POTPOURRI

( (French: "miscellaneous mixture"), ) also called Cassolette, in pottery, a decorative ceramic vessel with a perforated cover originally made to hold a liquid mixture of aromatic spices, fruits, and the petals of flowers that was intended to produce a pleasant scent as the mixture mouldered. The vessel was later used for dried spices and petals. Ball-shaped ones, frequently made of metal, are known as pomanders. See also pouncet-box; vinaigrette.