The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants

AMANDINE. Fine almond oil, 7 lbs. Simple syrup,[E] 4 oz. White soft soap, or saponaceous cream, i.e. } Crême d'Amande, } 1 oz. Otto of almonds, 1 oz. " bergamot, 1 oz. " cloves, 1/2 oz. Rub the syrup with the soft soap until the mixture is homogeneous, then rub in the oil by degrees; the perfume having been previously mixed with the oil. In the manufacture of amandine (and olivine) the difficulty is to get in the quantity of oil indicated, without which it does not assume that transparent jelly appearance which good amandine should have. To attain this end, the oil is put into "a runner," that is, a tin or glass vessel, at the bottom of which is a small faucet and spigot, or tap. The oil being put into this vessel is allowed to run slowly into the mortar in which the amandine is being made, just as fast as the maker finds that he can incorporate it with the paste of soap and syrup; and so long as this takes place, the result will always have a jelly texture to the hand. If, however, the oil be put into the mortar quicker than the workman can blend it with the paste, then the paste becomes "oiled," and may be considered as "done for," unless, indeed, the whole process be gone through again, starting off with fresh syrup and soap, using up the greasy mass as if it were pure oil. This liability to "go off," increases as the amandine nears the finish; hence extra caution and plenty of "elbow grease" must be used during the addition of the last two pounds of oil. If the oil be not perfectly fresh, or if the temperature of the atmosphere be above the average of summer heat, it will be almost impossible to get the whole of the oil given in the formula into combination; when the mass becomes bright and of a crystalline lustre, it will be well to stop the further addition of oil to it.