rose-water-msg - 1/29/08
Where to buy. How to make. Rose-water uses.
NOTE: See also the files: roses-art, seeds-msg, Roses-a-Sugar-art, infusions-msg.
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From: katarndt at aol.com (KatArndt)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Date: 11 Mar 1997 23:47:56 GMT
I have a recipe for Roes water used as an herbal face astringent that uses
1 cup rose petals for every 2 cups boiling water. Steep until cool and
strain. For Astringent you add 1/4 cup Rubbing Alcohol but I just leave
that out if I'm using it for cooking. Make sure the rose petals are not
sprayed with herbacides or pesticides!!!!
From: hrjones at uclink.berkeley.edu (Heather Rose Jones)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Date: 12 Mar 1997 01:59:49 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Erayna L. Jackson (eraynaj at dolphin.upenn.edu) wrote:
: Forgive my ignorance but several times I have seen rosewater as an
: ingredient in Medieval recipes. Is this actually made from roses steeped
: in water or something just called rosewater? If anyone can direct me as
: to where to buy it or how to make it, I would be eternally grateful.
Rosewater is distilled from water and rose petals -- it's basically water
that smells strongly of roses. (People unused to this aroma in food often
complain that it makes the food "taste like soap", since that's the
product they're used to associating the smell with.) If you don't live in
an area where your local grocery chain carries the stuff (it's variously
filed under drink mixers, baking ingredients, and 'ethnic' foods in the
places I find it) you might look in your yellow pages for a middle-eastern
specialty grocery. Such a place would be certain to carry it.
Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn
From: david.razler at worldnet.att.net (David M. Razler)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 02:31:24 GMT
Organization: AT&T WorldNet Services
hrjones at uclink.berkeley.edu (Heather Rose Jones) wrote:
| If you don't live in
| an area where your local grocery chain carries the stuff (it's variously
| filed under drink mixers, baking ingredients, and 'ethnic' foods in the
| places I find it) you might look in your yellow pages for a middle-eastern
| specialty grocery. Such a place would be certain to carry it.
|
| Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn
Oft times right next to the orange blossom water, which is the same kind of
product distilled from different flowers and providing a different perfume for
your food.
Note: in both cases, perfume your food is what you are doing - while taste is
75% smell, the odor of the flower waters is, at least to the modern American
sense of taste, regarded as a non-flavor element. Some folks like it. YMMV.
Aleksandr
David M. Razler
david.razler at worldnet.att.net
From: dickeney at access4.digex.net (Dick Eney)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Date: 12 Mar 1997 21:29:00 -0500
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA
David M. Razler <david.razler at worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>Oft times right next to the orange blossom water, which is the same kind of
>product distilled from different flowers and providing a different perfume for
>your food.
It is also often available in specialty cooking stores, the kind with
the imported baking pans and just a few shelves of imported gourmet
specialties. Williams-Sonoma chain I'm pretty sure carries it and IIRC
they also do mail-order.
=Tamar the Gypsy (sharing account dickeney at access.digex.net)
From: ag60046004 at aol.com (Ag60046004)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Date: 13 Mar 1997 12:01:35 GMT
Greetings, Rayne!
While I don't have a period recipe for rosewater, I've found a
non-measured recipe for it
in "The Complete Soapmaker", a book by Norma Coney (Sterling Publishing
Co., NY, published 1996). On page 62, it reads as follows:
"Method for Making Rose Water
"To prepare rose water, first gather fresh rose blossoms; do this during
the morning, after the dew [h]as evaporated. Place the petals in a glass,
stainless steel, or enamel saucepan and cover them with distilled water.
Weigh the floating petals down with a heat-resistant glass dish."
"Pleace the pan over low heat and allow the pot to release steam for at
least an hour. You should begin to see drops of rose oil floating on the
surface of the water. Do not allow the water to boil."
"When the water has taken on a rosy hue, feels thick and soft, and shows
evidence of rose oil on its surface, strain the liquid through a tea
strainer, using your fingers to press all the liquid from the petals.
Store in refrigerator. (Note that rose water may be used as a skin toner;
apply to the face with a cotton ball)."
Further on the same page, the author adds, "(Freshly prepared rose water
made from red roses will do a good job of coloring [the] soap, so you may
wish to leave out the extra dye.)"
