Podcast
Paperback Perfumes
Hosted by Clare Presser · EN
Welcome to Paperback Perfumes! The host Clare Presser is a Librarian with a fascination for fragrances and their capacity to evokes memories and experiences through the activation of the olfactory system. In this podcast she chats with guests about their connections with scents and stories through the pairing of perfumes and literary texts. Think of it as reader’s advisory for fragrance lovers, or fragrance recommendation for bibilophiles - whichever experience is your first priority. It’s fun exercise that allows a lovely discussion around people’s personal interpretation of experience, scent, and story
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15episodes
Episodes
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Gourmet
Mar 3100:58:32Tap to summarize“Just like becoming an expert in wine–you learn by drinking it, the best you can afford–you learn about great food by finding the best there is, whether simply or luxurious. Then you savour it, analyse it, and discuss it with your companions, and you compare it with other experiences.”― Julia Child, Mastering the Art of French CookingFlowers, food, and fragrance have long been powerful forms of expression—anchoring memory, shaping culture, and awakening creativity through the senses. In this episode, we explore Mastering the Art of French Cooking through a multisensory lens, where aroma is just as essential as technique. This conversation invites us to consider cooking not only as craft, but as a richly layered sensory experience—one that engages smell, taste, touch, and imagination.Our guest is Jeffrey Paul Ames, also known as The Aromatic Gourmet—a chef and botanical perfumer whose work sits at the intersection of gastronomy and fragrance. Drawing inspiration from his Italian family’s aromatic kitchen, as well as his teaching at the Institute for Art and Olfaction, Jeffrey has developed The Aromatic Gourmet, a thoughtful class series that explores cross‑modal sensorial practices through hands‑on, in‑person sessions. Each class guides participants through an olfacto‑gustatory journey using aromatic flowers, edible flowers, hydrosols, botanical extracts, and traditional techniques such as maceration, all grounded in cultural and historical context.In this episode, Jeffrey shares how he creates what he calls “edible perfumes” through salts, syrups, spices, and thoughtful food preparation—revealing how fragrance can transform flavor and deepen our connection to what we eat. He offers creative insights into aroma, craft, and sensory awareness, along with simple, accessible ways to bring more intention, color, and joy into everyday meals. If you’ve ever wanted to cook like a perfumer, use scent to anchor memory, or rediscover mindfulness through food, this episode is truly a feast for the senses.Fragrances mentioned:Bois des Îles (Excluif) - ChanelL’Heure Bleu - GuerlainMitsouko - Guerlain Book discussed:Mastering the Art of French Cooking - Julia ChildFrance is a Feast: The Photographic Journey of Paul and Julia Child - Alex Prud’Homme & Katie Pratt Extra research: The History Chicks podcast on Julia ChildFind the Aromatic Gourmet on@thearomaticgourmetTheme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Enfleurage
Mar 2401:09:45Tap to summarize“For Man is held by everything he holds. Release your grip on things if you would not be in their grip.”― Mikhail Naimy, The Book of Mirdad: The Strange Story of a Monastery which was Once Called The ArkThis conversation with George Chlouk moves through fragrance, philosophy, and the emotional terrain of being human in challenging times. We begin with the cultural depth of Lebanese perfumery—its reliance on local flora, the influences of tourism and tradition, and ancient techniques like enfleurage that still echo through contemporary scent‑making.From there, the discussion expands into the transformational ideas found in The Book of Mirdad: The Strange Story of a Monastery Which Was Once Called The Ark. Its reflections on letting go, navigating change, and embracing uncertainty become touchpoints as George and our host consider how individuals evolve—much like raw materials becoming something entirely new through alchemy.The conversation doesn’t shy away from the complexities of the world around us and the dissonance of trying to maintain “normalcy” in the presence of violence. Literature, spirituality, and fragrance all emerge as grounding forces—ways of processing reality and making meaning when the world feels unstable.Through it all, scent remains a vital thread. George offers insight into how fragrance interacts with identity and place: how comfort, memory, culture, and aspiration shape what we wear and how we move through the world.Fragrances mentioned:Eau de Campagne - SisleyÉdition Imperiale - CourvoisierBois d’Encens - Armani PriveBook discussed:The Book of Mirdad: The Strange Story of a Monastery Which Was Once Called The Ark - Mikhail NaimyFind George onInstagram: @intuitive_alchemy_Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Linked to the Land
