Being
both an herbalist and a bibliophile (don’t run – that simply means a lover
of books!) I have collected over the years many old herbals. Many of them quote
even older herbals and have retained the original language and spelling of the
recipes.
I hadn’t the heart to put them into modern language, but if you have
trouble figuring them out, write to me at pookachild@hotmail.com
and perhaps I can help.
(Below these are some more modern recipes)
To Make Sirrup of Roses or Violets -
Take of violets or roses a pounde, steepe them in three pints of warme
water, put it in an earthen pot (note:
enamel would work as well. Just don’t use a metal one)
with a narrow mouth the space of seven houres or more, after, straine it
and warm the water againe, and put in againe so many Roses or Violets, and
likewise let them lye in steepe eight hours, and do at the least five times, the
oftener the better, in especiall the roses, and after take to every pint a
pounde of sugar and steepe them together, till the sugar be molten, then seethe
them together with a soft sweet fire to the height of a Sirrup:
if you have more Roses or Violets, or fewer, and let so much be the
proportion of the water, according to the proportion before. – The
Good Housewife’s Handmaid, 1585
To Make Rose-Drops
– The
roses and sugar must be beat separately into a very fine powder
(I believe this must mean the rose petals should be dried and I would beat each
in a modern blender or food processor) and
both sifted; to a pound of sugar
and ounce of red roses, they must be mixed together, and then wet with as much
juice of Lemon as will make it into a stiff paste; set it on a slow fire in a silver porringer
(a porringer is a small pot used for making porridge, soup, etc.
Again, you may substitute enamel) and
stir it well, and when it is scalding hot quite through take it off and drop in
small portion on a paper (I
would use baking parchment or even wax paper here); set them near the fire (i.e.
a warm place) and the next day they will come off.
– The
Complete Housewife, 1736
To Make a Tart of Hips -
Take
hips, cut them and take out the seeds very clean, then wash them and season them
with sugar, cinnamon and ginger, close the tart, bake it, scrape
sugar on it and serve it. – The
Art and Mystery of Cookery Approved by the Fifty-five Years’ Experience and
Industry of Robert May, 1671
To
make this recipe according to today's standards, either make a pie crust or
start with a store-bought one. (They usually come in sets of two - perfect
for your purpose here.)
Line your pan with the crust. In a bowl, toss your rose hips (the plump
round seed pod that forms after the petals fall off) with the spices and
sugar. Lay the top crust on, brush with water or beaten egg yolk (for a
glossy golden brown crust) and sprinkle with raw or coarse sugar.
To Make Oyle of Roses
-
Take oyle (oil) of eighteen
ounces, the buds of Roses (the white ends of them cut away) three ounces, lay
the Roses abroad in the shadow four and twenty houres, then put them in a glass
to the oyle, and stop the glass close; and set it in the sunne at least forty
dayes.-
John Partridge, The Treasurie of Hidden Secrets and Commodious Conceits,
1586
(White or red roses are usually the most fragrant. Once you put them in the oil (grapeseed oil works well here) you put them in the shade outside but where it's warm. The sun would just bake them and destroy the color.)
To Make Oyntment of Roses - Take oyle of Roses four ounces, white wax one ounce, melt them together over seething water, then chafe them together with Rose-water and a little white vinegar. - John Partridge, The Treasurie of Hidden Secrets and Commodious Conceits,
Easy, more modern recipes that still hearken back to olden days:
Rose
Petal Syrup
4 cups fragrant red rose petals
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
red food coloring (optional)
Simmer rose petals with water and sugar for one hour. Add drops of red food coloring
to get desired color. Strain through a fine sieve.
Drizzle over ice cream, vanilla pudding or freshly baked pound cake that you've poked with holes.
Rose Petal
Sandwiches
1 slim baguette
whole leaves of romaine lettuce
rose petals (fragrant, any color)
goat cheese
minced walnuts or pine nuts
very thin red onion slices
dressing (1/2 cup raspberry yogurt and 1/2 teaspoon rose water)
Cut baguette in half, brush with butter or olive oil and toast cut sides lightly
under a broiler or on a skillet over high heat. Rinse romaine and rose petals
and pat dry. Spread both halves with goat cheese. Add walnuts to one
half. Top with one romaine leaf and layer rose petals. Top with
walnuts or pine nuts and another leaf of Romaine. Add top of baguette and
cut into serving portions.
Rose Petal
Cookies
1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg, well beaten
3/4 c. flour
pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon Rose Jam
More Rose Jam
cream cheese
Mix all
ingredients well, adding jam last. Work until smooth. Roll into ball and
refrigerate 3-4 hours. Roll into 2 1/2 inch rounds (half with and half without
holes or cutouts.) Roll to 1/8 inch thick. Bake both halves on a well greased
cookie tins for about 8 minutes. When cool, spread half the rounds with Rose
Jam and top each full circle with a cut-out. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.
Rose Petal Sugar
1 Cup White Sugar
2 Cups fresh, fragrant Rose Petals, shredded or minced
1. Pound sugar and rose petals with a mortar and pestle.
2. Place in a covered jar for one week.
3. Sift out petal bits if desired and store in an airtight container.
Rose Petal Butter
1 Cup fresh Rose Petals, finely minced into itty bitty peices
3/4 Cup softened Butter
Mix and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
Keep refrigerated up to 2 weeks or frozen for several months.