At this time, I'd like to point out several ideas of my own, for
consideration only if you'd like to try your hand at making your own rose
water.
Consider using only enough distilled water to cover the rose petals.
Otherwise, the solution becomes more dilute. Please remember to use only
the petals, not the sepals, stamens, or green foliated bracket holding the
petals in their grouping.
Given the instructions of the book's author, I'd assume she uses fresh
petals only. You could consider experimenting with dried rose petals,
(not potpourri), though they won't have near the same content of volatile
oils.
It stands to reason that the darker the rose, the darker the finished rose
water will be.
It may also stand to reason that the more fragrant the rose, and the more
volatile oils in the petals, the stronger in scent the finished rose water
will be. The strongest-scented roses I've found are the
purple/lilac/sterling-grey-lavendar colors. I'm growing a bush this year
to attempt some of this next year. An American catalog, Jackson &
Perkins, sells really nice roses, and they give detailed information on
color, floriferousness, bloom period, and scent on each rose in their
catalog.
A quick note - the minute amount, maybe 2 drops, of oily substance
floating to the surface of the rose water during heating of the distilled
water is called "attar of rose", also known as "rose otto". Given the
quantity of rose petals needed to produce even 1 or 2 drops of this
substance, it's understandable that the commercially produced attar of
rose retails at about $295.00 for 1/2 fluid oz. (last I saw in a catalog).
If you'd like to try making rosewater in a period manner, the research may
be... interesting. However, recipes may exist in a written format late in
period, due to the high cost of perfume and the worthwhile attempt to
replicate/duplicate popular fragrances (theory/speculation only). I would
also speculate that it might be easiest to start from the period of the
Black Death forward (again, due to the importance given "poesies" and
other fragrant concoctions which, in theory, warded off the Plague).
All told, it's probably easier to buy rosewater than to make it. :-)
Don't confuse "rose water" with "rosewood". Rosewood is a South American
tree, and although I enjoy the scent of its essential oil very much, it's
nothing like roses, and completely unrelated.
Last note: If you or any other reader of this post is interested in
soapmaking, I *highly*
recommend the book listed near the beginning of this post. Very
practical, thourough, explanatory, and great illustrations & pictures!
Lists of bibliography and suppliers are good, too. The only drawback is
that you get great, inspirational photos, and no scent to accompany the
pictures. :-( Oh, darn: guess I'll just have to experiment... :-)
Hope this information helps!
In Service,
Anneliese Grossmund
Barony of Mag Mor, Kingdom of Calontir
ag60046004 at aol.com (no spam, please)
ILikeToSmellGoodAndSomeNiceGuysSeemToLikeMeToSmellGoodToo:-)
From: "Morgan E. Smith" <mesmith at freenet.calgary.ab.ca>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 08:18:33 -0700
Organization: Calgary Free-Net
I have found rosewater in Middle Eastern and Indian type grocery stores.
It is really made of roses (don't ask me how, I just buy the stuff)
apparently. Don't ever try using Rose essentail oil watered down: I have
no idea what's in those but it sure ain't meant for your innards.
Morgan the Unknown
From: Eli the Bearded <usenet-tag at qz.little-neck.ny.us>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca,alt.fan.e-t-b
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Date: 12 Mar 1997 19:32:25 GMT
When my sister wanted the stuff several years ago, she just went to
the local drug store and asked for it. I recall it was quite cheap
and came in a generic amber bottle that made it look like they filled
it up right there in the store.
>Note: in both cases, perfume your food is what you are doing - while taste is
>75% smell, the odor of the flower waters is, at least to the modern American
>sense of taste, regarded as a non-flavor element. Some folks like it. YMMV.
People keep telling me this but I have never noticed it. I have a
really bad sense of smell, so that may be part of it. And part of
why I often have very different ideas about what tastes good
compared to those around me. The rose flavored foods I have had
have been fairly bland and boring but maybe they were weakly
flavored, the violet flavored foods have been pretty good.
Elijah
------
since we are on the issue of flower flavors here
From: "Charlotte A. Gilmour" <rgbailey at aiinc.com>
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Organization: Gilmour
Date: 13 Mar 97 18:50:13 GMT
Greetings Anneliese,
I happen to know someone else who specifically needed this recipe, thank
you for posting it.