Mar 1701:16:50Tap to summarize“Remember. This is your story, no matter what history will claim or what songs people sing. And it’s no one’s place to stop you from telling it.”― Lucy Holland, SistersongIn this episode we explore the space where books and fragrance meet, guided by writer and sensory storyteller Rowan Ambrose. Rowan’s life is shaped by vivid experiences—sailing tall ships, gardening, travelling widely, and savouring the simple pleasures of perfume, fine tea, chocolate, and good coffee. These influences infuse her writing with texture and atmosphere.Rowan now helps businesses find their voice through clear, evocative copy—whether it’s web pages, newsletters, product descriptions, or her speciality: sensory and perfume writing. She brings brands to life with words so her clients don’t have to wrestle with them. She also helps people to find their way to their perfect garden, no matter the size, skill or time availble to tend to it. In our conversation, we discuss low‑maintenance gardening, seasonal connection, and the themes of land and identity in Lucy Holland’s Sister Song. And of course, we pair the novel with a fragrance that captures its earthy, mythic spirit.Fragrances mentioned:Firewater - Jorum Studio Cuir Pampas - Frassai Fille en Anguille ("Girl in (Pine) Needles" - I got that wrong) - Serge LutensSilphium - Stora SkugganFeuille - MiskeoBeen Trying to Meet You - Nosu Forbidden Bloom - Mabelle O’RamaPhoenix Flame - Mabelle O’RamaUndergrowth - Rook Sain No More - NosuPersonne - IconoflyEucris - Geo. F Trumper Book discussed:Sistersong - Lucy Holland Find Rowan onInstagram: @rowan_ambroseWebsite: rowan-ambrose.comTheme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Wuthering Fights
Mar 1001:14:52Tap to summarize“Heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbing for joy.”― Emily Brontë, Wuthering HeightsIt feels like Wuthering Heights has swept back into the cultural conversation—whether it’s through rereads of the novel, rewatches of film adaptations, or simply the collective fascination with its gothic storms and tangled emotions. And honestly… how could a librarian not wade into that literary storm?In this episode, I’m joined by Suzy from Scent n’ Sensibility for a spirited exploration of Emily Brontë’s iconic novel. We try to touch on as many aspects as possible: its wild emotional extremes, its bleak and beautiful setting, the messy humanity of its characters, and the way this story somehow manages to linger darkly in the corner.We also take a closer look at Emerald Fennell’s recent reimagining of the Wuthering Heights universe. How does it reshape Brontë’s themes? And where does it veer into territory that feels… let’s say, ambitiously debatable?If you’re a gothic fiction fan, a fragrance nerd, or just someone who enjoys a bit of delicious literary chaos—this one’s for you.Fragrances mentioned:L'orpheline - Serge Lutens Velvet Moss - Scent Trunk Oud Infini - DusitaRelique d’Amour - Oriza L. LegrandGorseland - Jorum Studios Cabochard - Gres Caleche - Hermes Anglomania - Vivienne Westwood Ectoplasm - Fantôme Book discussed:Wuthering Heights - Emily BrontëFilm discussed: ”Wuthering Heights” - Director Emerald Fennell Find Suzy onInstagram: @scen.tnsensibilityTikTok: @scentnsensibilityTheme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Futurism
Apr 22, 2025Tap to summarize“Can you walk the road your dream goes?Sometimes. Sometimes I am afraid to.Who is not.”-Ursula K. Le GuinDr Caroline McMillan is a researcher, designer, speaker, olfactory art expert, and smell tech founder and we discuss science fiction and possible futures of olfactive design.Dr McMillan’s work has been featured at SXSW, Cannes Lions, CTM Festival Berlin, Holitopia Festival, the BR41N.io residency at Ars Electronica, the Digital Olfaction Society and the ACM International Conference on Tangible Embedded & Embodied Interaction (TEI), and for clients Tubi, Amplify, Soho House, Deutsche Telekom, WGSN London, H&M and Zalando. She now helps organisations design and implement scent experiences in a way that enhances connection. She’s studied the art of haute couture techniques in the métiers of Paris and won awards for her technology innovations. Her podcast, Sensuous Peripheries, explores the aesthetics of creativity, culture, and technology, described as an “audio delight” by Yosh Han, the pioneer of decolonising American Perfumery.Fragrance mentioned:Honey Blossom - Mandy Aftel Autumn 25 - Liminus Aurelius - Siuno Book mentioned:The Word for World is Forest - Ursula K. Le GuinFind Dr Caroline McMillan onInstagram: @__carolinemcmillian__Sensuous Periphery Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts Theme music for the show was created by Raul Sanchez I Jorge. Check out his solo work on Wild Animal Records Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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