Two ideas today, both of which, happily, make use of the millions of roses we've inherited.
For both, the roses you choose must be unsprayed. Cannot stress this enough, people. Tempting though it is to give another life to the petals from the bunch your beloved came home with last Friday, they have, unfortunately, been mercilessly poisoned along the way. They aren't right here anyway. Can't remember the last time a bought rose actually smelled like a rose. Fragrance is all important. Instead, you'll have to grow your own (roses are fairly drought-tolerant, and one or two won't ask for much of your attention) OR you'll have to befriend a paranoid-about-poisons gardener. Like me.
Rose salt
Though inordinately proud that for once I have a finished picture of a recipe to share, I'm not convinced that this salt is as good as Silvena Rowe's beautiful Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume suggests. Good with fish, she says, but I wouldn't go out of my way to make it again. The fragrance improves after a week; prior to that, it has a grassy, earthy smell, one not entirely unpleasant, but not exactly inspiring either. Still blogworthy for its edible use of roses.
Gently pull the petals from 1 large, unsprayed red rose. Wash and dry the petals with care. Using fingers, rub the petals with 2 tblsp of sea salt crystals, keeping things a little chunky. Store in a lidded jar and allow a few days for the flavours to get to know one another. Keeps for at least a couple of weeks at (cool-ish) room temperature.
Best added to dishes at the table.
Rose sugar
This, on the other hand, is every bit as magic as the words rose and sugar suggest. Frances Bissell's The Scented Kitchen is surprisingly handy to own given that I've carnations, lavender, violets and roses ahoy. Her flower sugars are treated as a basic throughout the book, and there's something lovely about having a jar of this around.
A two stage process. Drying, which takes a couple of days, then whizzing in a food processor with sugar. A warm, pottering-about sort of weekend task.
Gently pull the petals from at least 6 fragrant, unsprayed roses, red or deep pink for preference. Wash them very carefully, give them the gentlest of shakes, then spread in a single layer on a clean, dry tea towel. Leave - undisturbed - until completely dry. They will dry more quickly when hit with a little morning or afternoon sun, but not all day.
Next day (or two), pack them into a measuring cup. Take note of the volume, then measure out 2-3 times as much caster sugar as there were petals. Whiz in a food processor until the petals are, mostly, obliterated. Poured into a clean, dry jar, the rose sugar should keep indefinitely.
I would have been dubious about rose salt but the idea of rose sugar seems genius - and your roses look just gorgeous
Posted by: Johanna GGG | February 06, 2011 at 02:24 PM
Oh beauty, beauty, beauty!
You've inherited some mighty fine looking roses. What about the rest of the orchard? Did the cherry produce? What else? Are you happy with the varieties you have?
I'm hungry to hear more about your garden.
Posted by: Christina | February 06, 2011 at 03:02 PM
Unfortunately, our climate isn't ideal for rose-growing. Gosh, imagine pot pourri sashets. With your lovely phots attached, non poisonous and home grown. Oh the mind boggles at all the possibilities.
I agree with you. No smell anymore from anything purchased. It has to be homegrown. That applies to anything actually, which is why I am desperately trying to save my lemon tree. I think people underestimate the importance of 'smell' and too much emphasis on 'visuals'.
Your place sounds beautiful Lucy.
Posted by: Mariana | February 06, 2011 at 03:40 PM
Absolutely gorgeous photos, Lucy. I am speechless.
Posted by: Simona | February 06, 2011 at 06:04 PM
Where do you get your inspiration? So many kinda cooks in this internet place!
I'll ping you soon (ish).
It's cool here now, thank the lourde.
Posted by: sharon | February 06, 2011 at 09:05 PM
I made the (partial) mistake of trying to make rose sugar by putting fresh petals in sugar. It kind of worked, but of course the moisture from the petals made the sugar clump, and in one case there were rather weedy notes coming through.
Posted by: Duncan | Syrup and Tang | February 06, 2011 at 11:48 PM
Oh so gorgeous!!
Posted by: Sophie | February 07, 2011 at 06:30 AM
Exquisite photos. Do you want to give the rose brandy a go before you run out of petals? It's fiddly as you need a couple of weeks supply of petals (replenishing every few days) but it'd be a busy to miss making it.
Posted by: another outspoken female | February 07, 2011 at 09:56 AM
Just exquisite!!! The photos and the recipes both. I don't think it's possible to comprehend how anemic store-bought roses are until you've grown your own. You must tell us what you do with both. I wonder if the rose salt would be good on tagine or something? Tossed with toasted pistachios? On icecream? I like good olive oil and fleur de sel on gelato sometimes...
Posted by: Amanda | February 09, 2011 at 04:55 AM
Hi everyone, been away for my dad's 70th birthday...thanks for your lovely words.
Duncan, I KNOW! That was how I imagined it was done, too. Weedy - that's what the salt smelled like, thank you. Do you know the Bissell book? I was initially put off a little by her name dropping in the intro (she was a friend of Julia Child) but the more I look through, the more I like, I like.
Posted by: Lucy | February 09, 2011 at 09:48 AM
The photo is magic & has convinced rose sugar is something I must make - mostly to keep indefinitely.
Posted by: Elaine | February 13, 2011 at 01:33 PM
Rose sugar? Gorgeous, perfect even. Love it. And glad to hear your dream for a patch of land is blossoming :)
Posted by: Sam | February 20, 2011 at 11:56 AM
Finally a weekend to potter - just about to head out into the garden to collect some roses for the sugar :)
Have you made any cocktails from the book? x
Posted by: Jessica | March 26, 2011 at 12:39 PM
Thank you - precisely the recipes I'm after with our organic rose petals from South Australia's Murray Mallee!
Posted by: Renata | July 09, 2012 at 02:54 PM
Try rosa rugosa they seem to grow well everywhere and smell wonderful
Posted by: francie | June 15, 2014 at 06:24 PM
Do you need to dry the roses first when making the salt?
Posted by: C | June 25, 2014 at 03:23 PM
Hi C, yes you do - the instructions read "wash and dry the petals" which i think is best done gently with a clean, dry tea towel.
Posted by: lucy | June 25, 2014 at 03:46 PM
Had a quick question. It says "then measure out 2-3 times as much caster sugar..." Is caster sugar different than normal sugar?
Posted by: Rhonda Carlson | August 04, 2014 at 01:45 AM
hi rhonda - depends on where in the world you are. if you're american i think it's called super fine sugar, but regular sugar (just not large crystalled sugar) would be fine.
Posted by: lucy | August 04, 2014 at 08:02 AM