The Smell Of Autumn & Apple Pie

For those of you who have popped over to visit my fragrance blog, The Scented Journey, you know about my love of scents - it's been a passion (obsession??) since childhood.  I grew up in New England (and still live here!), and for me, there is no season that evokes more scent memories than autumn.  In this post, I will celebrate some of my favorite ways to welcome the season through the sense of smell!

Tom Ford's Black Orchid

I have to start with one of my favorite perfumes (and now my signature scent), Tom Ford's Black Orchid.  This magnificent fragrance is everything autumn to me...a stroll though a slightly damp forest, leaves crunching underneath your feet...the smell of sweet woodsmoke...burning incense...something delicious cooking in the kitchen.  A woodland witch would wear this well!  It is simply magical, and unlike any other fragrance in the world.  Love it or hate it, you must try it at least once!

Official notes:

Bergamot, Citrus, Mandarin, Black Gardenia, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Lotus Wood, Orchid, Spicy Floral Accord, Orchid (Tom Ford Black Accord), Patchouli, Sandalwood, Incense, Vanilla.

Pacifica's Tibetan Mountain Temple candle

This is one of the most amazing candles for fall I've ever smelled, and if you love ginger and vetiver, it's a must have.  It's spicy, yet fresh at the same time.  It also comes in a perfume spritz (have it - love it!), soap, and body butter.  How the website describes it:

This grounded, alluring fragrance was one of my first and most ethereal blends. Vetiver, with a smokey, resinous scent, is reminiscent of the fragrant smoke of incense burnt throughout the temples and sacred spaces in Asia. Patchouli is subtle, but deep. Ginger and orange zest lighten the burning intensity of the blend. This is an homage to the Tibetan people and their struggle and a thank you to the Dalai Lama for all that he has done for our world.

Buy it here:  Pacifica

Kyoto Autumn Leaves by Kyo-nishiki 

Is incense your thing?  Then you just might love Kyoto's Autumn Leaves.  It's a woodsy, cinnamon-y incense that smells delightful when you've got the fire roaring!  

Buy it here: Autumn Leaves

The Big, Bad Sour Cream Apple Pie!!

This apple pie recipe will send you to heaven!  I've made this for years, and it never fails to make people swoon.  The sour cream balances the sweetness of the crisp-like topping.  I always use Macintosh or Cortland apples, add some walnuts to the topping, and use extra cinnamon.  Pretty darn good for breakfast, too.  Let me know what you think if you make it! 
(Recipe from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 cups diced apples
•  
• Topping:
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chilled butter, diced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Press the pie crust into and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, and salt. Mix in the sour cream, egg and vanilla until smooth. Add apples, and stir to coat. Scrape the mixture into the pie shell.
3. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue baking for 30 minutes more.
4. While the pie is baking, prepare the topping in a medium bowl. Stir together 1/3 cup of flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
5. After the 30 minute bake time has passed, cover the top of the pie with the crumb topping, and continue to bake for 15 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and apples are tender. Allow the pie to cool, then refrigerate until chilled before serving.