Also I wonder if anyone who chooses to make their own rosewater should also
be careful as well, that they are not using roses that have just been
dusted with insecticide, etc., since regardless, if you are using it in
food recipes/mead or using it as a scent on your skin, this could be a
concern worth noting.
I have heard you can purchase rosewater at pharmacies (haven't check yet
though) and also (as you mentioned) health food stores, went yesterday and
a fairly good size spray bottle of rosewater was only $4.95, not bad, the
ingredients listed were simply distilled water and oil of roses, certainly
reasonable though.
Most Sincerely,
Charlotte Anne Gilmour
Tearlag Anna Ghille Mhuire
From: Galen & Raven <galen at pa.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Date: Sat, 22 Mar 1997 08:34:21 -0500
Organization: pa dot net(tm), A service of Cumberland Technologies Int'l
The best RoseWater I found came from a place that Lady Tierza of Clan
Kyle had been ordering from. The company is Amazon Dry Goods
2218 E. 11th St.
Davenport, IA 52803
They have period patterns, spices, and metal boning. The cost of the
Rosewater (6oz) was ($9.95) and comes in a beautiful bottle.
Raven
From: alysk at ix.netcom.com(Elise Fleming )
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Date: 23 Mar 1997 11:57:43 GMT
In <3333DFDC.55DF at pa.net> Galen & Raven <galen at pa.net> writes:
>The best RoseWater I found came from a place that Lady Tierza of Clan
>Kyle had been ordering from. The company is Amazon Dry Goods
> 2218 E. 11th St.
> Davenport, IA 52803
>They have period patterns, spices, and metal boning. The cost of the
>Rosewater (6oz) was ($9.95) and comes in a beautiful bottle.
In Cleveland and environs rosewater is available from Middle Eastern
grocery stores. A 10 oz. bottle costs $2.50. The bottle is not
beautiful but utililtarian. The brand name commonly available is
"Cortas", from Lebanon. If you use rosewater for cooking you might
seek the kind without pink coloring added. (Cortas is clear, like
water.) Orange flower water is also available. There is also, from
somewhere, a food-grade rose "essence" or possibly oil which is much
more concentrated. Stores which specialize in restaurant supplies
might be able to find it.
Alys Katharine
From: rmorrisson at aol.com (RMorrisson)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Rosewater
Date: 24 Mar 1997 17:26:41 GMT
Greetings from Myfanwy!
I used to be able to get plain rosewater from my friendly local Thrift
Drug. It was about $2.50 a pint. I say used to, because apparently their
(and other pharmacies') source, Lilly (sp?), apparently no longer makes it.
Not to knock Amazon Dry Goods, but that price someone quoted seems
exceptionally steep -- I trust that it is a REALLY nice bottle, cuz it
sounds like that what you're mostly paying for.
I now get it from a upscale grocery/deli sort of place near where I now
live ($2.69 for 3 oz) but thanks to whoever mentioned Indian/Pakistani
groceries -- there are two down in the center of town and that gives me
yet ANOTHER reason to stick my nose in them sometime (the first being
looking for edible gold leaf).
Lady Myfanwy ferch Rhiannon
mka Ruth Payes Morrisson
RMorrisson at aol.com
Date: Thu, 8 May 1997 11:58:38 -0400 (EDT)
From: margritt at mindspring.com (Margritte)
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Making Rose Water
Looking through my copy of "The Medieval Home Companion", translated and
edited by Tania Bayard, I found the following instructions for making rose
water:
To make rose water without an alembic:
Take a barber's basin, stretch a kerchief over the mouth, and fasten it,
covering the basin completely, like a drum. Put your roses on the kerchief
and above them set the bottom of another basin containing hot cinders and
live coals.
Has anyone tried something similar to this? Will this give me rose water,
or an essential oil, or is there a difference? I've made rose water before
by setting rose petals in water on a sunny windowsill, but this sounds like
it would probably yield something much stronger.
Note: The manuscript used in "The Medieval Home Companion" has also been
translated as "Le Mesnagier de Paris" (The Householder of Paris), and "The
Goodman of Paris".
-Margritte
From: Tovah at hubert.rain.com (Tovah)
Date: 25 Apr 97 22:05:01 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Rose Lady
Greetings Gentle Folks!
