Rose Vinegar

Rosa Ragosa is in bloom again and we've been experimenting.

Rose buds in the dehydrator: the blooms faded to a Miss Haversham tatter. They kept their flavour but looked rather melancholy. Like a tossed wedding bouquet, or a shelved corsage. Drying them seemed to give them a lost past. I've put them in a jar, wondering what to do with them. 

It’s funny how we talk about the smell of garlic, the smell of herbs, but it's always the scent of a rose. The scent of a rose is so compelling: warm, lavish, satisfying, engaging, delighting.

We don’t understand how to take advantage of the rose in a culinary sense here in Europe. In Middle Eastern cooking it is much more prevalent. All roses are edible.

Rose Vinegar

I came across this recipe by accident – no worry, that’s how the best recipes are found. I was trying out a recipe from the NOMA Cookbook for pickled roses. I left the jar overnight in the kitchen, but next morning found it was too big to go in the fridge. So I decanted the contents to a smaller jar, and found I had some vinegar left over.

After only twelve or so hours, the vinegar in which the roses were steeping had changed completely. The colour had gone from white to a pale pink, and the vinegar had absorbed so much of the rose scent. It was wonderful.

We’ll see if the pickling of rose petals works, but never mind if it doesn’t. I'm happy enough to have discovered rose vinegar. Use it in salads and you’ll be astonished.


Barley Salad with Rose Vinaigrette

200g pearl barley
3 tablespoons rose vinegar
60mls olive oil
pinch of allspice
½ clove of garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper
handfuls of fresh dill, parsley, chives, all finely chopped
chive flowers
2 carrots, peeled and grated

Rinse the barley and simmer in water for approximately 30 minutes, when it will have softened and puffed up.

In the bottom of a large bowl, mix together the rose vinegar, the olive oil, allspice and finely chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Drain the barley (keep the barley water to drink) and toss in the bowl with the vinegar mixture. When thoroughly mixed add the herbs and grated carrots.