In Tudor England, so many activities centered around the processing
and preserving of herbs that a special room, the stillroom, was set
aside for this purpose. Here the lady of the house maintained a small
still to make spirits for medicinal purposes as well as floral waters,
like the lavender water used to scent the laundry. Herbs were dried
and tucked into clothes chests to protect and perfume linen, or added
to wax to make aromatic furniture polish. Roots and seeds of angelica
were dried for burning on a chafing pan which would disinfect a room.
Leaves and berries were collected to dye wool.
Perhaps the most pleasurable stillroom activity for the lady of the
household was the blending of herbs, flowers and spices to make potpourri.
She would escape to her warm and private stillroom, rich in sweet
and pungent aromas. Then, remembering the day and the circumstances
when each was picked, she would gather together the aromatic leaves
and flowers dried through the summer, measuring and blending them
until she had created a mixture that pleased her.
Floral
Water
Suitable for use as a skin toner, scent or as
a perfume.
1 cup lavender flowers, scented rose petals or orange blossom
⁄ cup ethyl alcohol at room temperature
Steep for six days in a screw top jar, shaking vigorously each day.
Strain and decant into a dark glass bottle.
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