why this works, check out this article about the benefits of coconut oil for your hair.

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Make Your Own Body Powder

So Christmas is over and we’ve said our ‘happy new year’s – but if your family is anything like mine, it’s already time to start thinking about birthdays. Gift giving is never harder than for January birthdays – after all, you’ve already used up all your ideas (and money) on Christmas! Not to worry, we’ve come up with some ideas so you don’t have to – and best of all, they won’t break the bank! This week’s favourite is this cheap and easy recipe for a luxurious scented powder.

powder in progress

Ingredients:

1 measure dried thyme

1 measure dried rosemary

1 measure ground cinnamon

1 measure orange peel

1 measure orris root powder or cornflour

half measure arrowroot powder

This recipe really works best if you’ve got a grinder – just stick it all in and whizz it ‘til it’s smooth! You can even make your own dried orange peel by putting your fresh peel in a hot oven until it’s dry and crinkly.

If you don’t have a grinder then not to worry, just use ground cinnamon, orris root powder and arrowroot powder for a simpler but no less delicious version.

 

This is a fantastic product to use in place of talcum powder, or just to add a lovely scent to your skin. Let out your creative side when it comes to the packaging – it will look gorgeous in a recycled kilner jar, or even just bundled in some muslin with a pretty ribbon.

finished powder

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Handy Kitchen Herbs

We made some fab hanging baskets recently, stuffed full of beautiful, useful herbs – and it got us thinking! Why not grow your favourite culinary herbs in planters right outside your kitchen door? We know that sometimes everyone needs a reminder of how easy it is to add a twist to otherwise standard foods, so although we’re probably preaching to the choir, here’s our handy list of kitchen herb combinations.

 

Blackcurrant and sage

This unlikely combination is guaranteed to please the taste buds. Just a tiny pinch of sage is all you’ll need to add an unusual flavour to this seasonal fruit. Check out this recipe for fantastic fruity tarts and experiment with the use of sage – you won’t regret it!

 

Strawberries and mint

While there are still plenty of strawberries around, why not have a go at adding a little finely chopped mint and sugar for an easy but exciting pudding. If you’re feeling really adventurous, try your hand at a mint jelly  and serve with crème fraiche.

Potatoes and rosemary

Sometimes the classics really are the best and it doesn’t get better than potatoes and rosemary! Whether it’s a pinch in your mash or a sprinkle on your roasties, it’s an easy trick that never fails to please. Rosemary’s great fresh or dried, so if you need to stock up have a look in our food hall.

Butter and fennel

We all know that everything tastes better with butter, but why not try something new with butter and fennel? Mash a sprinkle of fennel in with your butter for a super easy seasoning, great for roasting fish, slathering on bruchetta or use instead of garlic butter for a great garlic bread alternative!

Yoghurt and coriander

The summer months are a great time for casual eating, finger food and dips in the garden with a cocktail in hand! Spruce up your yoghurt with a handful of chopped coriander leaves – great just with breadsticks, cucumber and carrots or try it as an unusual salad dressing.

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Herb of the week – Rosmarinus officinalis

Rosemarinus officinalis is an evergreen, perennial plant that flowers in late spring.  It prefers full sun and will thrive in poor soil, it is great for seaside gardens as it is salt tolerant.   Originally the plant comes from the Mediterranean. However it has adapted to cooler climates and grows well in this country.

Widely used in cooking, place sprig of rosemary in the roasting pan for meats and potatoes.  Or try Nigella Lawson’s recipe for Rosemary Cake.

Rosemary has a rich history of useage; during the middle ages it was used as a strewing herb to sweeten and disinfect the home (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strewing_herb). Bunches can be hung around the house as a natural air freshener, or the leaves and flowers can be included in pot pourri.  It can also be usefully scattered on the barbecue to deter insects.

In bath products rosemary is invigorating, it adds it’s sharp scent to our signature Rosemary & Bergamot range of products where it mixes beautifully with the citrusy orange aroma of bergamot.

Historically the Ancient Greeks believed anointing the forehead with a tincture of rosemary would increase their memory.  Linked with Biblical tales it is said the plant will only grow as tall as Christ did.  It is also believed to be endowed with health giving powers. Sprigs of Rosemary have also been used as a protection against evil, being placed in baby’s cots, bridal bouquets and the hands of the dead.  Rosemary is the herb of remembrance, its use is said to improve memory, Greek scholars apparently wove it into their hair for this reason.