HOMEMADE ROSEWATER
Harvest fresh, unsprayed garden roses at their peak and preserve their sensuous fragrance all year with this easy, homemade steam distillation process to make your own rosewater.
Ingredients
- 8 cups lightly packed fresh, fragrant rose petals
- 5 cups water
- tons of ice
Instructions
- Select a large stockpot with a lid that has a knob you can unscrew. You will invert the lid (see pictures) so the steam can drip down the middle, hence removing the knob.
- Pluck the rose petals and place them in the stock pot. Create some space in the center of the pot and place a large canning lid screw band ring in the middle. Place a small bowl on top of the screw band ring. This is what will catch the rosewater as it drips down from the inverted lid.
- Pour about 5 cups of water into the bottom of the pot, or enough for the water to reach about halfway up the rose petals.
- Cover with the inverted lid, and fill the top with ice cubes. Turn heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.
- As the ice melts, use a ladle to scoop out the water and add more ice cubes. Continue for 20 minutes or so, until most of the water around the base of the roses is gone.
- Remove from heat and pour the distilled rosewater in the small bowl into a glass jar to cool. Once room temperature, seal and store in the fridge to preserve.
- Use rosewater in a spray bottle for a refreshing spritz throughout the day, in juices, lattes, desserts, and savory dishes, or in face cleansers, scrubs, masks, and toners. For more ideas, see the ROSE chapter of Kale & Caramel cookbook.