Preserving Petals

Wish I'd known earlier in the summer that if you put rose petals on a tray and in the warming cupboard they would keep their colour and flavour, and just dry elegantly. I now have them for adding to fruit compotes for breakfast, and hope to try them in some savoury cooking. But I have very few! Next year, I'll be ready to preserve trays of them.

Hans and Gaby Wieland of Neantog and the Organic Centre gave us this recipe for making a petal liqueur. Because we didn't read the recipe on time, we made it slightly differently, adding the petals first, then sieving them out and adding the sugar. It still tastes gorgeous, and fills you with such a feeling of well being that it's all too easy to reach for a second glass. Be warned.

Gaby and Hans Wieland's Rose Petal, Lavender and Mint Liqueur


Makes 4 cups (1 L)

Rose petals and sprigs of fresh lavender combine to make a romantic concoction. This recipe uses vodka as its base, but you may want to vary it with a dry white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc.

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) unsprayed rose petals
1/4 cup (125 mL) fresh lavender sprigs
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh mint leaves
4 cups (1 L) vodka
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
Sparkling water or club soda to serve
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Place flowers and mint leaves in a large jar; bruise them lightly with a wooden spoon.

Add vodka, stirring once or twice; seal jar and set in a cool, dark place. Allow mixture to steep for two days.

Add sugar, stirring well; let stand for two weeks, shaking jar thoroughly once or twice a day to ensure sugar dissolves.

Strain mixture through a fine sieve; pour into a clean bottle. Serve over ice with a splash of sparkling water or club soda. Garnish with mint sprigs if desired.

Gaby's Note: This flower liqueur is really nice drizzled over fresh figs or any fruit of your choice or on ice cream! Simply delicious! This liqueur is calming, soothing and lifts your spirits!

You can find more or Gaby's life-giving recipes from www.neantog.com