This is a small example of the rose recipes I have. I chose to first
write the most asked for recipes, which are the Rose Beads and the Rose
Water.
The Rose Water is needed for some other recipes I will be writing about.
There are several Rose Water recipes, but I will only metion the strictly
only rose recipe. The others call for other herbs and flowers, if you are
interested in those also, please let me know.
I decided to make the recipes public, instead of writing them to only the
Folks who asked for them because there was so many who wanted the recipes.
Though there were several of you who asked me to send the recipes directly
to you because of certain circumstances, I will do that also.
Please enjoy this wonderful and versatile flower!
Tovah of Misty Isles
Lady of North Keep
a.k.a Rose-Lady
Rose Beads
Gather the roses on a dry day (best done in the dew of the morn) and chop
the petals finely. Put them in a saucepan and barely cover with water. Heat
for about an hour but do not let the mixture boil. Repeat this process for
the three days and if necessary add more water. The deep black beads made
from rose petals are made this rich coulour by warming in a rust pan. It is
important never to let the mixture boil but each day to wam it to a moderate
heat. Make the beads by working the pulp with the fingers into balls. When
thoroughly well worked and fairly dry press on to a bodkin (* See note) to
make the holes in the centres of the beads. Until they are perfectly dry the
beads have to be moved frequently on the bodkin or they will be difficult to
remove without breaking them. Held for a few moments in a warm hand these
beads give out a pleasing fragrance.
* Note: Most of the recipes will ask you to use Damask roses or red roses,
but I have found that any modern, well scented rose will do as well.
Instead of using a bodkin, you can use a clothes hanger.
Rose Water
Some do put rose water in a glass and they put roses with their dew
thereto and they make it to boile in water, then they set it in the sune tyll
it be readde and this water is beste.
This recipe was from Askham's Herbal 1550
Modern Rose Water
Pick the best scented roses you have. Place them in a gallon glass jar.
Cover with water (I use distilled water that can be bought at the store in
gallon jugs). Set the roses and water out in the sun for about 2 weeks.
Check to see if you get the scent you are searching for. If it is not ready
yet, then let it set in the sun for another week. When you have reached the
desired scent, strain the flowers from the water.and place the rose scented
water in a cool, shady area.
From: Tovah at hubert.rain.com (Tovah)
Date: 08 May 97 04:47:01 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Another Rose Recipe
Here is a rose recipe for those who study the culinary arts of the
medieval period. I have not as yet fully deciphered the recipe, so
please feel free to let me and the other gentles know how the cake
comes out.
Tovah of Misty Isles
Lady of North Keep
a.k.a The Rose Lady
--------<-< at --------<-< at --------<-< at --------<-< at --------<-< at
To Make A Cake With Rose Water, The Way Of the Royal Princess, The
Lady Elizabeth, Daughter To King Charles The First
Take halfe a pecke of flowre (flour), half a pinte of rose water, a
pint of ale yeast, a pint of creame. A pound an a half of butter, six
egges (leave out the whites) four pounds of currants, one half pound
of sugar, one nutmeg and a little salt.
Work it very well and let it stand half an hour by the fire and
then work it again and then make it up and let it stand another hour
and a halfe in the oven; let not your oven be too hot.
The recipe was found in -- The Queen's Closet Opened. By W.M. Cook to
Queen Henrietta Maria
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 07:39:43 -0500 (CDT)
From: nweders at mail.utexas.edu (ND Wederstrandt)
Subject: SC - rosewater
I find rosewater and orangeflower at liquor stores since they are
occaisionally used in mixed drinks.
Clare St. John
Date: Fri, 25 Jul 1997 10:08:48 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Schuldenfrei <schuldy at abel.MATH.HARVARD.EDU>
Subject: Re: SC - rosewater
> It is also available at Trader Joe's for people who live in the West.
According to "http://www.traderjoes.com":
"Currently, there are Trader Joe's in California, Arizona, Nevada,
Oregon, Washington, Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut."
One of the most dangerous things that ever happened to my wallet, was the
opening of Trader Joe's. Now they are opening one in my town. I'm gonna
eat well (and cheaply) and go broke doing it.
