Embracing Fall in Bordeaux with Cozy Rituals & Comforting Scents

Autumn has truly settled over Bordeaux, and I couldn’t be happier! We’re so lucky—the weather has been absolutely gorgeous lately: bright sunshine and temperatures over 23°C, with cooler mornings and evenings around 10°C. Without a doubt, autumn is my favorite season! Every year, I bring out my collection of autumn decorations and always add a few new pieces. If you’re interested, feel free to check out my latest article on my chic Halloween décor. I also have some little autumn rituals: enjoying a real hot chocolate while I write these lines to you (you can find my recipe below), cooking my favorite squash recipes like butternut and other gourds, and baking my preferred autumn desserts: tarte tatin, fruitcake, or authentic gingerbread.

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I’m very sensitive to scents, and maybe that’s one of the reasons I love cooking so much. There’s something incredibly comforting about the delicious aromas wafting from the oven, filling the house with warm fragrances of vanilla, cinnamon, hazelnuts, and other spices. When I’m not cooking, I like to keep that pleasure going by wearing comforting, autumnal perfumes. I usually go for woody musks like Musk K by Ella K or Fleur de Peau by Diptyque, delightful orange blossoms like Osiris by Sylvaine Delacourte, floral oriental perfumes like L’Âme Perdue by Le Galion, and woody vetiver like Sycomore by Chanel. And when I’m not wearing perfume, I just love enjoying these delightful scents through scented candles.

If there’s one candle that perfectly captures those warm autumn and winter afternoons and the comforting smells of home cooking, it’s definitely Gabriel by Trudon, which I’m burning right now as I write this to you! I absolutely adore Trudon’s candles; some of my favorites from Trudon include Maduraï (jasmine), Ourika (iris), and, in a completely different category, Spiritus Sancti (incense), which literally smells like being in a church and brings back lovely memories of going to Sunday mass with my grandmother when I was a child. But nothing, at least for now, can top Gabriel. For me, it’s truly the scent of the season: a soft, woody, and vanilla fragrance, slightly sweet with hints of candied chestnut, wood, paper, and forest—so comforting (thanks in part to the musky base notes) and voluptuous, with the power to warm me up during the colder and darker days of winter. I wholeheartedly recommend it to you!

The Creamy Hot Chocolate Recipe Inspired by Angelina Paris

Here's the ultra-comforting recipe you won't tire of this season.

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Prep Time 3 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine French

Servings 3 servings

Ingredients

  

• 55 cl (2 1/3 cups) whole milk
• 150 g (5.3 oz) dark chocolate, 70% cocoa or higher
• 200 g (3/4 cup) whipped cream
• 1 vanilla bean

Instructions

 

• Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a knife. Place both the seeds and the pod into the milk.
• In a saucepan, bring the milk with the vanilla to a boil. Cover and let it infuse for a few minutes. Then, remove the vanilla pod.
• Using a whisk, incorporate the 70% dark chocolate into the hot milk until fully melted and smooth.
• Depending on your taste, you can continue cooking the hot chocolate. The longer you cook it, the thicker and more velvety it will become.
• Pour the hot chocolate into your chosen cups or mugs. Serve with whipped cream on the side or on top.

Notes

To make 200g (about 1 cup) of whipped cream, you only need 100ml (about 1/2 cup) of heavy liquid cream. Whip the cream vigorously until soft peaks form, and it becomes light and fluffy.

Et voilà! Wishing you a beautiful, cozy autumn filled with warmth, comfort, and all the little joys that make this season so special. Take care!