Are you wondering if it’s possible to eat rose petals? And if so, how do you prepare them?
I’m here to help you.
As a florist, I often get asked if a plant is edible, whether it’s for decorating a cake or making a creative dish.
Today, I’m sharing with you all my knowledge about the queen of flowers to help you discover its amazing flavors!
Before consuming a rose, be sure to check that it is a flower grown specifically for this purpose and free from any toxic substances. This advice also applies to hollyhocks, as their leaves, flowers, and buds can be eaten in salads. As for traditional roses, you can enjoy their crystallized petals, use them in infusions, or even make syrup! You can also incorporate rose petals into your recipes for cookies or sorbets, resulting in a delicious and colorful dish. So, don’t wait any longer to impress your loved ones with creative recipes featuring roses!
Looking for more details? Keep reading to find out:
- Tips for choosing your edible roses
- What the flavor of this flower is like
- More information about Hollyhock and its uses in cooking
- Delicious recipes using rose petals
What Are Edible Roses?
Since this is a matter of food, I suggest starting with some essential information you should know for your health and the well-being of your guests.
Essential Tips Before Cooking with Roses
Like many flowers, roses are edible! However, it’s important to take some precautions before nibbling on your flower bouquet:
✔️ First of all, the edible part of the rose is the petal only. You cannot eat the stem or the leaves.
✔️ Next, and this is very important, you need to ensure that you eat organic roses, free of any pesticides. Garden pesticides are not meant for consumption and can be very dangerous. For this reason, most roses sold at your local florist should not be eaten.
If you don’t have an organic garden, you can still order edible roses from your florist, just be sure to specify that they are for this purpose.
Make sure to place your order at least a week in advance of when you need to cook them, as there are not many suppliers for this product in France.
What Does a Rose Taste Like?
The flavor of the rose is very similar to its divine scent.
To understand this, it’s important to know that our sense of taste doesn’t work well without our sense of smell. The tongue can detect five basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and a less common one called umami.
However, the taste of rose isn’t actually detected by this organ: if you eat roses with a blocked nose, you’ll probably only experience a slight bitter flavor in your mouth.
The essence of a rose’s flavor comes from its scent, which you perceive through your nose just before the petal enters your mouth.
To fully enjoy a meal with roses, encourage your guests to take their time to appreciate the flavors and aromas on their plates with all their senses before diving in.
How to Eat Hibiscus?
Do you know the hollyhock? It’s a biennial flower that is referred to as a rose, but it doesn’t look like the traditional rose. There are nearly 60 varieties, which typically grow to an average height of between 5 and 6.5 feet.
Hollyhocks are completely edible, as long as, as mentioned earlier, they haven’t been treated with any toxic substances. They are classified as a “nectar-producing” plant, meaning they provide nectar to bees, allowing them to make honey.
Different parts of the hollyhock can be eaten:
- The leaves, which are very tender, can be finely chopped and used in salads, for example. They can also be cooked to make a soup.
- The flowers and buds, which can be eaten in salads or brewed as an herbal tea.
⚠️ Similar to the classic rose, the hollyhock can easily be mistaken for other flowers that may be potentially toxic to humans.
If you have any doubts, feel free to visit a pharmacy or consult a plant professional (florist, horticulturist) to ensure that what you are about to cook is safe to eat.
Recipes Using Rose Petals
Let’s get to the heart of the matter! Here are some ways to enjoy these exceptional flowers in the following lines.
Rose Syrup: A Romantic Drink
One of the simplest ways to enjoy roses is by making syrup from them.
To do this, boil half a liter of water, then turn off the heat under your pot.
Add 100 grams of fresh, untreated rose petals, 500 grams of sugar, and the juice of 1 lemon.
👉 It’s delicious when paired with soda water! Mixed with alcohol, you can create unique cocktails.
A Rose Tea for Snack Time
Looking for a relaxing break away from it all? Treat yourself to a rose petal tea with this simple recipe:
- 3 tablespoons of dried rose petals (untreated)
- 1 tablespoon of mint
- 1 tablespoon of dried lavender and/or dried hibiscus flowers (optional)
- 1 cup of spring water
First, bring the water to a boil.
Next, place all the ingredients in your teapot, then add boiling water to it.
Let it steep for 10 minutes, strain the mixture, and enjoy!
Rose Cookies for Kids (and Grown-Ups)
Here is a delicious recipe for sweet rose cupcakes that will introduce your guests to the amazing flavor of this beautiful flower:
- 300 grams of flour
- 125 grams of sugar
- ½ packet of baking powder
- 200 grams of butter
- 1 egg
- A little powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of rose water
- Some dried rose petals (untreated)
First, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Next, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the egg, sugar, and rose water while mixing vigorously.
Combine the flour and baking powder, and mix them into the prepared dough using a wooden spoon, then by hand if needed. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
Roll out your dough on a piece of parchment paper that matches the size of your baking sheet. Then, cut out shapes using cookie cutters (or a drinking glass).
Bake for fifteen minutes. Once the cookies have cooled, dust them with powdered sugar, add a few dried petals, and serve them on a lovely plate!
Crystallized Rose Petals: A Treat You Can Enjoy Forever
Whether you’re looking to decorate a dessert platter, create a unique treat, or complement a cup of herbal tea, crystallized rose petals are the perfect recipe for you.
To create them, you’ll need:
- One or two untreated red or pink roses
- One egg white
- 250g of granulated sugar
Dip the petals one by one into the beaten egg white, then once they are well-drained, coat them with granulated sugar. Place the coated petals on a plate.
Then, sprinkle them again with sugar and let them dry as is, without placing them in the refrigerator or the oven.
After about ten hours, remove the sugar-coated petals. You can enjoy the petals and store them for a few days in an airtight container.
Rose Ice Cream for Sweet Tooth Aficionados
If you’re lucky enough to own an ice cream maker, try making a classic cream ice cream and add rose water and petals. To enhance the color, you can even add a bit of red food coloring! Guaranteed romantic & delicious effect!
You now know everything you need to cook a delicious and unique meal using roses to surprise your family and friends!
Are you a fan of roses? Looking to create a decoration that matches your meal? Check out our specialized boutique for roses! You’ll find not only eternal roses, but also adorable rose teddy bears that will add the perfect decorative touch to your rose-themed meal. 😊
