Tauerama!: L’air du desert Marocain

800px-Marokko_Wüste_02 I have to admit I’ve been a little nervous about reviewing this perfume for my Tauer giveaway (enter the drawing here) for several reasons. A: it has been reviewed often by better noses than I (although I know that’s no excuse, since I seem to have no trouble reviewing other famousFile:Reg. Maroc saharien. Région du Dra.jpg scents). B: it has such a devoted following that I might alienate my readers if I say something they don’t like (not a problem, I think, since I love it as well) and C: how can I present L’air du Desert Marocain in a novel light? I thought maybe I would wait until I go on my August trip to Morocco, then talk about LDDM through my experiences there. But then I realized I couldn’t really keep you all waiting for the draw all summer. So, I’ve bitten the bullet, friends, and am sitting down to write about Andy Tauer’s most acclaimed creation.

To put this scent to the test, I invited friends over for a Spanish/Moroccan feast at my place. I decided I would wear l’air du desert all night and see how it played with the exotic food I was preparing, for, as far as I’m concerned, a fragrance needs IMG_5110to play nicely with food if I’m going to consider wearing it more than a few times, since my life revolves around preparing food (I throw at least one, maybe two dinner parties a week on average—it’s the only way I have found to keep the house clean and keep friends at the same time!)

The Menu?

Sherry (Manzanilla) courses

Green olives in homemade herb pesto

Black olives in homemade pepper oil

pan-toasted cumin almonds

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Cold cream of celery and garlic soup with Zaatar croutons

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Cold Spanish Tortilla, and sliced romaine salad with tahini-lemon dressing

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Rioja Course

Herb-encrusted rack of lamb

whole wheat couscous with a carrot-onion-raisin tagine and brown chickpea stew

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Riesling Course

light desert (ha, I meant dessert) of freshly picked strawberries in creamIMG_5108

I put on l’air du desert as I prepared to cook, wanting to interact with it as the heat from my exertion and the  oven made it rise into the air throughout the afternoon. On the right, you can see that our cat Oliver (who seems to always know when people will be coming over)was already sulking in my office.

As I cooked, the scent began to rise off my chest in a magnificent spicy steam—I reveled in it, and its influence might—just might—have made me add IMG_5121too many spices for my German friends’ palates.

At left, you can see some of my many pots simmering away.

As well as the Tauer masterpiece went with the pots full of legumes, onions and spices, I think it did at least as welIMG_5125l if not better with the lovely spray roses my husband brought home—with herbs from the garden added in, the faint herbaceous notes, as well as the more assertive resinous notes of L’air du desert came to the fore.

IMG_5116  

As we ate the salty, dry sherry course, I sensed a little of the ambergris—here, superbly blended and ever so slightly salty—and the woody and cumin notes came forward as we ate the slightly bitter cumin-encruIMG_5142sted roasted almonds. 

I’m afraid at that point, I forgot to keep taking pictures,  but I assure you that this fragrance kept me feeling as happy as a clam all throughout that long, muggy dinner.

In the end, I can’t think what else to say about this besides that it is a brilliant, beautiful, dryly shimmering, round yet sharp work of genius. I loved it from beginning to end, and can’t recommend it highly enough to do it justice. It’s just love, that’s all.

IMG_5143 At the end of the meal, my brother, a professional  cellist, played some of his original compositions for us, his admiring-and very full—audience. The L’air du desert Marocain made it heaven.

IMG_5144 (everyone listening to David’s playing) You can hear it too if you check out his website here.

 

oh, and a pic of my husband’s sangria:

IMG_5119 CHEERS!

CREDITS:

English: Dunes in the east of Merzouga, Morocco near the border to Algeria. Yellow light in Sahara desert. Taken by Joadl

Dans le sud marocain un reg (surface horizontale formée de cailloux de couleur noire due à des oxydes métaliiques). Dans le fond un massif sableux dunaire. Taken by Alexandrin

Both courtesy of Wikipedia Commons. All other pics mine.

Comments

  1. what an absolutely lovely and perfect review!! I wish I had been there to sniff and taste everything. When I get home from work, I'm going to check out your brother's site.

    PS: do you have a recipe for the zaahtar croutons?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks BF! You should come up! I'll cook you dinner.

    I do have a recipe--it's very easy. Will type out and post later!

    hope you're well, and enjoy work today

    David will be thrilled if people check out his work, I'm sure!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I envy your dinner parties babe!
    I wish I lived closer to you,
    I'd definately wanna crash that shindig ;)
    Gosh it seems like you live a charmed life,
    I loved the pics <3
    I think your review was perfect, don't you worry, it was stellar.
    I am glad to say I know you,
    even though not as well I would hope but still, I am tickled I found you on here.
    Keep up the great work , both on the blog and in your day to day life. It seems your very blessed. That makes me happy to see. :)
    It's only 8 in the morning but your photos and description of food has got me hungry for that Morroccan dinner.



    And I want that Sangria instead of my coffee.

    ReplyDelete
  4. OH Tamara,
    Thanks for the kind words!
    We may live closer together in the future, since the pacific NW is our first choice for relocation post-PhD!!!

    P.s. I feel charmed sometimes, cursed others, you know; just like everyone else, although thanks for the reminder that I should be happy with the life I have!

    Yours, Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  5. What an amazing post! My mouth was watering and my nose twitching as I read your descriptions. I'm with you - perfume must pair nicely with food or it won't work for me. Just one of the reasons I love SL's Borneo.

    Loved the pics, too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. YES Borneo is PERFECT with food! I agree!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Here it is! Finally:)I really like the review. And I have similar feelings about L'ADDM - pure love;) BTW I got hungry after reading your post....:)))

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am glad you liked it--I was worried you wouldn't ;-)

    Sorry to make you hungry!

    ReplyDelete

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