There is NOTHING like a good mystery, dear readers- is there???
Here I sit, willing and foaming at the mouth to share my delight in the newest fragrant release from a very old Firenze brand: Fiore di Riso
Farmacia SS. Annunziata dal 1561 has been said to have been housed in St. Nicholas’ Benedictine monastery for years and years, for Heaven’s sake.
The name is confusing beyond all ken, frankly.
Fiore di Riso can allude to the very finest arborio, round grain rice used for making risotto…
Gorgeous, but are we smelling like risotto?
Then again, it could mean rice flower – but the only images that made sense were these exotic clumps from Ecuador.
Surely, that’s not what they had in mind.
Now, the third option: Flowers of Laughter.
That’s a lovely image, rife with possibility.
I’m stumped.
All this reckoning is making me dizzy.
So I’m going to tell you why I bought a bottle-
Why I’ll make an atomizer for a happy reader-
And why I’m mad for this subtle, seductive skin scent,
“perfume-strength” notwithstanding
Oh, you thought we were done?
Well, we’re not.
Luckyscent informs us that Fiore di Riso consists of white flowers, ginger, vanilla, sandalwood, and oakmoss; it also hints at the presence of tonka and benzoin.
Another international site believes that Fiore di Riso commences with bergamot and mandarin, segued by roses and jasmine, and is bedded in vanilla, benzoin, and tonka.
Yet another- Italian site- confuses the reader further: our perfume’s top notes are tangerine and bergamot. There’s davana, ginger, sandalwood and tacete!
OK, OK, I’m sure they MEANT tagete– marigold or calendula;-)
But for those of you whose Italian may be rusty, tacete means SHUT UP !!!
And I read this all in Italian, mind you.
SHEESH.
So, why should you want to smell Fiore Di Riso?
It is a glorious bridge between classic and contemporary, that’s why.
The first blast is all effervescent petals; I’m sure that bergamot lingers in the bubbly.
Such delicate softness, which quickly becomes a billowy veil of florals and resins, expertly blended, seamless as finest silk.
There is a zesty zip of ginger, but she’s not obtrusive and fanged, she’s merely a delectable garnish.
I smell orange blossom in there, definitely jasmine.
The entire experience lingers fondly, like the gentlest lover who knows what pleases.
So, what’s in a name?
Whatever they intended, Fiore di Riso works well in heat and chill-
But I suspect she flowers best when warmed up a little.
What do YOU think the name means?
Why would YOU like to try it?
I’m happy to share some stash 😉
To be eligible to win a sample of Fiore di Riso courtesy of Ida let us know what your think the name means, thereis no wrong answer. Draw will close July 6, 2011.