<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border:0 none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/GoodenoughtoEat/F2F/F2F_hmorino1.jpg" alt="berry pavlova roulade meets hanae mori no.1" width="449" height="630" /></p>

I have a not so subtle obsession with berries. I love them. It's their burst of colour that reminds me of a bouquet of deep rich flowers and the way their juice bleeds all over creams, yogurts and custards.

But aside from their aesthetic attraction, berries are actually good for you - antioxidants, fibre, vitamin C, enhancing your eyesight, protecting your heart and preventing cravings, these small gems have superpowers!

Berries in fragrance are nothing new, but their intensity and sweetness varies immensely across the brands. From <a href="http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=4191835&amp;cp=2484525&amp;view=all">Bath and Body works</a> more sweet, literal interpretation of a berry to fine fragrance sophistication.

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The Fragrance:</strong> The <a href="http://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/designers/hanae-mori/">Hanae Mori</a> brand started releasing fragrances in 1995, almost forty years after the clothing brand made it's debut. 'Hanae Mori No. 1', a decidedly fruity addition the Hanae resume, was released last spring. With notes of Bergamot, Black Currant, Mulberry leaf, Blackberry, Raspberry, Sandalwood and Vanilla I found it had a surprisingly zesty pop, paired with subtle warmth and definite fruitiness.

That being said, don't be mistaken in thinking that this is a heavy fragrance. The balance makes it light enough to be a day to day scent. There is a certain freshness to the fragrance that belies the berry ingredients despite the berriness being quite apparent.

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The Dish:</strong> <a href="http://www.cathyskitchen.energyaustralia.com.au/recipes/mixed_berry_pavlova_roll">Mixed Berry Pavolva Roulade</a>.  I love a good pavolva. Growing up, my friends mum was known for her pavolva's - she made them effortlessly { or so it seemed } and crowded them with berries and cream.


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Why it works:</strong>The cream and meringue base of a pavlova lend it a subtle warmth - while the fruit topping, in this case berries are allowed to pop as they are a stark contrast to the more docile flavours of the meringue and cream.


I intentionally chose a pavolva roulade as opposed to your usual pavolva. Roulade is french for 'roll'. In the Western world when you think of Japan, one of the primary things that comes to mind is Sushi. As a nod to the roots of the Mori brand I thought a Roulade would be the perfect 'crossover'. Couple that with the use of the French word for 'roll', an intentional choice as Ms. Mori was the  only Japanese woman to have presented her collections on the runways of Paris and New York, and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official haute couture design house by the fédération française de la couture in France.

To give this dessert more of a HM No. 1 touch consider adding a few scrapes of a vanilla pod to the whipping cream and a teaspoon of grated meyer lemon zest to the egg whites.

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Fragrance tip:</strong> How many fragranced products do you put on each day? More than you'd think! Check your morning routine - Shower gel? Lotion? Deodorant? Hair spray? Lip gloss? They ALL are fragranced and if you are not careful you could be a walking cacophony of scent! And that's before you've even put your fragrance on! Be mindful of how your day to day products smell - some have vanilla-y tones { I find this especially true of MAC lip glosses }, others more fruity or floral. Either way by being mindful of your scents, try your best to choose ones that don't overwhem but best compliment the perfume you intend to wear that day. I for one have a shelf of shower gels in my bathroom from vanilla to tuberose to citrus and choose which one to use depending on what fragrance I plan to wear!

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Food tip:</strong> This recipe calls for flaked almonds - an ingredient I ALWAYS have on hand! Almonds provide a nice burst of protein sprinkled on yogurt, oatmeal, salads and more. Used in moderation they take the edge off hunger and prevent you from overeating!

<p align="right"><font size="1"><i>pavolva roulade image via <a href="http://www.cathyskitchen.energyaustralia.com.au/recipes/mixed_berry_pavlova_roll">cathys kitchen</a>, hanae mori image source unknown.</i></font></p>