Old Southern Perfume

We loved the smell of her face powder and the light orange-flower perfume she wore, the crinkled waves of her hair, the knot speared through with a small pointed Spanish comb.

"Portrait: Old South"
Katherine Anne Porter

Orange Flower

Before the lady of the house outfitted cupboards with verbena sachets and lavender soaps, the antebellum bride wore the tender scent of orange flower.  In the Old South, the only flower used in the bridal bouquet was the orange flower. For the first year of marriage, the new bride carried handkerchiefs scented with orange flower water to mark her new station in life.
The truly, truly ethereal scent of orange flower is at once crisp and delicate.  It is evocative of the sweet, fresh, morning cool of May and June.  Yet, is carries with it a tender creaminess which hints at the honey warm days of summer.  It is a singularly pleasing scent which lingers prettily on sun warmed skin.

SOUTHERN ANTEBELLUM RECIPE

PECAN PRALINES
This sweet southern delicacy was created in the 16th-century by the cook of Count Plessis-Praslin, who boiled crushed almonds in sugar until they were golden and crisp. The recipe became popular throughout France, and was brought to Louisiana by the French.
OLD SOUTHERN TRADITION
The southern version is made with local pecans and brown sugar instead of white. This is one of many shining examples of the rich culinary tradition of the South.
New Orleans of the early 1800's was the home of the pecan praline. Pralinieres, Creole women in starched white aprons and tignons (a madras kerchief worn as a headdress), sold their Pralines aux Pacanes on the streets.

OLD SOUTHERN GARDEN
PECAN PRALINES

2 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tbls butter

2 1/2 cups pecans

Combine sugar, water, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Stir in pecans and stir until mixture reaches the soft ball stage of 240 degrees.

Remove from heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for one minute or until mixture is no longer glossy.

Drop by the tablespoonful onto a buttered baking sheet.

Let stand until firm.