Tibor
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 1997 21:25:22 -0700
From: christy at lightspeed.net
Subject: SC - Re: sca-cooks V1 #215 Rosewater
The following direction for rose-water are from "Rose Recipes From
Olden Times" by eleanour Sinclair Rohde:
To make an excellent Rose-water, let the flowers be gathered two or
three hours after the sun-rising in very fine weather; beat them in a
marble mortar into a paste, and leave them in the mortar soaking in
their juice for five or six hours; then put the mass into a coarse
canvas bag, and press out the juice to every quart of which add a
pound of fresh Damask Roses, and let them stand in infusion for twenty
four hours. Then put the whole into a glass alembic, lute on a head of
receiver, and place it on sand heat. Distil at first with a gentle
fire, which is to be encreased gradually till the drops follow each
other as quick as possible; draw off the water as long as it continues
to run clear, then put out the fire, and let the alembic stand till
cold. The distilled water at first will have very little fragrancy,
but after being exposed to the heat of the sun about eight days, in a
bottle lightly stopped with a bit of paper, it acquires an admirable
scent.---The Toiler of Flora.
Also:
Some do put rose water in a glass and they put roses with their dew
thereto and they make it to boile in water, then they set it in the
sune tyll it be readde and this water is beste.
Also drye roses put to the nose to smell do comforte the braine
and the harte and quencheth sprites,--Askham's Herbal 1550.
Hope this helps a bit, but I to think it would be easier to find a
middle eastern grocery :).
Best of luck with it,
Christy
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 16:49:14 EDT
From: LrdRas at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Rose Petal Liqueur
mfgunter at fnc.fujitsu.com writes:
<< I'm sure it makes little difference in taste what roses you use. >>
This is an inaccurate statement. The roses used for flavoring are called
species roses and are totally different than the hybrid teas which most people
have in their gardens.
Hybrid teas have very little scent while species roses sometimes have an
overwhelming scent. Also teas usually bloom throughout the season while
species roses bloom all at once and are done for the year. In modern
manufacturing the leaves of the rose geranium are more oftentimes than not
used to produce "rose oil" because their scent is far more "rose-like" than
roses.
The Rosarium in Colorado is an excellent source for species roses. Some of
their varieties date back to the Roman empire.
A'aql (pronounced Ras)
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 16:05:09 -0500
From: mfgunter at fnc.fujitsu.com (Michael F. Gunter)
Subject: Re: SC - Rose Petal Liqueur
> << I'm sure it makes little difference in taste what roses you use. >>
>
> This is an inaccurate statement. The roses used for flavoring are called
> species roses and are totally different than the hybrid teas which most people
> have in their gardens.
>
> A'aql (pronounced Ras)
Thanks, but I usually just get whatever roses they have dried. But perhaps that
is why my homemade syrup takes longer to taste right than the rose syrup I buy.
Same for the fresh petals. I just usually get "red roses" and make the syrup.
They seem to work for me.
Gunthar
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 13:37:57 -0400
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Rose water
Seton1355 at aol.com wrote:
> Can anyone tell me how long an opened bottle of rose water will last ?
>
> Phillipa
Specifically, no, but tightly sealed and stored in a cool place, it
should keep a couple of years. Of course, as a cook in the SCA, you'd
use it up before that. Right? ; )
Adamantius
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 14:28:31 EDT
From: CorwynWdwd at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Rose water
Seton1355 at aol.com writes:
> Can anyone tell me how long an opened bottle of rose water will last?
> Phillipa
If you refrigerate it, resealed, it lasts at least a year by my experience.
Corwyn
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 16:40:56 EDT
From: THLRenata at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Rose water
Mirhaxa writes:
<< If you think it's not going fast enough, put a spoonful in the bath
water. >>
I have a beautiful glass sprinkle bottle, which I keep filled with rose
water in my ice-chest at tourneys -- just the thing for a little refreshment
on a hot day. A splah on the wrist or neck really makes the heat tolerable.
Renata
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 14:51:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: Laura C Minnick <lainie at gladstone.uoregon.edu>
Subject: Re: SC - Rose water
On Fri, 16 Apr 1999 THLRenata at aol.com wrote:
> I have a beautiful glass sprinkle bottle, which I keep filled with rose
> water in my ice-chest at tourneys -- just the thing for a little refreshment
> on a hot day. A splah on the wrist or neck really makes the heat tolerable.
