In late July, it was the time of jasmine, in August that of the night-blooming jasmine. These two plants had such exquisite and delicate fragrances that they required the most special and delicate extraction process. The heat would diminish their scent, and sudden immersion in hot fat and maceration would destroy it.
These noblest of flowers did not simply give up their essence; it had to be literally extracted from them through cunning and flattery.
In a dedicated room for enfleurage, they were spread on glass plates coated with cold fat, or gently wrapped in cloths soaked in oil, and they had to die there, gently falling asleep. It took three or four days for them to wither and release their scent to benefit the neighboring fat or oil. They were then carefully removed and fresh flowers were spread. The process was repeated ten or twenty times, until the pomade was saturated or the fragrant oil could be extracted from the cloths, by which time it was September.
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