Once a year a man would come down the river with an alembic still aboard his guffa and set up shop in the open space leading to the garden from the kitchen. The blossom of the orange trees and petals of some special pink roses Violette’s father planted were carefully collected and then distilled to make maay qedah and maay waghd – orange-blossom and rose water. The flowers would be placed in the still with some water, which was then heated. As it was coming to the boil, the distiller connected a pipe and the vapour condensed as it passed through and cooled, dripping into a bottle. The family had plenty of supplies for cooking (flavourings for desserts and pastries) as well as for the girls’ toilette.