From:  Daniela Buia 
Date:  Fri May 28, 2004  7:32 am
Subject:  Re: Wild Roses
 
Hello- Up until now I've not participated, but just today I made rose
petal vinegar so it seemed appropriate for me to join in and share this
old italian recipe. By the way, I am in Italy, more precisely the
northern Lazio countryside in a turn of the century "tufo" (read stone)
farmhouse!
The best roses to use are exactly the "wild" kind that are full of
perfume and haven't been touched by any kind of chemical treatments.

You'll need about 2 cups (500 grams) of full red rose petals picked in
the early morning, preferably not fully opened ones. Wash them
delicately, checking for little bugs that may be attached and spread
them on a kitchen towel to dry. Then, using your fingernails,
carefully remove that little white spot at the bottom of each rose
petal. When they're dry, place them in a clean sterilized jar or
crock. Fill the jar with the best white wine vinegar that you've got
making sure there's no air caught between the petals. Close the jar
and put it in a cool, dark and dry place for 10 days. At the end of
the 10 days, carefully filter the vinegar and put it into a pretty new
clean bottle and seal. The vinegar will have all the perfume of the
roses and will have turned pink! Great on very mild tasting lettuce
greens.

Some people around here keep the used rose petals letting them dry out
again to make sachets.

Enjoy!

Daniela 
