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Herbal Wisdom:  Rose water  |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
 Posted - May 01 2008 : 09:15:43 AM
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| Does anyone have a favorite type of rose to use for rose water? A source I consulted says that gallicas, cetrifolias, and damasks are traditionally used for making rose water. But do any of you have a favorite rose you grow for the purpose? I wonder if the Shakers had a particular rose they used (I know that they made a lot of rose water for sale). |
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electricdunce
True Blue Farmgirl
2544 Posts
Karin
Belmont
ME
USA
2544 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2008 : 2:51:25 PM
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That's interesting, I'll have to look in my Shaker books and see if there was a particular rose they used. There is a tiny
shaker community in Maine at Sabbath Lake, if I can't find anything in my two books, I'll call and ask and let you know....Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - May 01 2008 : 7:54:50 PM
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| Thanks, Karin. |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 05 2008 : 9:05:59 PM
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Amie, Jus and I tried to make some last year (the recipe called for two cups of rose petals), but didn't specify, so I used the English roses that I had, followed the recipe to a tee and came out with the most murky, putrid, rancidly sweet smelling water I could ever imagine. Such a bummer!!!! We were going to use it for a variety of things...
I do know, having studied the medicinal and kitchen gardens at Pleasant Hill, the shaker settlement here in Kentucky, that they only planted Damask roses, so maybe that's a clue. They weren't into ornamentation at all, only "useful" and those are the only roses I see in any of the gardens. They do have a deeper fragrance and more oil...so maybe that's it.
Wishing you much better luck!!!
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - May 06 2008 : 05:46:29 AM
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| Thanks, Jonni. There are so many specific cultivars of roses. Just on one website, I found over 20 damask rose varieties that were introduced before 1830. I guess I'll just pick a couple that look pretty and call it good enough. That's disappointing that your rose water turned out so gross. I tried to make rose beads one year. According to the directions, you grind the petals in a meat grinder every day for a week or so, and then roll them into beads to dry. But my mash of rose petal pulp turned black and then moldy before I ever got to the bead stage. |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2008 : 7:20:24 PM
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Wow, that's a lot of roses!!! Let me know what (and where you get yours from)...I'd be interested in a few more roses, and I do like the old roses. We lost a few with the ice storm and drought last year, so I have some space :)...
The rose beads incident sort of sounds like what happened with the rose water. I know we did everything just right, and the container was even nicely sealed, and we stored it under the kitchen sink (dark and cool) and blech. Absolutely gross. I had wanted to make rosewater sorbet, a recipe I'd seen in a magazine on Indian cooking. Justin wanted to use it for old cocktails (some from the 1900's call for rosewater).
Good luck--I'm interested in your "findings" :)
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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electricdunce
True Blue Farmgirl
2544 Posts
Karin
Belmont
ME
USA
2544 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2008 : 06:58:52 AM
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Well, i couldn't find my Shaker book and there was no answer at Sabbathday Lake, I guess they don't answer the phone until they are open for the summer season visitors. I made rose water years ago with some old moss roses, I would think any nice smelling variety of roses wwould work.
KARIN
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2008 : 07:22:36 AM
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I had no idea rose water was supposed to be derived from certain varieties. DD wanted to make Turkish Delight after seeing the Narnia movie and she found a recipe on line which called for rose water.
I had no idea where to find it and really didn't want to drive all the way to Boise for such an experiment. So I had her pluck the roses off the wild yellow rose bushes I have here. She found the instructions to make rose water on line and like yours, Jonnie, it called for 2 cups of petals. The rose water turned out just fine and the Turkish Delight was wonderful. Never had anything like it.
I have no idea what kind of roses these are in my yard but, they grow like a weed. They sprout up new shoots from root runners. I've chopped them back when they get really out of control and they pop right back! You can't kill these things. Tons of thorns and they have a relatively short blooming season. But the entire plant blooms at the same time and it's stunning.
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2008 : 07:27:43 AM
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Would you mind asking her to try to find the recipe again? Lord only knows what we did...it seemed like it would work and then....well, see above :)
Sounds like those are the old roses that come back stronger and harder the more you abuse them!!! When I moved her, I had one in my yard called the Seven Sisters--it bloomed constantly for about 3 years and then died right to the ground. The neighbor said she had never even noticed it before and she'd lived beside for 10 years prior. Old rose strains are amazing!!!
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2008 : 07:30:28 AM
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Karin, I got to laughing when you said noone answered the phone at Sabbath Day Lake...I thought, "yeah, cause they're like 105 and probably sleeping :)!!!!!" I know you were talking about staff ;)
There are still 2 of the remaining Shakers there, aren't there?
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2008 : 09:43:49 AM
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I'll have her look for it after she gets home from school. If I remember right it simply called for the 2 cups of petals and then pouring boiling water over them and letting them steep in it. The amount of boiling water and steeping time is what I don't remember. But it seemed really simple. After straining it the yellow roses made a nice light amber colored water that just smelled heavenly.
After she made the Turkish Delight we had put the remainder of rose water in a jar in the fridge. It didn't take long before it grew mold and I tossed it. I told her that in the future she should freeze it in ice trays and then store the cubes in a freezer bag. That way, it would last much longer.
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2008 : 10:55:52 AM
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| See, stories like this make me wonder if there are specific roses that work better than others. There's a chance I might get to stop at the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Museum when we go on our vacation at the end of the month. If it happens, I'll be sure to ask someone about roses. |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2008 : 11:01:18 AM
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| Oh, and I should have mentioned also: the website I'm looking at with all the rose varieties is vintagegardens.com |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2008 : 11:12:54 AM
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Amie...I was reviewing my journal that I took with me to Pleasant Hill and I noted that besides "Damask" there was also "Apothecary" rose. I don't know what that is....but maybe we can figure this thing out!!!! I'd sure love to.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2008 : 11:14:28 AM
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Lisa, that sounds almost exactly like what we did, but I also think the recipe called for sugar or something. I'll have to go back and find it--I looked last night but couldn't find it..probably thought since it didn't work it wasn't worth keeping.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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prairielandherbs
True Blue Farmgirl
690 Posts
Maggie
Iowa
USA
690 Posts |
Posted - May 10 2008 : 1:46:51 PM
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Commercially purchased rose water is actually from distilled roses - it's a differnt process than what you are talking about, which is essentially making a rose tea. Nothing wrong with the rose tea, i don't mean it that way - just letting you know that the rosewater purchased in stores, etc, and typically used in bodycare preparations and cooking is made completely differently. It's clear in color, and has quite a different scent than roses infused in water.
I have a copper still that i use for distilling herbs, but haven't tried roses yet. it's on my to-do list! :) |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2008 : 12:18:31 PM
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Hmmm, who'd a thunk? Well, I haven't a clue about distilling herbs or how it's done. I wonder, though, if the smell wouldn't be even better? I didn't even think about rose tea because I thought that was made from the hips. DD simply wanted to make this desert that called for rose water and when she looked up "how to" online, this is what we got:
2 cups fresh rose petals (not from a store or florist), 1 cup boiling water. Pour water over petals; steep 45 minutes. Strain.
I have a steam juicer, Maggie, could that be used for better results, maybe? I'm not sure how distillers work.
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2008 : 4:23:46 PM
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Really, Tina? Usually, if it doesn't come with a name attached, I get frustrated with trying to find out what variety something is. There are just so many with so many similarities that it gets really confusing...
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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Herbal Wisdom: Rose water |
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Rose water
