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| I'm holding rose foods at a demonstration at the Herb Society of America conference in PIttsburgh, PA. |
Rose water is used as eye drops to clear them, in India. Rose water is often sprinkled at Indian weddings. I attended a Hindu wedding some years back and curtains of roses were strung as backdrops to the wedding, and rose water was sprinkled over the floor where the wedding party gathered.
In case you can't find it, here's a source for organic rose water: http://www.mapi.com/maharishi_ayurveda/products/ayurveda_herbal_remedies/rosewater.html, or order from Mapi, 1680 Hwy. 1 North, Suite 2200, Fairfield, IA 52556.
A refreshing summer drink, using rose water.
The Ramos-Rose Gin Fizz
The Ramos Gin Fizz is a royal fixture of better bars in New Orleans. It was created in 1888 by Henry Ramos. It's generally made with orange flower water, but my preference is for rose water instead.2 ounces gin
1 ounce cream (heavy cream or half and half)
1 fresh egg white
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
4-6 drops rose water
Seltzer
Ice
Combine everything except rose water, seltzer and ice in a blender and pulse blend until the egg white makes a foamy top. Add rose water and mix with a spoon. Pour over ice to about two-thirds full. Top off with seltzer water. This is deliciously refreshing on a hot day, indoors or out!
Rose water is good for the skin. Moisten a cotton ball with rose water and rub over the face and neck.
Rose water combines well with seafood dishes with rice. Add a tablespoon of rose water to the rice while it's cooking. Or just as it finishes, add some rose water then.
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| Rose water combines well with fresh strawberries. |
Toss freshly sliced strawberries in rose water with a bit of sugar and serve, or pile some over vanilla ice cream. Add rose water to fresh lemonade for a delightfully pleasing beverage. Add rose water to plain black tea (hot) in winter, or to freshly brewed iced tea in summer.
Speaking of strawberries, mashed up strawberries mixed with rose water and smoothed on the face, makes a refreshing skin tightener. It removes excess oils in the skin and leaves the face refreshed.
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| Several brands of food-grade rose water are available at Asian and specialty stores or on-line. |
How to make your own rose water if you prefer that to buying some. However, what you buy includes a preservative. The rose water you make will need to be kept in the refrigerator, where it will keep for about 2 weeks. Or you can freeze it in ice cube trays then keep the cubes in a plastic bag in the freezer, taking out only what you need when using a recipe.
How to make your own rosewater:
1-Place clean, pesticide-free fresh rose petals in a glass or metal container.
2-Pour in enough boiling water to cover the petals and immediately cover the container with a lid.
3-Allow the liquid to cool, then, still covered, place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
4-Strain, discarding the petals and pour into a jar or bottle and keep refrigerated.
Your rose water is now ready for use in recipes or for facials and cosmetics.
If you'd like lots of recipes using roses, you need my book, How to Eat a Rose, available from my website: Longcreekherbs.com. Buy the book, you'll have fun eating your roses!
And, the rose is the 2012 official Herb of the Year. Visit iHerb.org, the official website of the International Herb Association, which created the Herb of the Year project in 1994.