I keep a basin on a stand in my tourney kitchen, filled with water with a
few drops of bleach (for anti-bacterial purposes) and a shot of rosewater
to cover the bleach smell. It's good for those quick rinses while chopping
veggies, etc, and there's soap and a nail brush for real washing up. I
also put rosewater in the water when I do the handwashing thing for the
high table at feasts. A nice touch, I think.
On a similar note, I discovered a couple of years ago that Dr. Bronner's
Castile Soap is terrific for the bath water at tourneys- the peppermint or
eucalyptus are both quite refreshing on a hot day or for a fighter coming
off of the field, and the eucalyptus tends to keep the bugs away. It also
come in a rose scent if you want to keep the theme...
'Lainie (who is itching to get back to tourney season, but has to get the
pavilion done first!)
- -
Laura C. Minnick
University of Oregon
Department of English
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 21:07:42 -0400
From: "Gryphon's Moon" <margritt at mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: SC - another - Rose water question
>I have a rose bush that has never been sprayed with insecticide. When the
>roses come out, should I just collect the petals and but them in a jar of
>rose water?
>In the fridge?
>Do you keep adding rose petals to the same water as they bloom?
>Anybody ever make their own rose water!
>Phillipa
I make rose water every year. As you noted, it is important to use petals
that have never been sprayed with insecticide. I usually pull off several
handfulls of petals into a collander and then wash them in cold water.
Mostly, I'm trying to get rid of any stray bugs. Drop them into a sauce
pan, and just cover them with water. Heat gently on the stove. My rose bush
is a lovely deep pink shade, and the water is tinted by the petals. When
the petals (or what's left of them) turn pasty white, and the water is rose
colored, I strain the petals out of the water. I often put a new batch of
petals in to make it even stronger, but it isn't absolutely necessary. It
will keep for quite a while in the refrigerator.
- -Margritte
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 14:36:29 -0400
From: Christine A Seelye-King <mermayde at juno.com>
Subject: SC - Herb Distillations
LYN M PARKINSON writes:
>I've gone and filed it 'somewhere', but what she does is put the
>petals and water in a non-reactive pan--I'll use a glass Corning wear
>one, then bring to a simmer. In the bottom of the pan is a cup that
>holds the rose water. You put the pan lid upside down, so the rose
>water condensing on the lid drips down the handle, falling into the
>cup.
This is similar to the method I use, which I found in a variety of herbal
books, as well as a book I have on how to live on a commune. (Very
useful info in that one). Ok, this is a still, I use it to make herb
distillations. It entails a 6qt enamel stock pot, a small stainless
steel mixing bowl (probably a 2 cup size), some kind of trivet on the
bottom (glass, wire, brick, etc.) to raise the level of the bowl, and a
large stainless steel mixing bowl, large enough to sit on top of the pot
and act as a lid. Water and the herb or flower is put in the bottom of
the pot, and the trivet and the sm. bowl are put in the center. The
large bowl sits on top, and the whole arrangement should work so that
there is room between bowls. When heated, the steam rises, ice placed in
the top bowl aids in condensation, and the droplets run down the sides of
the lg. bowl and drop into the smaller bowl below. We have made some
wonderful lavender water this way, in addition to eucalyptus, rosemary,
and some roots too, but I can't remember what that was just now.
Christianna
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 13:42:19 EST
From: melc2newton at juno.com
Subject: SC - eggs in moonshine- close but OOP recipe
In my desire to get away from Feb. weather, I hit the gardening books
(like I do every year this time) in the library , and came up with a good
one. If you haven't seen _The Scented Garden_ by Rosemary Verey, you may
well want to. She covers roses, herbs, shrubs, seems like every plant
that has a decent scent, including their histories, growing instructions,
and recipes.
The one that really caught my eye was "eggs in moonshine" which she
adapted form Kirby Hall "Receipts" of about 1650.
Heat 500ml/2 cups of rosewater in a shallow saucepan and add 250g/1 cup
sugar. Boil to dissolve the sugar. Take eight eggs and separate the yolks
from the whites. Poach the yolks in the rose water syrup until they are
firm. Arrange them on a flat dish and pour the sweetened rose water over
them. Cool in the refrigerator and serve with bread and butter with
chopped lemon balm used as a garnish.
I thought that this would make a good first course, or, even better a
dish for a high tea type meal.
