Know the Helichrysum absolute (Immortelle): some details about our production. A plant widespread throughout the Mediterranean. Professor Appendino once described it in a publication as the “sleeping giant of the Mediterranean” due to its therapeutic properties. Effective both in vitro and in vivo against inflammatory processes. Consequently its extracts are used to modulate immune responses […]
To know oakmoss absolute is to know the life of the forest. Sunbeams filtering through the leaves, sounds breaking the silence, the scent of damp earth, and a breath of cold air that fills you with energy. The forest is magical when it stirs your imagination and awakens your senses. Sensations that stir the imagination […]
Let’s explore how cistus absolute is produced at the Casalvento laboratories and compare the process with other methods. Cistus Ladaniferus (or Rock Rose) is a plant we’ve been fond of for at least 2,000 years. Its natural habitat is Spain and Portugal; here in Tuscany, it’s only found in specialized cultivation: it prefers acidic, sunny soils. […]
Industrial-scale production of Damask Rose absolute began in Bulgaria in the 1950s. In 1955, Bulgaria produced 435 kg of essential oil (rose otto) and 316 kg of concrete, which was very rich in absolute. But let’s dig deeper: of the over 6,000 rose varieties, only a very few are used in perfumery. Some have a […]
Chlorophyll synthesis is the chemical reaction by which gas and water become matter. The quintessential “green” process: decarbonization and oxygen production using a few molecules of (pure) water and a little sunlight. It all happens inside tiny organelles called chloroplasts, found in plant cells (and something similar exists in some bacteria). Biochemistry tells us that […]
Oud, the wood of the gods, has an equivalent in Tuscany that is just as exceptional as the variety from the East. Incēnsum, -i, is a Latin neuter noun meaning that which is burned or ignited. In ancient times, dried resins or wood were placed in braziers and lit to produce aromatic fumes. The goal […]
Broom absolute originates in Tuscany. In the Chianti region, broom flowers bloom between May and the end of June. For Casalvento, this is an exceptional harvest of these flowers, which we have certified organic. Harvesting is exclusively manual, favoring the most fragrant Spartium Junceum plants. The best balsamic moment is in the early afternoon when […]
Michela Nati and her sister grow hops in Romagna, at the Casalvento laboratories, we produced hop absolute. However, this activity is of interest not only to the markets but also to the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Padua, which, through its agricultural products, aims to deepen knowledge of the active ingredients of […]
Orris absolute is obtained by solvent extraction of cured iris root root. Its iron content depends on the age of the rhizome. With good preservation practices, the root’s iron content gradually increases until the seventh (and even ninth) year of maturation. With special precautions, this time can be extended (and the iron content increased), allowing […]
Today, the enfleurage technique is neither current nor economically viable. Let me explain why. Preparing the wooden and glass frames on which to spread the animal fat was complicated, but preparing the fat itself was incredibly more arduous. The processing of these fats was explained to me well by the heirs of the Morelli family, […]