Rose Petal Jelly
1 cup fragrant rose petals
1 1/2 cups water
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 package Sure-Jell pectin
Combine the rose petals, 3/4 cup water and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until
smooth. Slowly add the sugar and blend well.
Bring the remaining 3/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the
pectin and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Pour the hot mixture into the blender with the other ingredients and blend 1
minute. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.
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Grilled Chicken and Rose Petal Mango Sauce |
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1 ripe mango, medium dice
3 rose petals, finley diced
2 sprigs cilantro, finely diced
2 tablespoons onion, finely diced
1/4 tablespoon cumin
1/4 tablespoon dried chili powder
juice of 1/2 lime
Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes over
the chicken:
2 six ounce boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Place the olive oil in a heavy saute' pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken
breasts, salt and pepper and cook for three minutes on each side.
Serve the chicken on white rice and top with the Rose-Mango Sauce.
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Rose Petal Jam Tarts |
2 large peaches, halved, pitted peeled
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
2 T. unsalted butter, well chilled
extra flour
8 teaspoons Rose Jam
1/4 c. sugar
1 teas. grated lemon zest
1 egg
Wash and pat peaches dry: set aside. In processor mix 1 1/4 c. flour and sugar.
Pulse 2 times. Cut up chunks of butter and mix in some flour. Sprinkle chunks
and lemon zest into the flour mixture in processor until it resembles fine meal.
While processor is running , add egg, mixing just until blended. Knead gently on
floured surface, just until pastry forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1
hour. Sprinkle board with flour and turn pastry frequently during rolling. Roll
out to 1/8 inch. (if it rips, just patch it.) Roll out 4 circles of dough
(approx. 6-7 in. diam.) Place each peach half in center of each circle (cut side
up) and fill each with 2 teas. of jam. Enclose pastry carefully, sealing all
sides. (For extra effect use leftover pastry to form "rose petals" to
place underneath peach. Bake 425 degrees for 10min. and then lower to 350
degrees for 15 min. on ungreased cookie sheets. Baking time may vary slightly so
keep an eye on it.
Rose Petal Ice Cream
Yield: approx. 3 cups
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 cup sugar
5 large egg yolks
1 ½ cups loosely packed, very fragrant old rose petals, washed and spun dry
Method:
1) Prepare an ice bath by placing ice cubes in a large, flat-bottomed container
that will hold the bowl where the ice cream will be chilled.
2) Place the sugar and the rose petals in a food processor fitted with the metal
blade and make paste.
3) Place the heavy cream, milk and sugar paste in a medium sized saucepan and
place on medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer and
turn off heat.
4) Place the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl. Whisk yolks until light; add the
hot liquid slowly, while whisking until the mixture is homogenized. Return
liquid to saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden
spoon, until it reaches a temperature of 180 degrees F. on a candy thermometer
or it coats the back of the spoon. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into
a clean container and place in the ice bath. Once completely chilled, freeze in
ice cream machine, following the manufacturer instructions
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Another, slightly more elaborate recipe - but well worth the extra effort! Absolute Yum! |
Kathreen's Rose Petal Ice Cream
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
4 scented deep crimson rose heads
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. honey
a pinch of ground cardamom or seeds from a few pods
1 cup milk
* Before adding custard mixture to the ice cream maker, I like to add a little rose water and fresh rose petals minced lightly
Rose Petal Wine
6 cups fragrant rose petals
1/4 lb white raisins, chopped
1 gallon water
2-1/2 lbs granulated sugar
2 tsp acid blend
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 crushed Campden tablet
Rhine wine yeast and nutrient
Pick the rose petals just before starting, so they're fresh. Boil 6 pints water
and pour over all ingredients except yeast and pectic enzyme, stirring gently to
dissolve sugar. Cover with cloth or plastic wrap and set in warm place for 24
hours. Add pectic enzyme, yeast and half remaining water. Set aside until
vigorous fermentation subsides (7-10 days), stirring daily. Do not exceed 10
days. Strain liqueur into secondary fermentation vessel, top up to neck with
water, and fit fermentation trap. Rack after 30 days, then again after
additional 30 days. Bottle when clear and store in dark, cool place. It will be
fit to drink after 6 months, but will improve enormously after a year.
recipe from the Winemaking
Home Page
Rose Petal Ice
Cubes
Floating in a punch bowl or a pitcher of iced tea, lemonade or even fruit punch,
these simple additions make any beverage more elegant and romantic.
Rinse fresh rose petals under warm water and blot dry. Fill an ice cube tray
half full with water and freeze. Place a rose petal on each cube, cover with a
teaspoon of water and freeze again. fill cubes completely with water and freeze.
Remove from trays.
1 & 1/4 cup of
boiling water
1/4 lbs. rosehips
1/2 cup raw, unpasteurized honey
Pour boiling water over the rosehips, cover and leave to steep until it is room
temperature. Strain the mixture in to a sauce pan, add honey add heat slowly to
bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer gently until it thickens to the desired
consistency. Cool and bottle.
Use this syrup as a topping for cake, ice cream or with other items of your choosing. Mixes well with sparkling water for a delightful beverage! Also does wonders for a sore throat.
2 - 3 hours before you wish to serve the punch, put a good handful of fresh, scented rose petals into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over the roses and pour over it a large bottle of sparkling wine or apple cider along with the juice of one lemon. Chill.
When ready to serve, strain off the liquid into a punch bowl and add additional fresh rose petals and any berries in season. Serve in tall glasses.