rose petal recipes

Rose Petal Milkshakes were made last night and, oh my, I will definitely make these again!

The recipe is tweaked on one found in a little publication called The Fairy Home Companion compiled by The Essential Herbal Magazine.

Rose Petal Milkshakes

1/2 cup fragrant fresh pink or red rose petals

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 cup cranberry nectar or juice

2 cups vanilla bean ice cream

Blend the rose petals in the lemon juice and cranberry nectar until there are no rose particles visible. Strain through a sieve and discard the pulp. Then add the ice cream to the rose juice and blend together. Pour into two glasses and garnish with a few fresh rose petals.

Rose Petal Syrup is best made from fragrant roses and the petals should be separated and dried. I experimented with fresh and am sorry to say the result is not as rosey-flavored as with dried. The dried form of many flowers and herbs is more intense in flavor, but not always. For this recipe, dried is best.

Rose Petal Syrup

1 cup dried fragrant rose petals

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

Place dried rose petals in a heatproof container and pour the boiling water over them. Cover and infuse off-heat for at least 45 minutes. Strain the infusion into a small saucepan. Bring to and maintain a heat setting just below simmering, where you can see the steam rising but no actual bubbling, until the liquid is down to one cup. Add the sugar and mix until dissolved. Keep refrigerated.

It's wonderful drizzled over yogurt or ice cream or cake, etc. One year, little bottles of this syrup were my Yule gifts. I tell you, dried roses come in handy.