Beatrix
who is planning some flower gardens, but we'll see how far we get this
year! :)
Oakheart, Calontir
Springfield, Mo
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 13:26:19 -0500
From: david friedman <ddfr at best.com>
Subject: Re: SC - rosewater
Over a month ago, Balthzar was asking about distilling rosewater.
Hugh Platt's _Delights for Ladies_ (1609) has a recipe for
distillation of herb-waters, with additional comments about different
ways of doing rosewater. He assumes you are familiar with the basics
of distillation. I can type some of this in at some point for anyone
interested; Platt is also in Cariadoc's cookbook collection volume 1.
Elizabeth/Betty Cook
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2000 18:26:22 -0700 (PDT)
From: Terri Spencer <taracook at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Liqueurs
Jadwiga wrote:
> Could you list the references to rosewater made from fair water?
This is the one I was thinking of:
To draw both good Rosewater and oyle of Roses together
After you have digested your Rose leaves by the space of 3 moneths
...then distill them with fair water in a Limbeck: draw so long as you
can find any excellent smell of the Rose, then divide the fattie oyle
that fleeteth on the top of the Rosewater, and so you have both
excellent oyle of Roses, and also good Rosewater together...
From Delightes for Ladies, Sir Hugh Plat, 1609.
Temair
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 15:32:39 PDT
From: "Bonne of Traquair" <oftraquair at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Rosewater
I wrote regarding more and less concentrated rosewaters:
>>if used in
>>the quantities sometimes called for in the middle ages recipes, not
>>only will you go broke, but the dish will so reek of rose scent that
>>I'd bet not many people will eat it.
Cariadoc asked:
>What medieval recipe were you thinking of that specifies the quantity
I don't know of any that specify the quantity, but sometimes the quantity is
implied.
The recipe under discussion in another thread will serve. I know of two
times to wash butter: at the end of the churning process--to remove any
remaining whey or other impurities prior to use or to salting. And later to
clean out the salt used to preserve the butter and get it back to a usable
state. You mix and mash a quantity of water into the butter, so that the
water dissolves the salt and then clap the water back out again in order to
get back to a buttery consistency. If you are using rosewater as Plat
mentions, rose scent and taste will remain behind. IMO even if Plat is only
using this process to flavor and not actually to clean out salt, he'd still
intend for wash to mean wash, not sprinkle.
Other than that, I beleive others have spoken about recipes that say 'add
rosewater' to a fairly dry mix, and then do something to the resulting paste
or batter. A partial teaspoon of rosewater won't change the mix into a paste
or batter, you'd need in the range of a partial cup. Not recalling specific
instances, I'll hope someone else speaks up.
Personally, this morning I mashed a few drops of the concentrated stuff into
a stick of butter, with a tablespoon of sugar. This is good! Had nobody done
this before at feast? In places where the populace is more conditioned
toward acceptance of period food it could take over from honey butter pretty
quickly.
Bonne
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2004 10:42:00 -0800
From: lilinah at earthlink.net
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Asabi Zainab
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
> At 06:20 AM 12/7/2004, you wrote:
>> Also you may be getting icky rosewater. I've had really good subtle
>> rosewater and really chemical-tasting rosewater.
>
>This is quite possible. I don't care for the stuff in the little blue
> bottle, but the rosewater I got at a Lebanese grocery was vaairy naahce
> (ok- imagine silly French accent!)
>
> 'Lainie
Hey, watch where you point that accent!
The stuff in the little blue bottle is likely to be French. In 1973,
when i lived in France, in Le Cannet, i was just a few blocks from
Chez Funel, a distillery of flower waters that was several hundred
years old. Still had old copper stills in their distillery.
My first ros and orange flower waters were theirs, in lovely blue
glass bottles. At some point, i found them in the US in little
plastic squeeze bottles. Eventually i no longer found little blue
bottles labeled as being from Funel, but only marked with the name of
th American distributor. They are HIGHLY concentrated. One only
needs a drop or a few. If you have used this brand, you may be
finding it unpleasant because you are using too much.
For SCA feasts i've been using Lebanese rose and orange flower waters
- IIR, the brand name is Costas. These are MUCH MORE dilute, so i
use them by the spoonful with no complaints about soapy or chemical
taste.
Anahita
<the end>